https://www.scmp.com/rss/319923/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com [Sponsored Article] Common colds, nasal allergies and sinus infections are among the many causes that can lead to the blocking of the Eustachian tube, which links the middle ear to the nasopharynx and serves to equalise pressure in the middle ear. Everyone experiences blocked ears to some degree especially during flights or on high altitude, but most people are able to relieve the pressure by themselves with a yawn-like motion.  Those with Eustachian tube dysfunction have their ears blocked... https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1859294/balloons-unblock-ears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1859294/balloons-unblock-ears?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2015 02:26:29 +0000 [Sponsored Article] The past 20 years have seen increasing scientific research into the benefits of touch in infancy.  Frederick Leboyer, a French obstetrician, wrote in 1985 of his observation that “Being massaged is food for the infant.  Food as necessary as minerals, vitamins and protein.”  Dr Tiffany Field and her colleagues at the Touch Research Institute in Miami, Florida have also established as early as 1966 that massage will facilitate growth in pre-term infants.  Matilda International... https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1858298/power-touch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1858298/power-touch?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2015 02:00:00 +0000 [Sponsored Article] A so-called “fitness” test, the Belly Button Challenge, has gone viral on social media. To act this out, one needs to twist the arm round the back to touch the belly button with the fingertip from the other side (of the arm). According to Eyckle Wong, manager for the Physiotherapy Department at Matilda International Hospital (MIH), not only is there no medical evidence to prove that such a movement can reflect the level of health and fitness, the twisting and yanking can... https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1855911/real-test-physical-fitness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1855911/real-test-physical-fitness?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Sep 2015 02:30:45 +0000 [Sponsored Article] Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common type of arthritis in which there is a gradual loss of cartilage from the joints, most often in the hands, knees, hips, and spine.  There are a number of risk factors, including natural aging, obesity, and participating in certain sports, like boxing, cycling, gymnastics, ballet dancing, soccer and rugby.  It is a chronic condition that gradually worsens over time; however, there are several measures that may slow its progression and control... https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1855321/early-intervention-key-healthy-knees?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1855321/early-intervention-key-healthy-knees?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Sep 2015 05:00:45 +0000 [Sponsored Article] When mom preaches, we tend not to listen, but when a doctor says it, we pay attention.  Here, Dr Raymond Yip, spinal surgeon at Matilda International Hospital, explains why good health is related to good posture, and how prolonged sitting or a “text head” - tilting the head forward to text or play games on a mobile device, will exert heavy pressure on the spinal area. Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) is a concept used by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and... https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1852354/mom-was-right-proper-posture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1852354/mom-was-right-proper-posture?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Aug 2015 09:38:20 +0000 [Sponsored Article] Scoliosis was originally a Greek word meaning curved or bent. Today it is a word used to describe the most common type of spinal curvature. Scoliosis is simply a descriptive term, like headache, and not a precise diagnosis. When a scoliosis develops, the spine bends sideways and rotates along its vertical axis. These changes have cosmetic and physiological effects with long-term health consequences if the curvature worsens and is left untreated. Heavy School Bags Do Not Cause... https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1851098/watch-your-childs-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1851098/watch-your-childs-back?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Aug 2015 03:30:00 +0000 If you think airline food tastes a bit "off", you're not the only one. The 10,000 taste buds in our mouth are able to differentiate between sweet, salty, bitter and sour on terra firma. But when we're up in the air, our sense of taste loses its bearings a bit. German researchers at Fraunhofer Institute found that the aircraft's cabin atmosphere - pressurised at 2,400 metres - combined with cool, dry cabin air - numbs about a third of our taste buds. The stagnant cabin tends to dry out the mucus... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1850188/what-eat-and-drink-long-haul-flight-and-what-avoid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1850188/what-eat-and-drink-long-haul-flight-and-what-avoid?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Aug 2015 15:45:30 +0000 [Sponsored Article] Young people can get arthritis of their hip from certain sports, and find it painful to move and function normally. Naturally, they want to carry on enjoying life and engaging in physical pursuits. Fortunately, modern hip replacements allow them to remain active, according to orthopaedic surgeon Dr Jason Brockwell. “Most hip problems cause pain in the groin, thigh or buttock. A firm diagnosis can usually be made based on their sports involvement, injury history, physical... https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1846317/hip-replacement-im-only-35?