General Health

Hi @thelastblade! You have asked a very interesting question which has not actually been explored well in the scientific literature. If we go back to basic principles, the most common causes of heel pain include plantar fasciitis and achilles tendinitis. Dependent on the severity of the condition, some patients can experience heel discomfort for more than a year.

The main risk factors for these problems include prolonged walking, improper footwear and tight calf muscles. The mainstay of treatment for these conditions will include rest, a change in footwear, gentle massage to the heel and proper stretching exercises. Stretching exercises could be in the form of physiotherapy or even yoga (if the focus is on calf stretches). Whether the stretching exercises are taught through physiotherapy or yoga, the main thing is to ensure that the stretching is done properly and regularly for a sufficient duration of time.

If proper stretching exercises are not able to help, you may want to consult a healthcare professional for a reassessment. There are other forms of treatment which can be considered as well, dependent on the exact cause of your heel pain.

Hi @sickboiboi! Acupuncture is a safe and acceptable form of treatment for chronic back pain with no obvious anatomical origin of the pain. It can be used in conjunction in other forms of conservative orthopaedic treatment. 

If you have decided to consult an acupuncturist, it will be good to inform your primary treating medical practitioner that you will be starting on acupuncture treatment. All the best!

Hi @sky9929, this is a very interesting question that you asked. Tinnitus is defined as perceiving sounds despite there being no external source. In that context, the symptoms that you describe are compatible with tinnitus. The problem with tinnitus, as you mentioned, is that the cause is often hard to find and even harder to treat. 

While there have been many studies done to evaluate the use of acupuncture in tinnitus, the evidence has been equivocal and not convincing. Having said that, it might be worthwhile to give it a try as acupuncture is relatively safe with few side effects and treatment options for tinnitus are limited anyway. 

Your neck spasms and shoulder pain might not necessarily be related to your tinnitus, but nonetheless, acupuncture can be helpful for such musculoskeletal conditions. All the best and take care! :)

Hi @mrhealth, sounds like your back aches specifically come after carrying weights and resolves shortly with rest. In that sense, sounds like your back aches are acute in nature. Icing tends to work for acute injuries and could help in your case. 

Having said that, I would recommend that you get a proper check up for your back. Sometimes, the back aches you may be experiencing may be due to a less than ideal posture or inappropriate way of carrying the weights. Simple advice after a proper check up by a healthcare professional can help to uphold the long term health of your back!

Hi @SportsBoy, there are multiple causes of knee pain which occurs after running. The most common knee pain generators after running for young people include the knee cap, the menisci of the knee or some of the tendons around the knee joint. Acupuncture may only be useful for some of these conditions. 

Specific to acupuncture, my recommendation is to get your knee checked either by a qualified medical doctor or acupuncturist and let them determine if your knee condition is something which can be truly treated by acupuncture. A thorough assessment will include a proper history and physical examination. Sometimes, it may include some radiological tests as well. 

Based on the clinical diagnosis, sometimes, there may be other simple solutions which they may recommend, which can even include specific stretching and strengthening exercises!

Stomach aches can be causes by a variety of disease processes. In our local context in Southeast Asia, the most common causes of stomach aches include gastroenteritis, gastritis and constipation. Dangerous causes of stomach aches can include appendicitis or a perforated organ in the abdomen or pelvis. 

Certain medicated oils may relieve stomach ache as a symptom. However, it will not resolve the underlying issue which is more important. If the stomach aches are severe, persistent or excessively frequent, it is advisable to visit a medical practitioner for a proper assessment and recommendations on the next steps of action. 

Hi @Sweet3 , thank you for your question!

Finger twitching is rather non specific but you are right that it can be signs of early disease or complications related to diabetes (though unlikely). Most causes are likely just related to stress/anxiety/food products(caffine containing)/minor muscular sprains. 

It would require a bit more history to determine the cause but given the relatively short duration, I would not be too worried of a serious medical cause for now. 

However, if it persists for a long duration (> a month) or sudden worsening (such as inability to control your movements, clumsiness of hands, loss of sensation, weakness) I would advise you to see your medical practitioner for as such a complaint would often require a full consult and examination of your neurological status (nerves) at the very least. 

Hope this helps for now! 

Hi @wolfie94 ,

These are very good questions and pertinent at this point in time.

