Daily Health Tips: My Baby Has Knock Knees (K legs). What Should I Do?

Posted on March 9, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Please doc, what of knocking knees? My son of 2years & 5 months suddenly developed knocking knees when he was 1year & 8 months. Please, what can I do about it? Please, help me because I am very worried.

A: Knock knees (or K legs, as we call them in these parts) may not necessarily be a cause for alarm. From birth to 18 months, baby’s legs tend to bend in a bow fashion. When this is not due to a disease (Blount’s disease or rickets), it is usually due to their position in the womb and corrects normally. Please check my post on this by clicking on the link https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/03/05/daily-health-tips-what-can-i-do-about-these-bow-legs/

From 18 months to 24 months, the legs go into neutral mode. Not much happening, one way to the other. From 2 years to 5 years, knock knees take center stage. It would usually appear between 2 to 3 years and would increase in severity until about 4 years of age. When children with knock knees stand, their knees touch but their ankles don’t. Usually, this corrects spontaneously around 6 to 7 years of age and if it doesn’t, can be corrected with braces. If knock knees appear for the first time by the age of 6 years, it may be due to a disease condition.

In situations that do not self-correct and are not amenable to braces, surgery may be the other option.

So, this is also treatable 😀

Have a great day, people 😉

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Daily Health Tips: Is My Irregular Period Due To Contraceptive Injection?

Posted on March 8, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Today is international women’s day with the theme, inspiring change. This calls for improving advocacy for women, worldwide. As a woman, how are you inspiring change in your environment? As a man, how are you promoting conditions that encourage and empower women? Remember that if you train a woman, you train a community 😀

Now to the question of the day….

Q: HI Doctor, please I need your help. My flow has not been okay for about 3-4yrs now. I don’t know if it’s the family planning injection I took before. Please help me I want to have more children

A: Family planning injections work by thickening mucous in the cervix, preventing sperm from getting into the womb (uterus) or by preventing the ovaries from releasing eggs every month (ovulation) and so the person taking the injections can’t get pregnant.

Taking these injections affect women differently. In the first few months, there be excessive bleeding during periods, followed by a period of lighter periods. This may yet be followed by a period of irregular or no periods especially in women who have taken these injections for up to a year. Irregular periods should be discussed with your doctor to ascertain the cause. It may be due to the drug or due to an infection which needs to be treated. Prolonged periods can also be treated.

When these injections are stopped, it takes a while for ovulation to be restored because these injections are long lasting. It can be as long as 2 to 3 months. In some other cases, this can last for about a year or even up to 2 years. This has nothing to do with the duration for which the injection was taken.

You didn’t quite specify the menstrual flow issues that you are having, but I guess they should not be too far from these. Please see your OBGYN to confirm what these symptoms are due to and where due to infections, treatment can be commenced. Usually, contraceptive injections are not suitable for women who wish to have children within a short period of time. I’m not quite sure when you stopped taking the injections. That’s the first place to start from, in defining what’s going on. This can be sorted out. 

All the best! Have a great weekend!

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Daily Health Tips: Toilet Infection…seriously???

Posted on March 7, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Dr. please how can one effectively treat toilet infection..,candida to be precise? I’ve tried using injections, drugs, all to no avail. Also what are the preventive measures? Thanks

A: This entity called toilet disease is a well-known one, especially in Nigeria, but does not exist anywhere except in our imaginations 😀 Seriously!!! I would love to meet that person who caught a Sexually Transmitted Infection from a toilet seat. The reasons are 1) these infections hardly survive for long outside of the human body and 2) the cold and hard toilet seat is not a great medium for the germs to really grown and multiply. They are also not found in urine. Theoretically, if this is deposited on the toilet seat and one sits down on it immediately and this person has cuts and abrasions on their buttocks, perhaps this can happen. But the odds of this ever happening is seriously negligible…particularly because so many conditions will need to be satisfied! I think that going into the toilet, we should be more worried about observing personal hygiene eg washing our hands and drying thoroughly before leaving.

Now, to candidiasis. This is caused by an organism called Candida, a fungus (yeast). This infection can result in cheesy white (like ground melon/egusi seeds) vaginal discharge and vaginal itching. This itching can lead to irritation in the vagina which can become further infected by bacteria.

