Illawarra Medical Centre

05/09/2025

School holiday trips are just around the corner! 🌏🧳
If you or your kids are not up to date with your measles vaccinations, now’s the time to act.

💉 Two doses give the best protection.
⏳ Remember: it takes 2–3 weeks after vaccination to build immunity.

Stay healthy on your travels – check your vaccination status today.

04/09/2025

Spring has sprung, which means hay fever symptoms probably have to! 🌼🤧

Did you know that we offer Allergen Immunotherapy to patients suffering from allergies caused by grass pollen and house dust mites?

Allergen Immunotherapy is the only treatment targeting the cause of the allergy. It can help to reduce a number of symptoms and involves exposing people to larger and larger amounts of allergen in an attempt to change the immune system’s response.

To make an allergy appointment with one of our GPs, contact our Reception on (08) 9208 6400.

Find out more at https://illawarramedical.com.au/health-services-ballajura/health-services-ballajura-allergy-treatments/

03/09/2025

It's Women's Health Week!

This week is all about the health and wellbeing of all women, girls and gender-diverse people and encourages:

- staying up-to-date with your recommended health checks at every stage of life
- arming yourself with knowledge to get the most out of your health appointments
- looking after your heart health, with an average of 20 women per day dying from coronary heart disease
- advocating for better health support for pain conditions, including migraines and period pain
- being kind to your mind, as mental health is just as important as physical health

Find out more at https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/womens-health-week

If you have any concerns about your health, make an appointment with one of our GPs. Bookings can be made online or by phoning (08) 9208 6400.

02/09/2025

*FREE HEARING TESTS AVAILABLE AT IMC – FRIDAY, 12 SEPTEMBER*
Following a successful visit in March and to coincide with Dementia Week, IMC has again teamed up with Attune Hearing to offer a free hearing test to eligible patients on Friday, 12th September. Appointments are available between 9.30am-3.30pm.

Hearing tests are recommended for all patients over the age of 50, as part of their annual health check. For more information, speak with your GP.

To check your eligibility and book in for a hearing test, contact Reception on (08) 9208 6400.

02/09/2025

*LOST PROPERTY*
Are you a patient of IMC? Have you misplaced some jewellery since your last visit to us?

In a clean out of our lost property box, we stumbled across some items that we believe the owners may be wanting back!

If this is you, please give us a call on (08) 9208 6400 to identify your missing items.

01/09/2025

Today is Gold Bow Day, an initiative of the Australian Thyroid Foundation to remind us to 'check our necks' and be aware of any symptoms and changes to our thyroid gland.

It is estimated that almost one in six Australians has a thyroid problem, with ~1 million Australian’s having some type of undiagnosed thyroid disorder, including thyroid cancer. Women are more affected than men and the chances of developing a thyroid problem increase with age.

Symptoms and changes to be aware of are:
- If your thyroid gland has enlarged or become painful.
- If you can feel or can see any lumps on your thyroid gland.
- You have developed a persistent cough, or you constantly clear your throat.
- Your voice has changed in volume or has become hoarse.
- You have trouble swallowing or sleeping due to discomfort in your throat.
- Your thyroid function blood results have changed, resulting in hypo or hyper thyroid symptoms.

If you are concerned about your thyroid health, book in with one of our GPs to discuss your concerns. Appointments can be made online or by contacting us directly on (08) 9208 6400.

Find out more at https://thyroidfoundation.org.au/Gold-Bow-Day

30/08/2025

There has been a recent surge in rabies cases in Bali and Western Australian’s are being urged to take precautions against the disease when travelling to the island.

Rabies 100 percent fatal once symptoms appear, so it’s important to get immunised before travelling to rabies hotspots and treated as soon as you have been exposed to a potentially infected animal.

Find out more about rabies and how to best protect yourself against this deadly disease when heading to Bali for your holidays in our latest blog below>>

Rabies cases are on the rise in Bali. Traveller’s are urged to take precautions against the disease when travelling to the island. More>>

27/08/2025

It's Red Nose Day, which encourages us all to get silly for a serious cause!

Red Nose Day helps to raise awareness and vital funds for research into Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and stillbirth, as well as support for families who experience the devastating loss of a baby or child.

Each year 3,000 babies and young children die suddenly and unexpectedly in Australia.

Find out more at https://www.rednoseday.org.au

26/08/2025

🚨 Measles alert – watch out for symptoms

🤔 What: Someone with measles went to places in the southern suburbs while infectious
🕑 When: July and August 2025
🏚 Where: Shops, GPs, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Rockingham General Hospital – full list of locations at https://bit.ly/3ULYeVe

If you were at any listed locations during that time, watch for fever, cough, sore eyes, rash for up to 3 weeks.

25/08/2025

It's Healthy Bones Action Week, which encourages us all to take simple steps to protect our bone health.

Did you know that bones stop growing around age 18, but peak bone density isn’t reached until the late 20s? After that, we can only maintain what we've built, so a calcium-rich diet is essential throughout life to help prevent osteoporosis later in life.

Women aged 40-55 are at greater risk of increased bone loss, as oestrogen levels start to decline.

Three simple steps we can all take to look after our bone health include:
1. Enjoy calcium rich dairy foods like milk, cheese and yoghurt
2. Move your body with weight bearing exercises
3. Get safe sun exposure

For information, visit https://www.dairy.com.au/promotion/healthy-bones-action-week

To find out more about the symptoms, risk factors, prevention and treatment for osteoporosis in our blog below>>

https://illawarramedical.com.au/osteoporosis/

Osteoporosis is a chronic health disease affecting close to two million Australians. Find out more in our recent blog>>

20/08/2025

It's Daffodil Day - the Cancer Council's annual fundraiser to raise awareness and vital funds to deliver better treatments and better outcomes for those diagnosed with cancer.

Did you know that almost 1 in 2 people will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85? There are more than 200 different kinds of cancer, each with its own name and treatment, but the good news is that a third of cancers are preventable.

Find out more at https://www.daffodilday.com.au/

18/08/2025

This Brain Injury Awareness Week is a chance to raise awareness of brain injury and its impact on everyday Australian’s.

Brain injury is often unseen, with invisible symptoms like memory loss, irritability, pain, and impulsiveness impacting everyday life and leaving the person with a life-long, invisible disability.

One common brain injury is concussion, which can result in a number of debilitating long-term conditions, including Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) – a degenerative brain disease that affects thinking, mood and behaviour, and interferes with day-to-day life.

Find out more about concussion in our recent blog - https://illawarramedical.com.au/use-your-head-when-it-comes-to-concussion/

For more information on brain injury, visit https://synapse.org.au/