Medical News

“Affordability is a major issue for members belonging to a medical scheme. Medical scheme membership is primarily income related. This lack of affordability prevents low-income groups from joining medical schemes, and that is the reality facing South African healthcare, “says Marcel du Toit, CEO of Optivest Health Services.

Can a lack of knowledge regarding PMBs mean that you end up paying for bills that your medical scheme should cover?

They were first developed for the Russian space flight programme to counteract bone and muscle wastage effects that take place in a zero-gravity environment. Today, Whole Body Vibration Machines are a popular accessory at most gyms, and many people believe they can help them wobble their way into shape. They're marketed as an easy way to fitness, removing cellulite while building muscle without much effort. Carte Blanche Medical asks whether these machines have a place in an effective exercise regimen.

By far the most common cancer in men, prostate cancer is a diagnosis every man dreads. Now there's a little known, but highly effective procedure - combining the use of high tech scanners and computer software - to carefully place small pellets of radioactive material into the prostate. Over time, these radioactive seeds will kill the cancer. Much quicker and less complicated than removing the entire prostate gland, Brachytherapy is fast becoming a viable option for men with localised prostate cancer. Join Carte Blanche Medical in theatre to see this internal radiotherapy in action.

Are you chronically tired and getting a bit tubby? You could have a condition that affects 5% of women and up to 25% of men. They literally stop breathing, wake up momentarily, snore, then fall asleep and start the process all over again - sometimes more than 60 times an hour. Surprisingly, most sufferers don't even know their sleep is disturbed. Called obstructive sleep apnoea, not only do sufferers feel fatigued, but some also gain excessive weight. There's also increased risk of heart disease. Carte Blanche Medical keeps you alert.

First she loses her vision. Then her speech begins to slur. Soon she can barely hold a toy or cup, let alone get out of bed. This happens every time little Roxcee Germishuizen suffers a Multiple Sclerosis relapse. Diagnosed at age six, Roxcee is one of the youngest known people in South Africa with this auto-immune degenerative disorder. And South African actress Irene Stephanou, who has lived with MS for 31 years, knows all too well that it's a lifelong battle. For Roxcee and Irene, treatment and management are the only ways forward in this isolating condition. Carte Blanche Medical meets two courageous individuals hoping for a cure.

Body Identity Integrity Disorder One morning, Robert Vickers purchased a large quantity of dry ice and set about destroying his perfectly healthy left leg. Seems like the act of a crazy man, but, for Robert, removing the leg he had come to detest seemed the right thing to do. It wasn't the first time either. Robert suffers from a neurological condition called Body Identity Integrity Disorder, a rare condition that makes people feel the only solution is to remove a limb that has become alien to them. Once thought to be a psychological phenomenon, researchers have now made significant advances in diagnosing the areas of the brain responsible for this alarming condition.