Posts Tagged ‘alcoholism’
The festive season is often marked with excessive alcohol consumption and while this may be part of the revelry, it can also lead to conditions like acute pancreatitis. Most cases of acute pancreatitis leading to emergency room visits occur immediately after Christmas or New Year’s day. The pancreas is small gland situated in the abdomen and plays a role in digestion and regulating blood sugar levels. In acute pancreatitis, the pancreas is inflamed to the point that it causes symptoms that can range from mild discomfort to extreme pain.
What is Foetal Alcohol Syndrome?
Foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) refers to growth, mental, and physical problems that may occur in a baby when a mother drinks alcohol during pregnancy. The defects that are part of foetal alcohol syndrome are irreversible and can include serious physical, mental and behavioral problems, though they vary from one child to another. Foetal alcohol syndrome is a growing problem in South Africa along with other birth defects caused by drug usage (‘crack babies’). While foetal alcohol syndrome is often thought to be a result of alcohol abuse, even moderate alcohol usage during pregnancy can result in FAS.
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Alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence is a growing problem in South Africa, affecting both the health and welfare of the alcoholic, their family and even friends and colleagues. Ranked among the top beer drinking nations of the world and home to one of the largest breweries internationally, South Africa has not tackled the problem of alcohol abuse head on. Lax regulation and enforcement has allowed alcohol abuse to spread to younger age groups and seen illegal taverns (shebeens) pop up throughout South African suburbs.