chatwithketch

Q: Dr, Kissing can transmit any disease?

A: Interesting question. It depends on the way kissing is done. If this on the cheeks or forehead, you’re unlikely to contract any disease. Though a number of people believe sexually transmitted infections can be transmitted through kissing, this is not usually so. However, if kissing moves beyond the type mentioned above and gets deeper, open-mouthed in people who probably also have sores or cuts in their mouths, there’s no saying what else could be transmitted! 😀 The one disease that there is a consensus on that you can contract through kissing is cold sore.

Cold sores which are also called fever blisters are caused by a virus, Herpes Simplex. They typically occur around the mouth or under the nose and may recur in people who have had them when they have another infection like a respiratory tract infection, fever, injury to affected area, are emotionally upset, fatigued etc.

Fever blisters can cause pain in the mouth and the pain associated with this condition is worse when hot, spicy or acidic foods like lemon are taken. These sores are contagious but most times clear up without the need for medication within 7 to 10 days. Sometimes, antiviral drugs are administered. Local anesthetic drugs may help reduce the pain of the sores.

Cold sores in rare cases can also occur due to oral sex with someone who has genital herpes. This risk of contracting  infections through oral sex is increased in the presence of already existing Sexually Transmitted Infections, mouth ulcers, bleeding gums and sores in the genital area.

This risk of infections through oral sex may be reduced by the use of barriers like condoms and avoiding ejaculation in the mouth. Use of pre-exposure drugs (prescribed for people at risk of HIV infection) and ensuring that anti-retroviral drugs (drugs used for the treatment of HIV) are being used correctly by partners who are HIV positive may also reduce risk of HIV infection through oral sex.

Generally for STIs, remember the ABCs. Abstain…which is always the best bet if you’re not married, be faithful to one partner (who is hopefully being faithful to you) or use condoms.

Have a good night, people 😀

Researchers found that people who shop at farmers’ markets drink less soda and eat more vegetables.

Source: An easy way to eat healthier this summer: Find a farmers’ market

Should we really be cleaning our ears or even children’s ears with cotton buds or cotton tips? Are there medical rules about the size of the objects that must never be found in ears and the size that is okay to put in there?

Asthma…what does this mean? If my child has it, are there lifestyle modifications that can help cope with this?

The book, Just For The Health Of It With Dr Ketch, explores these and other issues

You can get a copy via the shop now link on our facebook page. Or you can get it through:

1) Laterna Books online shop with nationwide delivery. Just click on this link: https://www.laternabooks.com/laterna_product_details.php?v=15450&c=44

2) Another option for those in Lagos is Laterna Bookshop on 13, Oko-Awo Close, Off Adetokunbo Ademola Street,. Victoria Island.

3) If you’re outside the country, please visit Amazon through this linkhttp://www.amazon.com/Just-Health-Ketch-Pregnancy-Parenting/dp/9789398026/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426246647&sr=1-1&keywords=just+for+the+health+of+it+with+dr+ketch+olalere+nkechi

For those in Abuja and environs, please call 07030739403 or pick it up at No 5 Bricks Market, Dawaki 11 Market, Dawaki extension.

For those in Awka, please call 08189944090.

Remember that this book is a great gift for anyone who wishes to live and eat healthy, lose weight, get ready for pregnancy and parenting. Buy copies for bridal showers, baby showers, Christmas gifts etc. It’s a gift that keeps on giving J

Q: Please Dr, can I still take any drugs that will expire in two months’ time (Blood tablet)?

A: Thanks for writing in.

Very good question! This is something we all take for granted. But what does the expiry date mean? If this is referred to in another way, does it mean the same thing?

There are a couple of controversies about whether medications are completely bad when they are expired or whether they can still be taken with no problems. We will not delve into these controversies and will focus on what you should do.

The expiry date refers to a particular date beyond which the medications may not be safe to use anymore and when they may be only partially or not at all effective. These dates are usually seen on the packaging or label of the medication, usually put there by the manufacturer of the medication and goes by different nomenclatures: expiry, expires, exp, use by, use before, exp date etc

All medications should be stored properly; usually away from sunlight in a cool place. Once the expiry date is past, do not use it. If it is still within the useful date (before expiry date) but looks and/or tastes and/or smells funny/different, please discontinue use until you get this checked out by your doctor or pharmacist.

If a medication has ‘expiry date’ of July 2017, this means ‘do not take this medication beyond the last day of July, 2017’

If a medication has a ‘use by, use before or best before date’ of July, 2017, this means, ‘do not take this medication beyond the last day of June 2017′

This is also helpful when assessing the expiry dates of foods etc.

So, if your medications are due to expire in 2 months, smell, taste and/or look normal, have been stored properly, it’s probably okay to take them. Where in doubt, please consult your doctor or pharmacist.

I hope this helps.

