Medical aid is a form of insurance that covers the cost of medical services. It is available for foreigners and their family living and working in South Africa but depends largely on the type of visa one has while in the country. Any foreigner who is staying in South Africa for extended periods of time should consider medical aid cover although they can access public health services. The public healthcare system in South Africa is not up to the level of many developed nations and without medical aid cover or travel insurance, a person can only access these public health services or fund their medical care out of their own pocket.
What is irritable bowel syndrome?
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS for short, is a bowel disorder that is associated with abdominal pain and changes in bowel habit. It is a functional bowel disorder meaning that there is no evident disease process but is rather associated with a disturbance in the normal functioning of the bowel. IBS is also known by another now outdated term – ‘spastic colon’. It is often confused with IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) which is another common yet less prevalent disorder that is due to actual disease processes affecting the bowels.
Many employees do not consider the impact on their medical aid cover by changing jobs but this is an important consideration from the moment you hand in your notice of resignation. Much depends on whether you are a member of a open (public) medical aid or closed (restricted scheme). Without proper planning you may find that you do not have any medical aid cover for a month or two during the transition period and this can significantly impact on your personal budget should medical costs arise. Furthermore, even a short period without cover may mean that the new scheme will then impose certain waiting periods and exclusion criteria that can affect you for a few months or even in the first year of cover.
Nicotine is the one of the many chemicals found in tobacco products and more commonly used in the form of cigarettes. These days other products such as nicotine chewing gum, mouth sprays and patches are also utilised but more frequently as a temporary measure to quit cigarette smoking. These nicotine replacement products deliver a fixed dose to alleviate the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and are rarely used as means to continue the addiction. Although nicotine itself has a host of effects on the body, the dangers associated with nicotine specifically is minimal. However, the wide range of other chemicals in burning tobacco have been implicated in serious disease, including cancer.
What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease?
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is chronic inflammation of the bowels, mainly the large intestine, due to an immune reaction. It should not be confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) which is a functional bowel condition of unknown cause. The bowels comprise the small intestine and large intestine which are jointly the largest parts of the alimentary tract. The large intestine is made up of the caecum, colon and rectum. IBD mainly affects the colon and often includes the rectum or ileum, which the last part of the small intestine. Rarely some types of IBD can affect any part of the alimentary tract including the mouth and stomach.
What is Gastritis?
Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach wall. This usually starts in the inner lining of the stomach known as the gastric mucosa and eventually penetrates deeper into the underlying layers. Most cases of gastritis are due to infection with the H.pylori (Helicobacter pylori) bacteria or the long term and excessive use of anti-inflammatory drugs. Other factors such as stress and spicy foods may exacerbate the symptoms but do not cause gastritis on its own. Gastritis typically presents with a gnawing pain in the upper abdomen.
