Good evening @Ros , muscle tears are highly variable. Mild injuries usually recover with 2-6weeks of rest and avoiding triggers. More serious injuries however may require specific treatment and can take months to recover. It is also not uncommon for concomitant injuries like fractures in severe or persistent cases. It would be best to see your GP for an examination in these scenarios to determine the likely severity of the injury, any necessary investigations, recommended period of rest, and need for any interventions like physiotherapy to facilitate recovery, depending on his findings.

Hi @Me 3-5 days is the quick answer to your question - after catching the infection, symptoms can take 3-5 days to surface. That being said, patients with HFMD can transmit the infection to others for weeks, although transmission is rare after 1 week. This usually occurs through contact (with the fluid in blisters) or respiratory droplets from (coughing/sneezing). It can rarely also occur through contact with fecal material. HFMD is a common infection caused by several viruses that can have rare but severe consequences such as infection in the brain. If you are worried about possibly having caught this infection, do have a more in-depth consultation with a doctor at a clinic or using a teleconsultation app such as DoctorWorld.

Hi @Me generally, post operation care involves keeping the wound clean and dry with a review around a week post-procedure by the surgeon. Cochlear implants are used for severe hearing impairments, to bypass the hearing organ and transmit sound signals directly to the hearing (cochlear) nerve. The implant may not be turned on immediately after surgery until the surgical site has had some time to heal, and most patients require a period of rehabilitation to get accustomed to the implant. All in all, results vary between individuals and it may be weeks after the procedure that they are able to hear well. Have a detailed consultation with your husband’s surgeon for more personalised information about cost, recovery time, post op care, etc based on his condition as these will also depend on the type of implant and the surgical technique.

Hi @eveline, thanks for your question! It depends what you mean by a bad cut. Generally If it requires stitching we would refer to it as a “bad cut”. That being said, with any cut, during the healing process, the body may form what is known as “fibrous tissue” around the cut. This Is usually the most common cause of discomfort as it is abnormal tissue which is usually very tight and hence causes discomfort especially with mouth movements. Unfortunately there is usually no remedy for this though you should consult a doctor in person or through telemedicine so that he can have a look. In rare cases there may be a growth that is causing the discomfort after the cut which may require removal. This is especially so if you notice the area of the cut is becoming darker/white/rough or scaly/ having discharge/ swelling. I hope this helps!

Hi @Jojotan thats an interesting question! We usually need more information to help you with a problem like this. For example, how long this has been going on, whether its drooling with leakage of saliva or “spray”, and whether there is any other changes you notice. If this is something that is relatively new and there are other changes like drooping or numbness of your face, rashes, or changes to your hearing, I would recommend for an early review with a GP in a clinic to ensure there are no serious causes for this problem that may need to be urgently addressed. Hope this helps!

Hi @Angel , thank you for your question! Heart pain has a large number of possible causes. Unfortunately as it is too broad it is a bit hard to answer this question. However, heart pain that is triggered by minimal activity e.g. walking one bus stop, which is new and worsening is usually an indicator of a heart/lung problem. There are many other symptoms and signs which your physician will ask you about such as how you describe the pain (poking/sharp/dull ache), is the pain bothering your daily life? When do you feel the pain? Does the pain go anywhere or only at one specific point? Do you have any sweating or shortness of breath with pain? And many other questions. I would say if it is affecting your daily life and is worsening you should consult your GP or can consider telemedicine. rest assured the most common cause is still a muscular pain and not an actual heart problem/heart attack. I hope this helps!

Hi @Curiousity thats a great question! There are many possible causes for what you describe, ranging from dry eyes to a foreign body thats lodged in the eye. Unfortunately an examination by a doctor or possibly an eye specialist may be required to make that distinction - and I would recommend to get that assessment early. If you would like to seek further care in the public sector, you may need to see a polyclinic for an assessment by the doctor and referral if required. If you would like to see an eye specialist in the private sector, you could use a teleconsult app like DoctorWorld for a detailed consult and a referral to an eye specialist if required. Hope this helps 😊

Hi @gerdboss , GERD is treatable with a course of medication but may never truly recover. There are a few common reasons why people do not recover or have multiple episodes of discomfort/regurg/heartburn symptoms. (a) H Pylori Infection - This is the most common form of bacterial infection of the stomach that can result in GERD. Unfortunately the most accurate diagnosis can only be done through a scope with a biopsy done. The results are obtained the next day. Another method of screening is a "urea breath test" - which has a sensitivity of 98% and specificity of 97%. Though it is quite a costly test and often not covered for insurance purposes. If symptoms persistent, some clinicians may choose to treat for it even without any investigations done. (b) Advanced disease - GERD typically has multiple stages which can only be determined with a scope. High grade disease typically present with more severe/persistent symptoms (c) Trigger avoidance - In general patients with persistent symptoms would be advised to avoid foods that are highly acidic e.g. citrus food, caffine (not just coffee) and spicy foods. These are the usual culprits for recurrent symptoms. Your physician may also ask you to keep a food diary to see what foods typically cause your symptoms - most patient are able to identify a trend. (d) Non compliance to medication course/Ineffective medication - Most courses of medications have to be taken over a 2- 4 week period daily, either once or twice a day. This treatment aims to attempt to "reset" the pH level of your gut. Some patients may require more potent medications (such as pantoprazole/esomeprazole) compared to traditional over the counter medication (such as gaviscon). Unfortunately the more potent medications are much more expensive and it would be more advisable to see a specialist first for preliminary investigations (e.g esomeprazole can be $7 per tablet).

