Belmont Medical Practice

17/02/2026

This week, we're talking about BACK PAIN.

85-90% of people will have back pain at some stage in life.

Most back pain cases are mechanical, meaning there is a disfunction of one of the vertebral joints, ligaments or muscular attachments in the back. There are also other structures which can cause back pain, such as pelvic disease and renal disease (e.g. kidney infection).

But don't worry, simple measures can be taken to manage back pain, including simple pain relief (e.g. paracetamol or ibuprofen), warm compression (e.g. hot water pack), gentle mobilisation and stretches as tolerated, and anti-inflammatory rubs (e.g. dencorub, voltaren cream).

Physiotherapy can also have long-term benefits for ongoing back pain – come see us at Belmont Medical for more information!

At times, back pain requires more thorough investigation in order to excluse other causes.

Here are some IMPORTANT SIGNS & FACTORS to be aware of:
• Night time or early morning pain
• Sharp/stabbing pain
• Pain moving down the leg
• 50 years of age
• On regular corticosteroids/immunosuppressive medication
• Have a history of osteoporosis
• On anticoagulation (or blood thinner) medication

Please visit your GP if you have any questions or concern.

09/02/2026

Headaches are a common experience and presentation to the GP. There are a variety of causes, however the most common being a tension-type headache.

We will go through a few typical features of headaches, particularly tension and migraine headaches.

Tension headaches typically feel "tight", "gripping", as though there is a band squeezing your head.
They usually affect both sides of the head, or can be generalised. These headaches typically last anywhere between 30 minutes up to 7 days, often occurring during times of stress. Usually rest, good hydration and simple pain relief, such as panadol or nurofen are advised.

Migraine headaches are generally one sided, often feeling "throbbing" or "pulsating".

There can be associated symptoms such as sensitivity looking at light, sensitivity with loud sounds and nausea/vomiting. For some people, there can be certain precipitating factors such as foods e.g. chocolate, alcohol and hormone changes. Often, there can be a family history of migraine headaches too. Several treatment options are available, but visit your GP for further information if you feel you have similar symptoms.

Please see your GP if your headache is persisting or not improving with simple pain relief such as panadol or nurofen, you have any visual disturbances, any weakness,
worsening of headache or high fevers with headache.

03/02/2026

BMP's Guide to a Healthy Heart:

It's no surprise that the heart is the most vital organ in the human body. It's busy working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your entire life and in return, it needs your care.

Here are some simple steps that you can take to improve heart health and reduce the risk of heart problems later down the track.
1. Be smoke-free – smoking increases your risk of heart attack, stroke and peripheral arterial disease (which can lead to gangrene and limp amputation)
2. Eat healthy – enjoy a variety of food groups by choosing plant-based foods, wholegrains, oily fish and moderate amounts of unprocessed meats
3. Keep moving – The Heart Foundation recommends that you include at least 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days each week
4. Manage your blood pressure – high blood pressue can strain your heart and speed up the process of coronary heart disease. Try to have regular blood pressure checks – we can help you out at Belmont Medical!
5. Maintain a happy you – studies show that some people who have have depression or do not have quality social support are at greater risk of developing heart disease. Our compassionate and experienced doctors would be more than happy to have a chat with you.

For a complete heart health check, please call us for an appointment on 0401 792 644

29/01/2026

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA): What you need to know

Snoring and sleepiness are common symptoms presenting to general practice. The term 'OSA syndrome' is used to describe recurrent apnoeas (i.e. absence of airflow for greater than 10 seconds) or hypopnoes (i.e. reduction in airflow in greater than 10 seconds), occuring atleast 5 times per hour and associated with snoring and symptoms of day time sleepiness or fatigue.

The main cause for OSA is upper airway collapse, as a result of sleep-related loss of muscle tone, causing airflow limitation.

OSA can be associated with several other medical conditions, including high blood pressure, mood disorder, heart disease, stroke, atrial fibrillation and type 2 diabetes.

Some symptoms to watch out for are: loud snoring at night (often noticed by the partner moreso), nocturnal choking/gasping (again often witnessed by partners), stopping breathing at night time (apnoea), excessive daytime sleepiness/irritability/low concentration, morning headache or erectile dysfunction. The day time sleepiness can particularly be most bothersome, where people with OSA can often doze off sitting/reading, in public places, or in more dangerous scenarios such as behind the wheel!

There are many modalities for managing OSA after a thorough assessment, such as through weight reduction, positioning, dental splints, CPAP machine (a positive airway pressure ventilator to help keep airways open at night) for more severe cases.

Please see your GP at your earliest convenience if you believe you may have some of these symptoms, so that we can assess you for OSA.

20/01/2026

To***co smoking is the greatest single cause of premature death and is a leading preventable cause of illness in Australia.

