Health

Medical care is provided for us from birth to death. Medical care in our country is free or charge in state health facilities we must pay too, but only 30,-.

When we grow out of our children´s diseases such as a otitis, measles, mimos, rubeola or chicken-pox we don´t have to go to the doctor so often. If we are not hypochondriacs we try to get over our cold easily by staying in bed, taking pills, keeping warm, sweating, gargling and drinking herbal tea. But sometimes, if a patient is trying to overcome a feverish sickness without staying in bed, he takes a risk, as the illness often leaves very dangerous after effects.

If we still feel unwell, we finally decide to see a General Practitioner (GP). We need the doctor, when we are ill, or when we are hurt, or when something happens with our body – we can have a crash, broken leg… Especially in winter months we need the doctor, because a lot of us suffer from cold, flu… It is better to make an appointment with the doctor in his surgery time if we want to avoid long waiting in the waiting room which may often be crowded. Then the nurse says „Next please“ and invited us into the consulting room. The nurse has to look for our medical record and wants to see our insurance card. Then we are ready to enter the surgery. The doctor usually asks what the trouble is and then asks us to strip to the waist because he or she must examine our chest and throat. The doctor wants to know if we have a temperature, a good appetite and where we feel pain. Then he or she listens to our lungs and heart and we have to take a deep breath or stop breathing according to his orders. He also wants us to open our month and say „Ah“ to see if our tonsils are red. Sometimes the doctors checks the blood pressure and feels the pulse, takes the blood count and throat culture or puts urine trough lab tests. We have to say how we feel, if we have a headache, a sore throat, a cold, a cough, or if we are sick and hoarse. Finally the doctor diagnoses the case and therapy and prescribes a medicine. At the pharmacy we get antibiotics, vitamins, pain relievers and gargle. Medicine comes in different forms such as tablets, pills, capsules, suppositories, liquid medicine or ointment. We can also buy some medicinal herbs to prepare herbal tea.

In more serious cases of if we get injured we can call the doctor to our home. Sometimes we may be taken to hospital by an ambulance. In case of unconsciousness or heart attack the patient is put on a stretcher. For car accidents a special helicopter may be called up. Sometimes it is necessary to give first aid such as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, to stop bleeding or fix fractures.

In the hospital the injured people are examined and X-rayed at a casualty ward (emergency room). You can have stretcher, bruises and cuts which sometimes need sitches so that the scar isn´t so visible. When doing sports you can sprain your ankle or dislocate your knee. If you don´t need an operation, they will put your leg either in splint or in plaster and you will walk on crutches for a few weeks. If you break your arm, you may wear it in a sling. In an accident you may also pull or tear a muscle, a ligament or tendon. After the operation the patient is sometimes sent to a health resort or spa for rehabilitation. There he undergoes water treatment, takes baths, massage, remedial exercises and drinks the waters.

However, there are fatal illnesses like cancer or AIDS which are incurable so far. But the best way to cure yourself of a disease is not to catch it, because prevention is better than cure. We can keep our health by physical training, hardening our body, trough sport, regular daily routine, sufficient sleep, healthy food and avoiding alcohol, cigarettes and stress.

First aid – Try the pulse, try the breathing, put the head up, stick the tongue, stop bleeding by pressing special points, artificial respiration, make a plaster – two brunches and a line or scarf.

When someone faints – cold water, send him out, fresh air, sit, slep him a bit

Problems in general, in our country

Hospitals – not very good, no place, badly equipped, expensive, bad food

Paying – madicaments are expensive, insurance companies do not want to pay them, sometimes doctor want to have porfit from selling medicaments

Insurance – everybody must be insured, expensive, some compenies do not do what they should – they promise sth. and then said that it is for some another people..

People can‘ t be ill, they could lose their job or they won´t get money

North Bohemia, Ostrava – smog, bad air, vocational diseases