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South African Medical Directory

(Quick Reference)

Rabies: Hydrophobia.Fear of Water.Dangerous Infectious disease caused by the Rabies Virus, transmitted to human via the saliva of infected animals - through bite or lick or occasionally by inhalation of drops of saliva.Common carriers are dogs,cats,bats,rats,foxes,squirrels and cattle.Every effort should be made to prevent its occurrence

Precaution: The disease can be prevented if the appropriate vaccine is recommended for people working with animals in high risk areas.All travelers in these areas should also avoid contact with stray animals and teach children NEVER to pick up or pet small wild animals particularly when the creature appear unnaturally friendly.Such behaviour is contrary to their normal natures and an indication that they are unwell - perhaps with Rabies.

Symptoms: An infected person may develop symptoms within 10 days to 2 months of a bite,although rarely the virus can be dormant for several years.Rabies usually start with 1. flue-like symptoms that last for about 2-7 days,followed by 2. paralysis of the face and throat muscles 3. extreme thirst 4. painful throat spasms leading to an inability to drink and a fear of water 5. disorientation and agitation 5. loss of consciousness 6. paralysis of the limbs 7. once symptoms have developed,the condition is usually fatal

Treatment: There is NO CURE once the symptoms have developed.A person bit by an infected animal should get the vaccine AS SOON AS POSSIBLE after been biten by a suspected infected animal.Diagnosis may not be obvious from the symptoms,and blood and saliva tests are usually done to confirm the presence of the virus

Radiesthesia: Practitioners claim that it involves Extra-Sensory Perception.The Art of 'Divining or Dowsing' using a Pendulum, held over a sample of Hair,Nail Parings or Blood taken from the patient.It is said that the movement of the Pendulum are said to show the nature and site of the disease and to suggest possible remedies

Radioonics: A Technique evolved from Radiesthesia in which machines are used to diagnose illness form a sample of the patient's blood, hair or nail parings

Rash: Temporary eruption on the Skin consisting of Red Patches or spots.Most are caused by a reaction to Physical or Allergic irritations, but could be a symptom of Disease.Many childhood infectious diseases have a rash as one of their main symptoms, among the them Chickenpox,German Measles,Measles.Scabies or Ringworm fungus.Pupuric Rash in particular may be a symptom of a serious disorder such as Leukaemia,Hepatitis or Meningitis, as well as Sensitivity to a Drug.Test for Purpura by pressing a drinking glass against your child's skin to see if the rash remains visible, the rash could be Purpura

Raynaud's Syndrome / Disease / Phenomenon: It is a condition of Hands, fingers and feet which affects people who are unduly Sensitive to Cold.Often called 'dead fingers'.These two similar conditions cause numbness and tingling in the fingers or toes, they are more common in women between 15-45 years old and sometimes run in families.The symptoms are due to sudden narrowing of the arteries in the hands, or rarely the feet because of Hypersensitivity to cold.Smoking and exposure to cold may trigger attacks.In about half of all people with Raynaud's phenomenon, the condition is associated with another disorder such as Rheumatoid Arthritis.Certain drugs, sus as beta-blockers,are known to produce the symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon as a side effect.It can be triggered by smoking, because nicotine in cigarettes constricts the arteries.Exposure to cold and handling frozen items can also trigger an attack.Rarely the condition is due to abnormal protein - cold agglutinins - in the blood, which show up when extremities get cold or the body cools down

Reflexology: Zone Therapy.The application of enough Pressure to Stimulate the Muscles of the appropriate Region of the Foot can cure functional disorders such as Migrane,Sinusitus,Asthma and Stress.The ancient Chinese believed that areas of the feet and the lower legs correspond to other parts of the body

Refraction: Refraction is the process whereby the Light from outside the eye is focused on to the Retina. The image formed on the Optic Nerve is interpreted into the sensation we call Sight

Refractive Errors: Refraction Errors in the Vision of the Eye e.g. Myopia,Hypermetropia,Presbyopia, Astigmatism

Reiter's Disease: Disease thought to follow infections caused by a number of different Bacteria. Variable symptoms, usually affecting Men and causing Arthritis, Conjuncivitis and Urethritis

Respiratory Infections: Infection of the Upper Air Passages,nose,nasal, sinuses,throat (pharynx),voice-box (larynx),windpipe (trachea) an upper bronchi

Retroverted Uterus: A mobile retroverted uterus is a harmless variation of normal - in which the uterus is tilted backwards.It is often blamed for failure to conceive but in no way implicated

