Let’s get the obvious out of the way first: I would like as few people as possible to die from Covid-19 in 2022 – so feel free to groan a bit (I know I have over the last two years), but please get your booster, wash your hands, wear a mask, and stay home if you’re...

Sun damaged skin Who grew up with peeling sunburns, skin oil instead of sunscreen and a love of the outdoors? Chances are you might be sporting some sun damage from your exploits. Sun damage can present as a reddish/brown shawl around your neck (the Qld ‘’V’’),...

There are lots of different types of headaches, but the one most frequently referred to and loathed (or loved, if you happen to be interested in neurology, like Oliver Sacks writing his first book in 1967) is the migraine.  Other headaches types are many and varied...

Covid19 has put a hold on lots of things this year, but please do not let it delay your participation in cancer screening. Bowel cancer is very common in our community; with roughly 1 in 25 Australians affected we have one of the highest rates in the world.  Screening...

How CCFP has made changes to keep our community safer during Covid-19 We have made many changes to our operations at CCFP in response to Covid-19. Some of these changes are temporary and will be rolled back in accordance with appropriate State and Federal advice, some...

20/3/2020  Dear Employers/ School Principals /Day Care Managers Doctors are unable to provide patients with COVID-19 clearance. As per government advice and guidelines, resources must be conserved for patients who are both unwell and fit strict testing criteria....

Really common, really annoying, and occasionally really dangerous. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are more frequent in women because they have shorter urethras (the tube from bladder to the outside) and so bacteria have less distance to travel before causing trouble....

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain is one of the most common causes of face pain in adults. Typically, the pain occurs right in front of the ear on one or both sides (sometimes it can be confused with ear pains etc) which is worse with chewing or opening the mouth...

This month’s topic is blepharitis – or inflammation of the eyelid margins. Doctors and optometrists will commonly refer to two different types of blepharitis, inner versus outer eyelid margin inflammation, however they often occur together and involve the little oil...

Wry neck is also known as acute torticollis (‘twisted column’ in Latin) which to me sounds a bit like the name of animal found in the dungeons of a castle. Just as you would expect from a dungeon creature, it attacks quickly and is very unpleasant. It is a severe...

Many people are surprised to know that the ideal time to start planning for a healthy pregnancy is well prior to actually falling pregnant (and of course using reliable contraception beforehand!). It’s best to visit your GP for a pre-conception consult at least 3-6...

The internet is great, but sometimes it can be difficult to sort the ‘wheat from the chaff’ in terms of quality information. Here are a few of the better websites I commonly refer to: Kids Health - The Royal Children’s Hospital (also has its own app)...

While we all like to think that we are busy, nothing quite compares to what Santa Claus must be experiencing! After a whole year preparing, it’s almost time for Santa, the elves, the reindeer and Mrs Claus to show us what they have been up to. As Santa’s family GP, it...

There are many articles in the press about measles lately, and for good reason. This preventable disease has taken off again due to lower than ideal vaccination rates globally, causing a significant risk to those vulnerable to the infection. Not everyone can be...

It dismays me to see women suffering with debilitating pelvic pain who have been told “it’s a normal part of being a woman” or “it will settle when you have kids”. If you have pains around or during your period that don’t settle in 1-2 days or with simple pain killers...

This is a really common problem, especially if you are older than 50. There are a few different causes, but surprisingly the most common cause is not hip arthritis (which is what most people think), it is a condition called Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS)....

Hair loss is certainly not a problem confined to men. In fact, nearly 50% of women show some signs of hair loss and thinning by age 50, making this quite a common situation, and one that can cause a significant amount of psychological distress.   Everyone starts...

This time I’d like to share a great type of treatment I often recommend to my patients. Let’s run through the benefits first, and then I’ll let you know what the treatment is! It can help you quit smoking, and also limit the amount of weight you gain when you quit...

Shingles is a nasty recurrence of the chickenpox virus resulting in extreme pains on one side of the body, followed by a stripe of bubbly rash. Sometimes the pains never go away, and other complications can follow. It is also contagious for chickenpox – if you have...

Sometimes contact with fairly mundane household items can have devastating consequences for kids. Years ago when I was working on my own in an isolated emergency department I pulled a thin plastic bottle cap out of a blue infant’s throat. It must have happened in...

Prior to jetting off on holidays it is a good idea to check in with your GP to ensure your travel is not marred by avoidable illness. Conditions such as malaria and typhoid are typical diseases that can be encountered overseas and are preventable with a little forward...

The two most common types of meningococcal disease, B and C, can be prevented by vaccination. When I was a medical student it was a sad reality in paeds wards to see the aftermath of meningitis – young kids missing limbs, vision, hearing, or learning to eat and talk...

Australian families rejoice – we have the lowest death rate from cervical cancer of anywhere in the world. This results from frequent pap tests (which detect changes that precede cancer by up to 10 years) and a great public health system that provides treatment for...

Head injuries are a very common ‘urgent fit-in’ at our practice. They run the gamut from minor scratches and bumps to injuries causing permanent brain injury. In children even minor head injuries can have quite significant consequences, and so all head injuries are...

Hand injuries are a really common presentation in General Practice. They are the most common injury sustained in the workplace, and we also see many from recreational activities such as cricket and home maintenance.   Anything other than a very minor injury should be...

About one in five children have the red, scaly and itchy skin rash known as eczema. The areas of skin involved can vary depending on age. Infants often have patches first appearing on the cheeks. Toddlers may have scratch marks on the outside of arms and legs, making...

The first thing to know about acne is that you don't have to put up with it. The second thing to know is that is it really very common – over 85% of people are affected to varying degrees at some point. Your doctor can be helpful in deciding the severity of the acne,...

Swimming is great fun, swimmer's ear however - not so much. A combination of humidity, perspiration and residual water from swimming can easily lead to an overgrowth of fungus or bacteria in the ear canals. It usually starts as an itchy sensation but can end up being...

Hand, foot and mouth (HF&M) disease is a really common viral infection in young kids (mostly under age 6) but it can also affect older kids and even adults at times. The usual culprit is Coxsackie virus, a type of enterovirus that seems to flourish around this...

I would prefer not to experience the pain of a broken rib, but if I do, I really hope the injury could be in some way worth it – perhaps sustained while mountain biking or generally doing something fun (if a fraction risky). Contracting pertussis (whooping cough) and...

August - the month of windy weather, the possibility of early firefly sightings, and (unfortunately) increasing cases of gastroenteritis. We have seen quite a few cases of fairly severe viral gastro amongst both kids and adults recently, and thought it might be a good...

Our waiting room is a chorus of coughs thanks to the large number of upper respiratory tract viruses circulating through the community at present. Did you know that the average number of coughing illnesses for a school-aged child is three per year? It probably feels...

Being able to diagnose and treat skin cancer is satisfying, but what is even better as a GP is the opportunity to help prevent skin cancer. Everyone both young and old gets a similar sun protection spiel from me. Cover up thoroughly including wearing sunglasses, stay...

Going to a doctor can be confronting for anyone, and young adults can find this especially intimidating. Despite this, forging a comfortable relationship with a trusted family doctor is important; it is a great opportunity to embark on a path of positive health into...

My patients will be familiar with my irreverent lamentation – nobody wants to wear a brown ribbon. Unfortunately, bowel cancer is both 'unglamorous' and common, with roughly 1 in 25 Australians affected, one of the highest rates in the world. It's not all bad news...

My first article for an upcoming edition of the Karana Downs Community Chronicle! I'm happy to accept suggestions for future topics, and you can contact me via the contacts section of the webpage.   I recently spent an evening washing some typical Mt Crosby...