Movember: Supporting Men's Health Awareness

Movember is an annual event involving the growing of moustaches during November to raise awareness of men's health issues.

Movember is an annual event primarily involving the growing of moustaches during November to raise awareness of men's health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men's suicide.

Men’s health is in crisis. Men are dying on average 4.5 years earlier than women and for largely preventable reasons. Movember is the leading charity changing the face of men’s health on a global scale, focusing on mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.

Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer in men over 45. Globally, testicular cancer is the most common cancer among men aged 15-39 years of age. Across the world, one man dies by suicide every minute of every day, with males accounting for 69% of all suicides. The issue of suicide is incredibly complex. But we know this: improving overall mental health and helping men establish better social connections can reduce the risk of suicide.

Movember is uniquely placed to address this crisis on a global scale. The Movember organisation funds ground-breaking projects all over the world, engaging men where they are to understand what works best and accelerate change.

Sound like something you want to be a part of?

You can either get involved, donate, or partner up with Movember. Here are some suggestions for getting involved:

Grow a moustache
Move by running or walking 60 km throughout the month
Host a Mo-ment by gathering friends or create your own challenge with Mo Your Own Way
If you'd like to donate, get behind a friend by donating to their Mo Space, or donate directly to Movember. Your donation could help save a father, a brother, a son, a friend, a partner, a man’s life

If you feel like you are suffering from low mental health, don't hesitate to come in and see one of the team for local support recommendations, and product advice for helping to alleviate stress, and stabilising mood. Your local pharmacist team is here to help in any way we can.

Learn more on the Movember Website here.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information only. It is not intended as medical or health advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for consultation with a qualified healthcare professional who understands your individual medical needs.

Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia)

Causes of swallowing difficulties

Swallowing difficulties can happen at any age. There are a wide range of causes for them, including:

some medicines, such as antipsychotics
heartburn and acid reflux
cancer, such as mouth or throat cancers
nervous system or brain disorders
muscle disorders
blockages or structural issues with your mouth, throat or oesophagus.

Symptoms of swallowing difficulties

Symptoms of swallowing difficulties may include:

coughing or choking when eating or drinking
bringing food back up, may be through your nose
the feeling that food is stuck in your throat
having issues chewing your food
problems with dribbling.

Swallowing difficulties can cause weight loss, dehydration and chest infections.

Diagnosing swallowing difficulties

Let your healthcare provider know if you have swallowing difficulties. They will ask you about your symptoms and check if any other health conditions you have may be the cause.

Your healthcare provider may refer you to a specialist for tests. These may include a:

gastroscopy—a camera is passed down through your mouth to look at your throat and stomach
swallowing study—your throat and stomach are x-rayed as you swallow small amounts of food.

Treating swallowing difficulties

How your swallowing difficulties are treated depends on the cause and how severe it is. Treatments may include:

medicines to treat acid reflux
swallowing therapy with a speech and language therapist
making changes to what you eat and drink, such as softer foods and using thickener in drinks
using special spoons, plates and cups
surgery to widen your oesophagus.
using special medication lubricants eg Gloup to help make it easier to swallow tablets etc. For more information click here.

Self care for swallowing difficulties

As well as seeing your healthcare provider, the following tips may help you to get food or liquids into your stomach.

Sit upright in a chair—at a table is best.
Have regular small meals instead of the main large meals.
Eat or drink small mouthfuls at a time.
If your voice is gurgly when you eat or drink, give a small cough to make sure your airway is clear.
Wet food will be easier to swallow as dry food can catch in your throat.
If your food has 2 consistencies, such as fruit in juice and cereal in milk, try to mix it into 1 consistency, or eat the solid and liquid portions separately.
Concentrate on eating and avoid talking.
Hot, ice-cold or fizzy liquids are easier to swallow than room temperature liquids.
If you are told to have thickened liquids, avoid ice-cream and jelly as they thin before swallowing.
Drink from the top half of you cup to avoid tipping your head back.

Have a look at our range of Gloup medication lubricants here which can help with difficulties swallowing tablets...

Bureta Pharmacy Shop

We're 'the little pharmacy with the big heart' - our slogan explains our attitude - small in size but big in attitude, we like to go the extra mile for our customers!