chatwithketch

Q: Please Doc, I have been having cattarrh since last year and have used different medicines but it did not stop.

A: I’ve been asked this question several times and in different ways. But ‘why is my nose blocked all through the year?’ is the common thread that runs through all the questions. ‘Stuffy nose’, ‘blocked nose’ or nasal congestion are different names used to describe this condition. In the simplest of terms, this condition refers to a situation when there is an obstruction (blockage) to the flow of air, in and out of the nose. This may be due to swelling of nasal tissues (tissues in the nose) and blood vessels with excess fluid.
Some causes include:
Common cold. We are all familiar with this common cause of nasal congestion 😀 This causes blockage of the sinus which results in nasal congestion.
Allergies in which an individual’s immune system reacts in…

Today is World Kidney Day. It is a day set aside to raise awareness and educate people about kidney health.

So, are your kidneys healthy? Can they take you on your life’s journey for another 10…20..50 or perhaps 100 years?

Let’s give you some quick tips to keep your kidneys healthy:

Whatever you do, don’t self-prescribe! The fact that you have symptoms that kinda sound like the one your friend had yesterday, does not necessarily mean that you are suffering from the same ailment or that the same drugs would work. And that Aunty that is always free with medical advice, is not really a trained medical professional. So, odds are…she doesn’t really know what she’s talking about! 😀 Again, the chemist at the corner of the road, who you ask to ‘mix’ drugs for you knows absolutely nothing about the science of what is wrong with you, how much…

Q: Good afternoon doctor. I can’t thank you enough for what God is using you to do in our lives especially the pregnant women. May God always meet you at the point of your needs. Amen. Dr., please can I take glucose in my pregnancy? It’s giving me strength and it drives away the urge to throw up. I don’t know if it’s advisable for me to continue taking it. Thank you ma’am

A: Hallos! Thank you so much for your kind words! I love you right back.

Now, feeling drained in pregnancy is not very strange but there are optimal ways of recouping your energy and definitely, other ways of stopping the vomiting. Glucose D has very high glycaemic index and so once taken, it goes straight to the blood stream, increases the blood glucose level and can lead to sugar swings when taken in excess. I would suggest…

Q: Hi Dr, what should you do if you have a face problem..oily face with pimples and black heads?

A: Acne can be inflammatory (in which case they are usually painful like pimples) or non-inflammatory (blackheads or whiteheads). One of the major problems with acne is the fact that a lot of the people who have them can’t leave them well alone…plucking, tweaking, pressing and just generally touching them leading to more inflammation, scarring and even bacterial infections as germs from hands are transferred to them.

Treatment of acne is targeted at one or a mixture of the following factors: reducing inflammation, reducing oil production, improving skin cell turnover and reducing bacterial infection.

Creams with Salicylic acid or Benzoyl peroxide are useful for removing dead skin cells, killing off bacteria and reducing oil production. You may notice some slight irritation initially which wears off in a little while. Where in…

Q: Hi Doc, thanks for the good work you are doing. God bless you. My question is does mosquito coil cause barrenness when inhaled?

A: Hallos! Thanks for writing this.

Approximately 2 billion people worldwide use mosquito coils[1]. The quoted study stated that burning one coil produces the same amount of particulate matter as the equivalent of 100 cigarettes! To use the coil properly, it is usually lit and allowed to smolder.  To get the best effects, the smoldering coil is left in a room with windows and doors closed. Imagine staying inside a room with 100 cigarettes smoldering and all sources of ventilation closed!

Studies have linked exposure to mosquito coil smoke to coughs, headaches, dizziness and sore throats. More long-term side effects include asthma, allergies and lung cancer. So, mosquito coils may not necessarily be your best bet for dealing with mosquitos. For more information on…

Wednesday March, 8th is International Women’s Day. It is usually a busy day for me as I give a lot of talks on women’s empowerment. This year, I will be spending my first few hours with the ladies at Schlumberger discussing what this year’s theme, ‘Be Bold For Change’ means.

So, I start my exploration with you, my sister/friend…

What was your bold moment? That moment, day, event when you decided to be you? When you decided to own your story and not be defined by what others choose to call you? When did you realise that you had all it took to be great? When did you realise that there is power in the collective and choose to pull up another sister/friend?

Share your stories, ladies! Together, we can change the narrative. People think that supporting women’s causes means you’re anti-men. It doesn’t mean that! It just means that…