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1846317/hip-replacement-im-only-35?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Aug 2015 09:08:18 +0000 Hong Kong homes harbour alarmingly high levels of dust mites and mould known to be a major cause of respiratory problems, a study of indoor pollution by Baptist University scientists has found. The small-scale study of household dust samples, by the university’s Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences, found average mite antigen levels of 5.37 micrograms per gram, above the 2mcg/g threshold commonly associated with an increased risk of developing allergy to dust mites. Dust samples from... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1846680/scientists-raise-alarm-over-dust-mites-infesting-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1846680/scientists-raise-alarm-over-dust-mites-infesting-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Aug 2015 04:00:00 +0000 [Sponsored Article] Embarrassed.  Afraid. Don’t know where to find help.  These are sometimes the feelings that stop people from seeking help for emotional concerns. Fortunately, many companies now recognise that emotional health is integral to the physical health of staff, and these companies are actively adopting whole-body wellness programmes. According to Dr Cindy Chan, a registered clinical psychologist, work, family problems, health issues, relationship, financial burden and a Type A... https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1846320/emotional-health-workplace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1846320/emotional-health-workplace?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Aug 2015 01:21:49 +0000 [Sponsored Article] Many companies recognise that health issues can impact productivity and the bottom line, and put employees’ physical and emotional wellbeing at a high priority. Here, a specialist talks about coping with stress. Stress is a normal and natural physical response. In appropriate doses, stress can motivate staff to better performance. When stress is prolonged, the body’s defence mechanism may go on overdrive.  According to Dr Gabriel Hung, Specialist in Psychiatry, “Long-term... https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1845537/cope-stress-try-4as?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1845537/cope-stress-try-4as?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Aug 2015 04:30:30 +0000 [Sponsored Article] Decorated with pops of colours, stylish furniture and delightful wall art, MIH’s newly expanded health assessment department  looks more like a modern luxury hotel than a hospital. According to Acting Chief Executive Officer Linda Burgoyne, the idea is to make clients feel comfortable while receiving their health checks and reduce the anxiety that usually comes on such occasions. MIH started with consulting its existing clients on what they looked for when going for health... https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1843388/elevated-experience-health-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1843388/elevated-experience-health-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Jul 2015 01:45:32 +0000 [Sponsored Article] Scanning the social media forums, where the bumps community goes to seek maternity-related advice from other women “in-the-know,” it is clear that the maternity team at Matilda International Hospital on the Peak holds a very special place in the hearts and minds of many mothers.  We asked Mary Watkin, the senior midwife of the Maternity Department at the Matilda International Hospital (MIH), whose team literally hand-delivered around 1,000 babies each year, what is it that... https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1842742/having-baby-many-splendoured-thing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/health-and-wellness/article/1842742/having-baby-many-splendoured-thing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Jul 2015 01:43:21 +0000 A frequently held concern among Hong Kong mothers that their breast milk is not nutritious enough for their babies appears to be misplaced, say the researchers behind a study that found it to be the best option for feeding babies age three and younger. The study, which examined breast milk from 74 mothers, found 95 per cent of it contained the recommended level of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which helps babies’ brains and vision develop. The researchers found that the average level of DHA in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/1842428/hong-kong-mothers-milk-contains-plenty-nutrients?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/1842428/hong-kong-mothers-milk-contains-plenty-nutrients?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Jul 2015 07:15:15 +0000 More than a decade ago, a 14-year-old Belgian girl was left infertile after going through a bone marrow transplant to treat sickle-cell anaemia, a condition she was diagnosed with at age five. In November last year, at 27 years old, the woman gave birth to a healthy baby boy after receiving a different kind of transplant: the reimplantation of her ovarian tissue that was extracted and frozen before she embarked on the cancer treatment. What is so significant about this case is that the patient... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1832066/birth-breakthrough-offers-hope-girls-needing-chemotherapy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1832066/birth-breakthrough-offers-hope-girls-needing-chemotherapy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Jul 2015 22:45:45 +0000