Candidiasis is very common in diabetics (the sugar in their urine makes the vagina a rich culture medium for them) and pregnant women who have altered glucose tolerance. This infection is also common in people people whose immune systems are compromised and people who wear tight panties that do not allow their delicate inner selves to ‘breath’. Preferred materials for undies would be cotton and should be loose (I see my fashionistas frowning :D). It also happens in people who take a lot of antibiotics. Normally, some bacteria and fungi (yeast) co-exist peacefully 😀 in the vagina. To encourage this peaceful co-existence, the bacteria produce some acid that hold the yeast in check and prevent their over-growth. When antibiotics are abused, this leads to a situation where the yeast takes over 😉 (almost like a coup, right?). Though this infection can be passed on through sexual intercourse…especially oral-genital contact, it’s not really called an STI because women who are not sexually active can be infected with this.

Treatment is with anti-fungal vaginal tablets and/or anti-fungal cream which can be used for between 1-3 days depending on drug of choice. A single course dose of Fluconazole can also be taken orally. Any of these regimen may be extended if the infection is complicated…let your doctor be the best judge of that 😀

Prevention is targeted at causes:

Wear loose fitting cotton undies 😀

Stay away from or limit time spent in hot tubs or saunas

Stick strictly with the prescription for antibiotics in terms of quantity and duration

Change out of wet clothes eg swim suits as soon as possible

 Have a great day and hey! Remember that you can get your health tips on the go now by texting WELLNESS to 33118. This service is available on the MTN network in Nigeria only, for now. Other countries coming soon!

Here’s to a healthier you!

 

 

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Daily Health Tips: How Can I Build My Blood?!

Posted on March 6, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: What does it take to build blood?

A: Anaemia occurs when the amount of red blood cells in the blood is not enough. Simply put, a shortage (deficiency of red blood cells). To confirm this diagnosis, a Full Blood Count (FBC) or Packed Cell Volume (PCV) test is done.

Iron is needed to produce new red blood cells. Folic acid and Vitamin B-12 are also important in the process.To make up deficiency of red blood cells(or to build the blood, in the words of the gentleman that asked this), iron and vitamin intake should be increased. Supplements are an option, however, as I always say, supplements are meant to plug holes that exist in the diet and not be the main stay of the diet itself. So, it’s much better to eat iron rich food like: eggs, shellfish, beans and other legumes, green leafy vegetables, lean red meat, iron-enriched wheat bread and cereals.

People particularly at risk are pregnant women and menstruating women. For some ladies, during menstruation, the bleeding is heavy with lots of clots. It may lead to a situation where the body is unable to keep up by manufacturing new blood cells to replace those being lost. These women need to increase their intake of iron.

Iron, however, can lead to constipation and so, for people who use the supplement, be sure you are taking enough fruits and vegetables and drinking sufficient water.

Be healthy, people! Have a great day 😀

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Daily Health Tips: What Can I Do About These Bow Legs?

Posted on March 5, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Hello sir, have a sister who is 16 years that is bow-legged. Is there any drug she can take that doesn’t involves surgical attention that she can take?

A: Bow legs (genu varum) would usually occur in children when they are born becomes of the position they adopt in the uterus (physiological bowing). This, however, would usually resolve and disappear without any treatment by the time they are 3 years old. However, in very few instances they do not resolve. Two other conditions Blount’s disease and Rickets can lead to bow legs. In Blount’s disease, there is an abnormality in the upper part of the shin bone (tibia) and in Rickets, the body is unable to adequately absorb Vitamin D or there is a lack of Vitamin D, calcium and/or phosphorus in the food taken by the baby.

When people with bow legs stand with their feet together, their knees do not touch and there is an obvious bowing of the legs to the eyes.

For a child less than 2 years old with the same degree of bowing on both legs (symmetrical bowing), your doctor may not suggest more tests. This is likely to be physiological bowing. However, if the bowing is more on one side, then X-rays may reveal Blount’s disease or Rickets.

