Hi @briantoh thats a great question! In general, not to worry, there are no long-term implications aside from the discomfort you would experience. That being said, it is not normal for a 27-year-old to develop dry eyes. You may want to consider some work-place modifications. One piece of advice - especially for those whose work involves long hours in front of a screen - is to take plenty of visual breaks. After 1-2hrs of computer work, make it a point to take a 5 minute break to stare outside a window to something in the distance to "rest your eyes". It is easy to get overly engrossed in computer work and strain your eyes. It may be the case that in your focus you may be "forgetting to blink". Give Visual breaks a try, and if that doesn't help the dry eyes, you may want to get it checked out by an optometrist or eye specialist physician at least once. Symptoms that should prompt you to review with a health professional early would be eye pain, blurring of vision, rash, or dryness in other areas such as the mouth. Hope this helps!

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 @WangXiuYing89 thats a great question! Eye care professionals recommend eye checks every 1 to 2 years depending on your background and age. If you experience eye tiredness, headaches after prolonged visual tasks (like reading, using the computer), or find yourself straining to read books or items at a distance (bus number, street signs, etc) you may want to visit an Optometrist to check your eye sight earlier. When in doubt, always good to speak to your GP or eye care professional to have a recommendation based on your individual needs.

Hi @briantoh, yes you still physically can deadlift, but perhaps the real question is whether you should. If you are hoping for a recovery, and to be able to continue this hobby long term, then you most definitely should not. #doyouevenlift

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 @cholesterolgal thank you for your question! This is true to an extent, because there are many types of cholesterol - some are good and some are bad. More good cholesterol is good for heart health, and a young healthy person can have sufficient amounts by consuming healthy food and natural sources such as salmon. A GP may recommend certain dietary supplements if your good cholesterol levels are low depending on your cholesterol profile. This is a detailed discussion that needs to be tailored to the individual, and is best to have with your GP. Conversely for bad cholesterol - less is better. This can be achieved through exercise and eating healthy like avoiding friend/oily foods, and reducing animal fat intake. Again, this a detailed discussion best to have with your GP in-person. Hope this helps! If you have any further questions or would like to go through your own cholesterol results, feel free to connect with me via the DoctorWorld application for a teleconsultation.

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.

Hi @gerdboss, great question! Heartburn is a burning sensation in the tummy accompanied by reflux of undigested food/sour fluid from the stomach. It 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. There are some over the counter (OTC) remedies for this symptom like Gaviscon, but 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 and allay your concerns, as some patients may require tests for potential reversible causes of GERD to guide their management. Hope this helps! If you have any further questions or would like to have a detailed discussion about possible causes and what to do next, feel free to connect with me via the DoctorWorld application for a teleconsultation.

Hi @briantoh this is an interesting question. The best way is to sneeze into a tissue, throw that away, and then wash your hands immediately. Some individuals like to gradually fold and re-use their tissues eventually resulting in a complicated origami piece with mucus leaking out onto their hands. That defeats the purpose of sneezing into the tissue to avoid getting infectious mucus onto your hands. Of course those buggers have a tendency to sneak up on people. If you get caught by surprise and empty-handed (with no tissue), the Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC - an esteemed authority on infection control) recommends to sneeze or cough into your upper sleeve instead. Here is a reliable resource with some further details: https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/hygiene/etiquette/coughing_sneezing.html Hope this helps!