An aedes mosquito becomes infected after it takes a blood meal from a dengue-infected person. It becomes infective after an extrinsic incubation period of 8 to 12 days. The mosquito then remains infective for the rest of its lifespan. 

When a person is bitten by an infective mosquito, they may develop symptoms after an intrinsic incubation period of 4 to 7 days (ranges from 3 to 14 days). This is what we usually call as incubation period. 

Notably, up to 75% of dengue infections are asymptomatic.

As always prevention is better than cure. Please Follow the 5 step mossie wipeout and let’s all do our part to reduce the transmission rate. 

Hi @Raji ,

Thank you for your question.

High blood pressure and high cholesterol are both risk factors for cardiovascular illnesses such as heart attacks and stroke.

There are ways to reduce the occurrence rate of this or effectively control both of these.

Lifestyle factors

1) at least 30 mins of moderate exercise per day, minimum 5 days a week ( total of about 150 mins)

2) reduce the intake foods which are deep fried, containing high amount trans-fat, salty food and red meat

3) increase the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables

4) maintain a healthy BMI

Other factors

1) annual check up of blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar levels 

2) if already diagnosed , to follow up with your doctors regularly and follow the advise given - medications or not.

Hope this helps 

Hi @Tuhin this is something that may require creams for treatment, you will need an examination and review with a GP to determine which cream may work best, or consider telemedicine online through one of the applications that provide medication delivery as well - more on this here: https://www.todayonline.com/brand-spotlight/doctor-will-see-you-next-app

@JohnnyDoe  thank you so much for your interest that your chest pain is heart disease or not. All kinds of chest pain is not heart disease. It is caused by hyperacidity or anxiety or other stress like condition.Even though if you are anaemic, you can feel palpitation also.If your age is 26 then your age is not favourable for heart disease rather than any congenital anomaly such as tetralogy of Fallot’s.
If you have confusion then you can do investigations of ECG /Echocardiogram,Lipid profile.
Your resting heart rate 70 beat /minute and during jumping 90/100 beat /minute is completely within normal physiological limit.
Stay safe and healthy. If you have further question,can ask.Thanks a lot again.

@oldancer thanks a lot for your nice question and sorry for someone’s departed soul.May Almighty grant his/her departed soul in peace. Yes it is really very tough to absorb. 
As your above mentioned question- yes chronic stressed can develop Low grade fever and sometimes it may cause psychogenic fever.https://bpsmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1751-0759-7-7
Moreover, if you are in stress then cortisone hormone is released which is called stress hormone.
If you are in chronic stress then cortisol hormone will inhibit to release of your good hormone and as a result Many disease may develop.
So take care of yourself and meditation can be a better way to get rid of from some mental stresses. I would like to suggest you todo some regular exercise and meditation everyday as wel as try to deep sleep. 
I wish your good health.

Dear @PG ,

Thank you for your question.

Before medical professional suggest any form of therapeutics, we usually would advise to evaluate to ascertain the cause behind a symptom. In this context, gynaecomastia is a presentation of some possible underlying issue which needs to evaluated for and investigated.

The causes of gynaecomastia are varied and it includes ( list not exhaustive),

Since Liver and Kidney issues could be , at times, be a reason behind gynaecomastia, I would strongly advise you to see your family physician at the earliest before commencing any supplements on your own. The reason being, supplements are processed by the liver and kidneys and we would not want the supplements to negatively affect these two vital organs.

Hope this helps.

 

Hi @Kelly  acne has many contributing factors, including genetics and hormones. Hormones as you alluded to commonly lead to acne in the teen years due to changes around puberty. That aside, hygiene and diets high in processed, suger-rich foods have also been highlighted in the medical literature as contributing causes.

It sounds like you have already adopted extensive hygiene measures, and as for diet, keeping well hydrated and minimising consumption of processed, suger-rich foods like bubble tea would be beneficial. There are several prescription medications that are vitamin A derivatives which can certainly help, however they have some considerations such as not being safe for individuals trying to get pregnant. Ultimately, given the extent of acne and scarring you describe, you may want to visit your GP for a review and detailed discussion about these potential oral treatment options that may help get the condition under control.  Hope this helps!