Enjoy the rest of your day, people 😀

Even the healthiest people can find it hard to stick with an exercise regimen — and if you suffer from the joint pain of arthritis, moving your body may be the last thing you want to think about. But regular exercise not only helps maintain joint function, it also relieves stiffness and reduces pain and fatigue.

Read the full details here http://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/4-ways-exercise-helps-arthritis

Q: What can I do doctor? I am urinating frequently. I feel very sharp urge and pain like when I feel like urinating. My urine is pure…it has no impurities like different colour. I am not suffering from high blood pressure because I was told it’s another sign. What can I do? The problem has affected my sex with my spouse again. I am now very weak in sex. I can’t be comfortable urinating every time but, is there medicine I can use or some food I can use to help?

I also have a headache for a month now, I have taken tablets but it doesn’t help. What kind of disease am I suffering from with headache being the symptom?

A: Frequent urination may actually be due to the simple fact that you’re drinking way too much fluid. However, where this is not the case, it is likely to be due to a health problem.

Some causes of frequent urination include:

• Sexually Transmitted Infections as you have already noted.
• Some medications
• Drinks that contain caffeine, alcohol etc
• Infections that along the urinary tract or changes to the bladder
• Infection or enlargement of the prostate
• Disease conditions like Diabetes Mellitus etc
• Some cancer treatment eg radiation treatment for the lower abdomen

If this is due to excessive fluid intake, limiting this will help. If this symptom is associated with others like difficulty with urination, pain during urination, passing out bloody urine, incomplete emptying of bladder when urinating etc, please see your doctor asap.

So, I suggest that you just go and see your doctor. He will take a good history, examine you and order some investigations. The treatment of course will depend on the cause of the problem.

For related posts, please click on the following:

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/10/02/daily-health-tips-urinary-tract-infections-in-men/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/07/09/daily-health-tips-why-do-i-have-pain-when-urinating/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/02/20/daily-health-tips-train-that-leaking-bladder/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/06/15/daily-health-tips-prostate-enlargement/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/06/16/daily-health-tips-more-on-the-prostate-gland/

As for the headaches, these refer to pain or ache anywhere on the head. They may be primary, in which case they are due to problems with the structures sensitive to pain in the head. Or they may be secondary in which case the pain is due to an underlying disease that causes the pain-sensitive structures in the head to be activated.

Common causes of primary headaches include:

Tension headaches: This is the more common type of headache seen as the everyday sort of headache. It affects both sides of the head as a constant ache. Its causes are not very clear but they can be triggered by stress, hunger, dehydration, etc they can last a couple of minutes to several hours but are not severe enough to stop regular activities. Resting and sleeping well, eating properly and staying hydrated can help prevent this.

Migraines: These are felt as severe throbbing pain at the front or side of the head. Some people may experience other symptoms like nausea, vomiting and being sensitive to light. The pain lasts from a couple of hours or can stretch on for days. Thus, it is more severe than the tension headaches and can stop an individual from carrying out their daily tasks. Some find that they need strong medication prescribed by doctors to get relief but others are relieved by using over the counter medications.

Cluster headaches:These cause severe pain around one eye and are associated with red or watery eyes and a blocked nose or runny one. They tend to occur for one or two months at a time at about the same time of the year. Most times medications do not work for these headaches. Your doctor will prescribe specific treatment courses.

Chronic daily headaches may be due to medication overuse. This would occur in people who use pain medications too often and then end up with rebound headaches…the exact condition they were trying to avoid. Moral of the story: Never abuse your medications 😀 Use only as directed by your doctor.

Sex headaches: Yes, this can occur. For more on this condition, please click on this link:https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/11/20/daily-health-tips-sexual-headaches/

Primary headaches may be triggered by stress, skipped meals and dehydration as noted above. However, they may also be associated with alcohol, foods that contain nitrates like spinach and bad posture.

Secondary headaches may be due to dental problems, hangovers ear infections, blood clot in the brain, wearing tight gear on the head like hats or even wigs (yes, I see you ladies :D) or even eating cold stuff like ice creams etc.

So, what should you do? If you find that tight head gear or eating ice cream is the problem, see if stopping helps.

If you find that these headaches are now more frequent than usual, more severe than usual, stops you from going about your daily activities, is no longer responding to the over the counter medications you used to take etc, please see your doctor. It could be nothing but it could very well be a serious issue. Better safe than sorry!

All the best!

Have a good night, people 😀

Q:  Good evening ma’am. Please, I have been having these symptoms for some months now…like belching constantly and pain in my middle chest. I was told to do abdominal scan, which I did but nothing was wrong. I was just told I had some gas-related issue. I was told to do an Ulcer test, which came out to be H.pylori positive. So, I was prescribed with some drug like Ulsa Kit for two weeks and after that, I was also told to use Nexium Omeprazole also for two weeks. I did all that and I am still feeling same symptoms. Please help me ma’am. What exactly is wrong with me? At times I just feel burning pain in my back.