Symmetrical bowing beyond age 3 years, is unlikely to be physiological and is also suggestive of Blount’s Disease or Rickets.
If physiological bowing continues into adolescence, surgery is the treatment of choice. If bowing is due to Blount’s disease, braces can be used to correct this if noticed early. If not, again surgery is the fall back choice of treatment. If Rickets however, is the bad guy, treatment can be commenced with replacement of deficient minerals (Vitamin D) and if this fails to correct it, surgery is done.
So, for your sister, it appears surgery may be the way to go if other treatment options noted are not applicable. Please ensure that she is seeing an orthopaedic surgeon who may also invite other specialists into the management, if need be.

So, now you know that if you have a bow legged child, you can absolutely do something about it. Bow legs are a major source of knee pain etc as one gets older. You don’t want to subject your child to that later.

Ensure that your children get adequate amounts of sunshine daily and also be sure that you give foods that are fortified with Vitamin D.

Have a wonderful day, y’all…and by the way I am absolutely not a sir! Nah! 😀 Remember all those labour room and child nursing experiences I’ve shared? Those could only have happened to a woman 😉

Here’s to a healthier you!

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Daily Health Tips: What Foods Should I Avoid If I Have Peptic Ulcer?

Posted on March 4, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Hi doctor, please how can I treat stomach ulcer and what are the foods I need to eat and the ones to avoid eating? Thanks

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 😀

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 😀

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

Enjoy the rest of your day.

 

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Daily Health Tips: Are You A Pocket Doctor?

Posted on March 3, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Hello Dr. Good day, please I need to ask you something that I want you to help me shed some light into.
A female friend of mind told me that a man walked pass her business place and stopped, brought out a temperature like checking tools, insert it into her armpit, brought it out a few minutes later and told her that she has an infection inside her that if not treated soon will turn to HIV/AIDS and that the man also did same to her co worker and said same thing, and asked them that they should follow him/ come to Abuja for a free treatment @ their hospital, that they are free organization moving about to help people, and gave them his card and then walked away,
Please Doc, I want you ask you if such a thing is possible/exist?
Thanks in anticipation

A: Yesterday, I wrote on fungal infection of the scalp…a topic I’d actually written on before. I got another question on it and decided to rehash it again. I jokingly talked about people who felt that petrol should be applied to the area. Little did I know that that was the tip of the iceberg. The page was filled with loads of advice on the use of acid, solutions, creams and all manner of seriously bizarre solutions! I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I am still convinced that, hopefully, a lot of those suggestions were jokingly made…I sincerely, deeply and truly hope so. But really, that’s why this page was set up and the show, ‘Tips for Healthy Living With Dr Ketch’ started. There’s so much information out there…most of them blatantly false and misleading. Take for instance, the question above.

People are going around taking advantage of people’s ignorance and their desire to be healthy. Please beware of quacks. There is absolutely no equipment or contraption even that can make a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS from your underarm. It has been isolated in body fluids like saliva but not in sweat. In fact, even in saliva, except where the uninfected person has significant wounds/sores in his/her mouth, he/she would have to swallow at least 1 litre of saliva to get infected 😀

Sexually Transmitted Infections make one more prone to HIV/AIDS, but again the standard means of testing for them is not by checking temperature (:D) or whatever else the guy was trying to feel in the arm pits. We should also be very careful about what we subject ourselves to. Don’t you think it’s a bit odd for someone from a ‘reputable’ organization to be walking around the street, looking for who to ‘screen’? If this were legit, information would have gone round through business, religious and/or community leaders; that way, the team would have been expected. A good example is the NPI immunizations. Before any team of vaccinators are dispatched to start another round of immunizations, people are usually notified. If not, it would be weird to have people turning up on your doorstep wanting to put ‘stuff’ in your child(ren)’s mouth(s).

In fact, when the treatment is touted as free, be even more cautious! Check with your local health authority, your doctor or come ask on this page. Some are legitimate and others are not. The promise of free treatment is probably the bait to lure you into whatever they are planning on doing. Thereafter, your guess is as good as mine! This is certainly one instance where ‘awoof’ can seriously, run belle!’ 😀

Finally, a lot of the different options suggested yesterday on my facebook page (www.facebook.com/healthylivingwithdrketch), for the treatment of scalp fungal infection, are actually dangerous. The mother of a scalp fungus patient, who I’d prescribed the oral anti-fungal for told me that before she started on the oral anti-fungal therapy, she’d been advised to rub petrol on the bald patches. But she had to discontinue it as she observed that her son, screamed out in pain anytime she did it. I guess, I don’t need to qualify this treatment as being harmful as the child’s reaction already says it all! Apart from the fact that the fumes can actually start a fire (potentially burning the person applying the petrol and the child), the petrol itself can cause irritation on the scalp.