Hi @cpg firstly, Im sorry to hear about your ordeal! Piles are abnormally swollen blood vessels towards the end of the colorectal tract. They are actually very common although most patients tend to delay seeking medical attention until they bleed or cause pain. Piles tend to be a chronic recurring condition, and factors such as increased abdominal pressure from constipation (straining to pass motion) or prolonged cough can contribute. If you recently had either of these before the relapse, that could be a cause and the best way to find out would be to visit your GP for an examination.

Colonoscopes are an effective method to diagnose Piles and also to differentiate them from cancer (in fact they are considered the "gold standard" for cancer diagnosis), as the specialist directly examines the entire colorectal region using high resolution scope devices and takes biopsies of any suspicious lesions (a "bite" using the scope, whereby cells are examined under the microscope). Furthermore, cancers are very rare in individuals your age unless you have many blood-related relatives that had colon or other related cancers at an early age.

That being said, if you experience any loss of weight/appetite, narrow or "pencil thin" stools, low energy/giddiness, or repeat episodes of blood loss, it would be prudent to arrange an early review with the specialist that performed the scope for you in order to have another detailed discussion. Hope this helps!

Hi @Iamking Milk Thistle is a type of weed and is sometimes also called "Silymarin" which is a chemical derived from parts of the plant like its seed, and it is believed to help with liver related conditions, particularly with poisoning from some mushrooms that affect the liver ("Hepatotoxic"). However, medical-grade studies of it and the other "liver supplements" have not yielded any conclusive benefits.

That said, you're absolutely spot on! Healthy diet and exercise is the best defence for good liver health, not forgetting also the importance of managing alcohol consumption and drinking only in moderation. More about it at this link here: https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/182/alcohol_health_setting_drink_limits

Other measures you can take to ensure good liver health include safe sex and ensuring your hepatitis vaccinations are up to date, these include hepatitis A vaccination if you are traveling to "high risk" regions. Speak to your GP about this especially if you're traveling to any rural regions or developing countries. Hope this helps!

@igotz99problemz You likely have this condition called cold urticaria. In patients with cold urticaria, the skin cells are sensitive to cold, and an exposure to cold triggers the release of chemicals such as histamine which causes redness and itchiness.
The treatment is simple:
1) Be careful of cold temperatures and environments eg. showering on a cold day, going swimming. Perhaps dip a hand or foot in the swimming pool and see if it causes hives before going into the swimming pool.
2) You can keep some oral antihistamines with you. Take an antihistamine pill before an exposure to cold OR when you develop hives. Common over-the-counter antihistamines are loratadine, cetirizine (Zyrtec) and fexofenadine (Telfast).

You should seek medical advice if your symptoms are persistent despite medication, or if you develop a serious reaction like eye swelling or breathlessness.
It is generally not a worrisome condition and most people learn to cope with it and lead normal lives. 

This website provides more information if you want to find out more.  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cold-urticaria/symptoms-causes/syc-20371046

It must be quite troubling to have rosacea symptoms. Have you consulted a doctor or dermatologist already?
Mixing Flagyl tablet with a lotion and applying it to the face is an interesting proposition. Personally, I do not think it is the same as applying metronidazole cream/lotion. 
The other topical cream that will help is called Skinoren cream. It contains Azelaic acid. Some studies show that it is superior to metronidazole cream. I am not sure how easy it is to obtain this cream in your country. I believe consulting a dermatologist is your best option.
Other than medications, identifying and controlling the factors that trigger your rosacea is important. Good skin care - applying a moisturizer regularly, gentle skin cleansing with a mild soap is important too. Applying sunscreen and avoiding sun exposure might also help.
I hope you find a solution to your problem.

Hi @Kai there are many possible causes of this and I would recommend a review with your family physician in-person, as they will need to examine you to narrow down possible causes to direct testing or treatment for you accordingly.

Hi, thank you for the question. Eczema and hives (urticaria is the medical term) are 2 separate conditions, although some patients suffer from both. Some patients do have chronic hives (urticaria) which means they can have it for months, or have frequent relapses without antihistamine medications (eg cetirizine).
If you get frequent relapses of your hives after stopping cetirizine, I will advise you to continue taking cetirizine daily for a few weeks and then slowly try cutting down. Cetirizine is a safe medicine to take long term.
A small portion of patients with hives have underlying conditions like liver problems, thyroid problems and other organ problems. But these are rare.
Do consult a doctor if your condition persists.