General Health

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 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.

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 @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

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 @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!