Hey there @NYCYCMopenmic thats a great question! Endometriosis is a complexed condition that requires an invasive test to make a confirmed diagnosis. This carries risks, as there can be some discomfort and bleeding following an abdominal scope and/or biopsy. Experienced O&G physicians are able to provide a preliminary assessment based on non-invasive scans and provide presumptive treatment first to determine the best course of action thereafter based on your response. Therefore, if this is a condition that would ideally need to be managed closely with an O&G physician. If this is something you think you may have, feel free to speak to me via the DoctorWorld app for a detailed consultation for further assessment and a formal referral to see an O&G physician if required.

Hi @Jade great question! This can be hard to differentiate, and not necessarily mutually exclusive because you can catch gastric flu from food prepared with suboptimal hygiene practices by someone with an ongoing gastric flu illness. Factors like recent travel, consumption of unfresh food, symptoms of others that consumed the suspected meal, as well as other clinical features. Differentiation would ideally require a consult with a trained physician to determine as well as to propose recommended treatment.

Hi Steby. Most standard surgical face masks are not able to filter out small fine particles, so the best mask to use for the haze would be an N95 mask.

Hi @igotz99problemz great question! Yes it is bad for acid reflux almost as much as it is impolite, although acid reflux can itself cause burping. If frequent burping is a problem you encounter, try eating slower, and avoid chewing gum, sucking on hard candies, and drinking carbonated drinks. If the problem persists or you develop pain or worsening reflux symptoms, you should see a GP or Gastroenterologist for further evaluation.

Hi @igotz99problemz this is a very common problem! This can be an indication of over-exertion, sitting for prolonged periods, or insufficient hydration. They can rarely be caused by certain medical conditions, but these are rare and in most cases no cause is found even after tests. If this becomes a common occurrence despite rest, hydration, and stretching, then you may want to see a GP for a review and consider a general health screening. Feel free to arrange a teleconsult with me via the Doctor World application if you would like to have a more in-depth discussion.

Hi @igotz99problemz that is a great question! This really depends on the type of allergy (IgE-mediated, etc) as well as the trigger for your reaction or "allergen". Some pet owners sometimes develop allergic reactions to their pets, much to the dismay of the poor #pawrents However, you may be glad to know that the underlying allergen may not be your pet itself, but instead something they carried with them from the environment. This may range from soil in the garden outside to dust from your storeroom that your pet has been digging around in. What you need is allergy testing and evaluation, services that are offered by some GPs, dermatologists, and allergists - best to call and check ahead of time whether your provider offers these services before making your way over to see them.

Hi @Rachel this is a common question! Abscesses are like large boils or collections of pus. Ultimately they represent an infection which may require antibiotics or in some cases a procedure to drain out the pus to encourage healing and mitigate against recurrence. It would be best to see your local GP or General Surgeon for a physical assessment and advice on the best course of action based on your individual needs.

Hi @Rachel thank you for this important question. Aside from a lump detected by a practitioner or the patient themself during breast self exam, other possible symptoms include certain forms of nipple discharge, skin changes over the breast such as puckering of the skin, changes to the nipple itself, and undue breast swelling/redness. However, as the saying goes - prevention is better than cure. It would be good to sign up for breast cancer screening as recommended by practitioners in your country. For Singapore, subsidies are available for this screening. More information about this at these links, hope they help! https://www.singaporecancersociety.org.sg/get-screened/breast-cancer/mammogram.html https://www.singaporecancersociety.org.sg/events/campaigns/breast-cancer-campaign.html

Vocal cord dysplasia is the presence of abnormal cells on the membranes in the throat that constitute the vocal cord organ. This can have several possible causes including smoking and certain viruses. Ultimately, if left untreated, they can affect the quality of your voice, and also carry a risk of becoming something more serious and developing into a growth.

Hi @gerdboss great question! Asthma has many medications including several inhalers. Some of these inhalers work by relaxing smooth muscle, helping to alleviate asthmatic symptoms like wheeze by reducing bronchoconstriction. This can contribute to GERD through regular use in the long-term. However, if you find yourself needing to use these asthma relievers frequently, this means that your underlying asthma may need to be reviewed by a GP for consideration of asthma controllers, a different type of inhaler without this effect. However, I would add that acid reflux itself has many possible causes and can often be multifactorial, requiring the involvement of specialists to nail down the contributing causes. Contributing factors include obesity, tight clothing, and chronic alcohol consumption. If this is something you experience I would recommend seeing a GP to have a detailed discussion and examination for what could be the root cause to allay your concerns, as some patients may require tests for potential reversible causes of GERD to guide their management. Hope this helps!

Hey @niczyang this is a very common problem! There are lots of possible causes for this, including diseases like allergic rhinitis, and reflux disease or GERD. I would strongly recommend seeing a GP to have a detailed discussion and examination for what could be the root cause and allay your concerns, as the cause can be as simple as long-term smoking in some patients.

Hi @gerdboss this is a great question. That is correct, studies have shown that a small proportion of patients with recurrent GERD causing certain changes in the lower throat can eventually develop cancer. You can speak to a gastroenterologist for detailed evaluation if you think this may be a concern.