Many people believe the main risk of smoking is lung cancer, but in reality smoking damages almost every organ in the body. Wherever blood flows, to***co toxins follow — causing widespread harm.

Smoking is a major risk factor for many diseases and conditions, including:
• coronary heart disease (up to 10 times higher risk than non-smokers)
• stroke and peripheral vascular disease
• lung cancer (20 times higher risk than non-smokers)
• other cancers including stomach, bladder, mouth and cervical cancer
• emphysema and chronic lung disease
• osteoporosis
• type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
• increased risk of miscarriage and pregnancy complications

⚠️ What about va**ng?
While often marketed as a “safer” alternative, va**ng is not risk-free. E-cigarettes can expose users to ni****ne, toxic chemicals and fine particles that irritate the lungs, affect heart health, and may impact brain development in young people. Va**ng can also reinforce ni****ne addiction and make quitting harder — especially for teens and non-smokers.

If you’d like support to quit smoking or va**ng, speak with our experienced and caring GP. We can guide you through quitting strategies, medication options, and help you move towards a healthier, smoke-free and vape-free life.

13/01/2026

Happy new year!
We have re-opened, and ready to welcome you back.

Contact us to book an appointment today!

#2026

15/12/2025

10/12/2025

A common misconception about sunburn and skin cancer is that you need sun protection only when it’s hot, the sun is shining, or it’s the middle of summer. In fact, even when it’s cloudy or cool, you need to make sure you’re protecting your skin.

For sure, the level of UV radiation is likely to be higher in summer than in winter. However, UV radiation and sun damage can happen any day of the year when the UV index is 3 or higher.

Check your phone’s weather app to check the UV index. If it’s 3 or above, it can do damage so take steps to protect your skin.

The level of UV radiation can still be high even during cloudy days, rainy days, or cold days. The higher the UV rating, the greater the risk of sunburn and sun damage.

10/12/2025

🌀 Benign Positional Vertigo (BPV)

BPV is a common cause of sudden, brief episodes of spinning dizziness triggered by certain head movements. It’s benign, meaning not dangerous, and often settles on its own.

✨ What causes it?
Often the cause is unknown, but it can follow head or neck injuries. It’s usually due to tiny loose particles in the inner ear or issues in the neck that affect balance signals.

✨ Typical symptoms:
• Sudden spinning for 10–30 seconds
• Triggered by movements like looking up, rolling in bed, or sitting up quickly

✨ How long does it last?
Attacks are short but can come in bursts over a few weeks. Many people recover quickly, though BPV can return months or years later.

✨ What helps?
• Avoid triggering head positions
• Balance/neck exercises
• Physiotherapy or neck mobilisation

If symptoms are unusual or persistent, a GP check may be needed.

03/12/2025

Ultraviolet radiation is one form of the sun’s energy. It’s the UV that damages our skin, and a suntan is our body’s protective response to sun exposure - and it’s an early sign of damage.

A suntan is caused by the body producing melanin, which is a response to UV exposure that acts like umbrellas for the body trying to shut out UV. But if your skin is suntanned, it is already damaged.

Let’s look at what UV is.

The sun produces three forms of energy: UV radiation; infrared radiation and visible light.

- UV radiation is the most dangerous form of energy as it causes sunburn, cell damage and skin cancer. The fact that we cannot see it or feel it means we should be especially cautious and always check the UV index for that day.

- Infrared radiation is felt as the heat from the sun.

- Visible light is seen as sunlight.

03/12/2025

Have you felt bothered by your weight?
It is well known that Australia has one of the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity in the developed world, affecting over 60% of adults and 25% of children and adolescents. These figures are predicted only to rise over the years.

The key to weight loss is lifestyle modification, mainly in relation to diet and exercise. The benefits of lifestyle modification are paramount to many health outcomes inclusive of but not confined to, the prevention of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and blood pressure control, as well as general fitness. It has been shown that even a 5% weight reduction in those in the overweight range, can have many benefits to health outcomes.

A balanced diet is paramount to general health, and also to weight loss. A few aims in diet management include - reducing fat intake to less than 30% of total energy intake, reducing saturated fat intake, increasing dietary fibre intake and reducing total calorie intake.

As an adjunct to good diet, physical activity is also an important factor in weight loss and general health. Aiming for atleast 30 minutes/day or 150 minutes/week moderate intensity exercise is a good guide.

Please see us for an assessment of your weight, so that we can work with you for the best plan in managing your weight.

27/11/2025

UV radiation is known as the invisible killer, and with good reason. Every year nearly 2,000 Australians die from skin cancer, caused primarily by overexposure to UV. UV can’t be seen or felt and is present even on cooler or overcast days. This makes UV radiation especially dangerous; because just 15 minutes of unprotected exposure (when the UV is above 3) is enough to start to cause damage to your skin.