A: Gastric acid is secreted normally in the stomach to help the process of digestion. Peptic ulcer is a sore in the stomach, esophagus or duodenum and occurs when there is either over-production of this gastric acid in the stomach or reduction in the quantity of mucous that protects the stomach from the acid. Infection with an organism, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has been found to be a cause of peptic ulcer.

In the past, it was thought that spicy foods caused peptic ulcers. However, there’s no evidence to support this, though spicy foods can certainly make the symptoms of ulcer worse 😀 Smoking, stress and drinking alcohol are also likely to worsen the symptoms of peptic ulcer. Caffeinated and carbonated beverages may also be culprit.

Ulcers are also common in people who take certain pain relieving drugs known as Non- Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like Ibuprofen.

People with peptic ulcer usually complain of abdominal pain or even sometimes, chest pain as the pain can be anywhere from the breast bone to the navel…giving room for a wide range of descriptions 😀 The pain is usually worse at night or when the stomach is empty.

People with ulcers may vomit blood or pass out fresh or altered blood in stool. For the latter, the stool looks tarry black. Complications of peptic ulcers include internal bleeding, leakage of the acid into the abdominal cavity etc

Treatment is targeted at reduction in acid production, neutralization of acid, treatment of Helicobacter infection, promotion of healing or protection of stomach lining. Your doctor will determine the best option or combination(s) with your active participation, of course J

Thus, prevention is targeted at switching pain relieving drugs (if you have an ulcer, please stay away from NSAIDs), reducing your level of stress, stopping smoking and reducing your alcohol intake. Maintaining a healthy diet filled with loads of fruits and veggies which provide sufficient vitamins to aid healing, is also a good way to go. It is still not very clear how H. pylori infections spread but it is thought to be probably from person to person or from food and water. So, judicious and very frequent, hand washing will certainly help 😀 If the test for Helicobacter pylori is positive then antibiotics will be prescribed.

Does milk help? Well, temporarily but it quickly makes it worse. Milk coats the surface of the stomach, reducing the pain but then stimulates more acid production. Sounds like you can’t win, aye?! ;D

For links to related posts, please click on these links: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/04/22/daily-health-tips-chest-pain-and-self-medication/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/04/24/daily-health-tips-why-do-i-always-have-heart-burn/

Daily Health Tips: What Is GERD?

Have a great evening, y’all 😀

Q: Hi doc…I am on malaria treatment and I have completely lost my appetite and saliva is just flowing to my mouth. Is this normal? And how can I improve my appetite?

A: Thanks a lot for writing. It is not unusual to experience some loss of appetite during and soon after a bout of illness. Unfortunately, your body needs nutrients more than ever at this time…to build up damaged body tissues and heal.

Here are some tips to help you get back into the groove of eating normally

• Focus on portion sizes and try to eat small portions during each meal. You can use smaller plates (to stop you from feeling overwhelmed by lots of food on one plate).
• Remember that you can have 5 small meals: breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack and then, dinner. Good snack options are fruits, nuts, yoghurt etc
• If you cannot stand any snack at this time, go for a nourishing drink. This provides the nutrients you need in a drink form. Complan is one such nourishing drink, which contains proteins, carbs, fats, minerals and vitamins. It has all the nutrition of a complete meal in a drink form. These nutrients replenish the body stock and help healing and convalescence.
• There is a lot of focus on repairing damaged tissues at this time, so be sure to include proteins in your choice of meals. Good examples include fish, chicken, beef, milk, cheese, eggs, Complan etc. For more on protein sources, please click onhttps://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/06/26/daily-health-tips-how-can-i-get-more-proteins/
• In the same vein, starchy foods are also needed to help you build up your energy. So get at least one serving per meal. Good examples are rice, potatoes, bread.
• Attractive looking foods also look appetizing and are more likely to tempt a sluggish palate/appetite
• Exercise also helps to work up an appetite. You may not have the energy to get back into your regular exercise routine…assuming you had one before 😀 But taking a walk before meal times can help improve your appetite.
• As a result of the energy needs at this time, it may be necessary to have some foods that we ordinarily would not suggest 😀 And so, at this time, ice cream, butter, full cream milk etc may be used to supplement energy needs. Please note that this is just for this period of appetite loss. Once you got it back, kindly ease off 😀 Remember a second on the lips, a lifetime on the hips 😀
• Cold drinks and even cold foods may be easier to also tolerate at this time. Be sure to stay hydrated by taking in sufficient fluids. Eat and drink slowly, generally during this period to enable you keep more down.

These tips should get you firmly back on your way to health and great appetite. In the meantime, keep your head high and your spirits up. Trust me…this too shall pass 😀

Have a good night, y’all 😀