Reye's Syndrome: Is a childhood illness in which the child suddenly becomes ill with vomiting and fever.The body's reaction to the illness causes the Brain to become Inflamed, so the child may also become Delirious and even lapse into a Coma.Although rare,this is a very SERIOUS condition and can result in death if it is not identified QUICKLY

Rhesus (Rh) Incompatibility Rhesus-factor D is found in the red blood cells of 85% of all people, these people are Rhesus Positive.The remaining 15% who lack factor D are Rh-negative. The presence or absence of the Rh factor is important in blood transfusions and pregnancy

Rh-Negative: Persons who receives Rh-positive Blood in a transfusion may form Antibodies in their blood.Should he/she then receive more Rh-positive blood, the anibodies will destroy the red cells in the Rh-positive blood.To guard against this, the patient's Rh factor is determined before transfusion. In Pregnancy, an Rh-negative women who is carrying a child with Rh-positive blood inherited from the father, may pick up some of her baby's red cells in the bleeding which takes place at birth - if this happens, antibodies against Rh-positive factor will be formed in her blood.There is usually no problem with the first pregnancy, but in subsequent pregnancies, antibodies may enter the bloodstream of the unborn child and destroy its red cells. Treatment during pregnancy can prevent the antibodies forming, but in a very few cases the baby will be born dead. In other cases a total blood transfusion can be given to the baby - if necessary before it is born

Rheumatic Fever: Rare Disease that causes Inflammation of the Joints of the Heart. Which sometimes follows an episode of Tonsillitis or Otitis Media - caused by Streptococcal Bacteria.Rheumatic fever can have serious consequences.The EARLIER the treatment, the less likelikhood there is of any heart disease in later life

Rheumatism: General term for Pain, with or without stiffness, affecting the Muscles and Joints.Covers many conditions including Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibrositis and Cervical Spondylosis

Rheumatoid Arthritis: A progressive, slowly Destructive Swelling of the Joints- particularly the fingers and feet and then spreads to include the wrists, knees, shoulders, ankles and elbows

Rhinophyma: Permanent lumpy, red swelling of the nose, often occurring together with the intermittent flushed skin condition Rosacea.Mainly affects men.Marked Disfigurement can have plastic surgery to correct the condition

Rickets: Deficiency of Vitamin D.Childrens disease in which the growing Bones softens, bend and are malformed

Ringworm: Tinea.Highly contagious Fungus infection.No worm is involved, but a ring is formed.As the infection spreads, the inflamed patches extend at their edges while their centres revert to a normal skin appearance.Tinea Capitis - Fungal infection most common in children Tinea Corporis - Infection start as a red pimple which spreads at the edges with clearing in the middle.There may be just one pimple or a number Tinea Cruris - Dhobie Itch -Extremely common type of infection which affects the groin usually found in men

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: An infectious disease caused by a Rickettsia - a minute organism.Transmitted to humans by tick bites

Rodent Ulcer: Basal Cell Carcinoma.Slow growing type of Skin Cancer that occurs on the face and neck,nose,eyelids and ears

Rosacea: Common disorder in which there is Reddening of the Skin on the Face.Rosacea is a long-term possibly permantent condition and is most common in women between the ages of 30 and 55 and after the menopause.The features of Rosacea include redness and pimples on the cheecks and forehead.The condition often run in families.Alcohol,coffee and spicy foods may trigger attacks so it is best to avoid them,as well as temperature extremes in winter.Special treatment for Rosacea will be prescribed by a Dermatologist (skin specialist)

Roseola (Roseola Infantum): A mild disorder that affects Children under three.Sudden onset of high fever which lasts for about four days.Convulsions often occurs

Rotator Cuff: The Rotator Cuff is a Ring of Muscles and tendons which hold the Rounded Top of the Arm bone against the Shoulder bone to make the shoulder joint

Rotator Cuff Lesion: This cuff of tendons can be injured and torn by accident. Also as a person ages, it degenerates and may develop spontaneous disorders including Frozen Shoulder, Painful Arc Syndrome,Shoulder Hand Syndrome and Supraspinatus Tendinitis

Roundworms: Worm infection in children.One of the Largest Parasites 100-300mm.They live in the small intestine and seldom cause symptoms in th healthy child, unless they become so numerous that Intestinal Obstruction occurs.If the child becomes feverish for some reason or has stomach upset - worms may be vomited or passed through the rectum.Common in Africa and Far East

Rubella: German Measles.Contagious. Take care in PREGNANT WOMEN .Can cause birth defects such as blindness and deafness

Family Health Guide & The Baby & Child Health Care Handbook - Dr.Miriam Stoppard