Dear @emscaredplshelp. Vaccination takes 1-2 weeks before immunity develops. Yes, you can still get infected by an animal which carries rabies if vaccination was only performed on the dog that day. If in doubt, it is best to seek medical attention and consider getting rabies immunoglobulin injection near the wound to prevent the virus from infecting you.

Dear @Shameela Depo-Provera is given as an intramuscular injection.  Im inferring that the nurse gave the injection closer to your hip instead of the middle of your buttock as the upper outer quadrant of the buttock is recommended for intramuscular injection, in order to avoid the sciatic nerve which lies deep in the buttock. It is alright to lie on your side or prone position while receiving the injection. Hope this helps.

Hello, it looks like the skin scar itself is ok, but that there is a lump internally. This is most likely due to scarring over the tendon repair internally, and is quite common. You may want to work with a hand therapist especially if your motion is still  impeded. It generally should improve with time. Hope that helps!

Dear @jchua ,

I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing tenderness in your knees. Given the chronicity of your symptoms, it would be worth a visit to a GP or the polyclinic for further assessment with regards to your symptoms to ascertain a working diagnosis. The polyclinic doctor or the GP can then refer you to a specialist. Of course, you can book yourself into any private specialist clinic on your own too. I hope this helps. 

Hi @Singaporean_ZR I'm sorry to hear that, and I hope her condition has stabilised! There are many possible causes for stroke, and specific recommendations are driven by what caused it in her case. In general, a balanced diet with 1-2 servings daily of fruits and vegetables would be beneficial. Moreover, it would be good to cut back on oily fried food, and reduce consumption of animal fat where possible. For example, when eating fatty meats like pork/beef, cut out and avoid eating large chunks of fat. Alternatively, opt for leaner meats like fish instead - Salmon would be a good option. I hope this helps!

Hi Hannan it sounds like you may have developed a paronychia infection of your nail fold. It is good to get this checked by a doctor as sometimes this needs drainage in addition to antibiotics 

Hi @maybe78 unfortunately not - the Science behind blue light glasses is not definitive. Although excessive blue light exposure can affect the sleep cycle, the amount from device screens has not been conclusively shown to cause any problems to health in general or in the eye. That said, the sun itself emits large amounts of blue light/ UV radiation, and excessive sun exposure can damage the eye. Avoid looking directly, and wear sunglasses on hot days or when driving.

Ultimately if you find that you lead a lifestyle with large amounts of exposure to digital screens such as laptops, mobile devices, and televisions, here are 2 key things to improve your eye health and minimise the impact on sleep;

1) Take visual breaks
This is important, especially during prolonged continuous visual tasks such as browsing social media, reading documents, or drawing on these device screens. This means to take a break every half-hour or so, to look further away at something in the distance. You may find looking out of the window at nature every once in awhile to be particularly relaxing!

2) Avoid screen time in the 2 hours before your bed time.
Instead, try to do something relaxing such as to go for a walk, or have a conversation with your loved one (although, depending on circumstances this may not always be relaxing 😂 ). Other tips to improve sleep are to avoid drinking liquids in the 2 hours before your bed time, and to try and incorporate some exercise in the first half of your day.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology are a reputable resource for eye health matters, and they provide a detailed discussion about blue light and eye health here: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/blue-light-digital-eye-strain

I hope this helps!

Dear Jeff. It is not usual to have double vision. The cause can be due to abnormality in the brain ( Central ) or the ears ( peripheral).  It is important for you to consult an opthalmologist. Alternatively, you may visit the Emergency Department for a consultation. Imaging of the brain might be considered to rule out central causes of diplopia and tinnitus. Kindly go to Emergency department if you have any weakness or numbness of hands and legs. Thank you.

Hi @lolololol Thank you for your question!

I would say that the HPV vaccination is important regardless as it has been proven to reduce the risk of cervical cancer in women (most common cancer in females). Many people who have HPV are asymptomatic and can easily transmit it to another person. In Singapore, the estimate is that 8 of every 10 people have some form of HPV. 

Although you are only looking to have a single sexual partner, I would say that the benefit of the vaccination would still outweigh the risks/drawbacks. You may not know if your partner has had a sexual contact before/been exposed unknowingly. 

In Singapore, you can use your medisave to pay for a portion of the HPV vaccination for certain brands so do consider getting it early! Prevention is always better than the cure (though there is no cure for HPV technically). 

Hope this helps!

Hi @Seamus! Thank you for your question. 

It can take about 2-3 months before the wart is completely gone. I would say they you should follow up with your GP to have a look to make sure it has healed effectively. As the wart "dies" off, you should see normal skin as per what you mentioned but some people may notice some darkening of the skin (hyperpigmentation) which will eventually subside to normal healthy skin. Further, there should not be any elevation in your skin and it should be flat once treatment is completed. 

Do note that warts can recur regardless of treatment though not very likely. 

Hope this helps! 

Hi @htg . Thank you for your question!

I would say that if this is unusual for you, you should definitely see a gynaecologist. Sudden increase in menstrual flow/blood clots can indicate underlying disease which can be as simple as Fibroids/thickened uterus lining all the way to forms of cancer (though much less likely). The initial evaluation usually just involves a simple ultrasound. Rest assured, there is usually a benign/no cause but you should get it evaluated regardless. You may want to approach polyclinic to get a referral to KKH/NUH Gynaecology or seek help with a private gynaecologist. 

Hope this helps!

Hi @Flowerqueen . 

Apologies I don't quite understand your question. Are you asking why they recommended STI screening for you?

Thanks! Apologies