Be safe people and don’t be gullible! There are a lot of pocket doctors out there! 😀

Have a great week ahead.

Here’s to a healthier you!

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Daily Health Tips: I Am Embarrassed By The Bald Patches On My Son’s Head!!!

Posted on March 2, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Dr, please how do I treat ringworm on my son’s head? We have treated it now for more than six months with various creams and shampoo still no result. Please, assist urgently for this is so embarrassing.

 

A: Fungal infection of the scalp, called Tinea Capitis, is often found in children and is commonly called ringworm too. If you’re a parent and your child has had this, the embarrassment factor alone is significant enough to seek therapy 😀 Parents try all sorts from the conventional to the not-so conventional to take care of this. Anti-fungal creams, lotions and powders applied to the scalp for ages, don’t quite work. Creative solutions like rubbing petrol on the scalp, leaves a screaming child who still has holes and patches in his hair from the fungal infection. Where on earth, did that therapy come from? Petrol??? Seriously???? (like my daughter would say :D)

I have actually discussed this on this page before…bit it certainly beras repeating 😀 Tinea Capitis may involve all or some parts of the scalp. The involved areas may look bald and patchy with small, round spots from broken off hair, swollen and inflamed etc. As is typical of fungal infections, they love moist and warm areas and will be encouraged to grow when one has a cut or bruise on the scalp, does not wash his/her hair regularly, sweats a lot and does not wash this off quickly and/or shares personal items of clothing like caps, hats, head scarves, towels etc The infection can also be spread by coming contact with ringworm on someone else’s body or even contacted from a pet.

Treatment is not achieved on the surface by using anti-fungal creams. This is achieved by taking anti-fungal drugs orally. This will usually be for a significant period of time, between 6 to 8 weeks. Using anti-fungal shampoos may limit the spread of the infection but does not get rid of it. Again, even if signs of quick results are seen, this does not mean therapy should be stopped immediately. The drug should be taken for the full period prescribed by the doctor.

During the course of treatment, pillowcases, combs, towels et al which are probably infected, should be disposed of, where possible. If not, they should be disinfected with bleach and washed in warm water.

Moving forward, personal things should be kept personal and not shared with other people 😀 Personal hygiene is key… children should be taught to take a bath and frequently too, especially after sweating. They should also stay away from stray dogs or those that have the infection (a bald patch on the dog’s fur may be observed)

Have a great week ahead, people. Dream big and go out and make them happen! You’ve got the power 😀

 

 

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Daily Health Tips: What Can I Do About The Eczema On My Skin?

Posted on March 1, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Doctor, what can I use to get rid of Ezcema which has become chronic on my skin?

 

First, we need to be sure that what you have on your skin is eczema by getting your doctor to confirm the diagnosis. Eczema is usually found to run in families with a history of allergies.

Preventive/control measures include using mild soap to take a bath, followed by a mild moisturizer. Also do not use water that is too hot for a bath as this dries out your skin and makes the itching from eczema worse. Use warm water if you must and then dab your skin leaving some moisture. Lock in this moisture with a moisturizer. Stress is also a trigger for this and so reducing your stress levels and exercising may be helping in more ways than one. Anti-histamines (helpful with itching) and over the counter steroid creams are also useful. For severe cases, please see your doctor for a prescription of more potent steroids, immuno suppressant drugs, ultra violet light therapy etc.

Have a great weekend.

Here’s to a healthier you!

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Daily Health Tips: How Can I Whiten My Teeth?

Posted on February 28, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Dr. please, how can one restore the colour of one’s teeth…that is, making them white again?

A: There are easily obtainable teeth whitening tooth pastes. They help remove surface stains that may be caused by coffee or nicotine.

When whitening paste is used at least twice a day for a period of time between 2 to 6 weeks, significant results are seen. However, care has to be taken to ensure that these pastes are used according to the manufactures’ instructions otherwise, they can cause erosion of the enamel of the teeth.

Please note that the whitening tooth pastes do not alter the natural colour of your teeth and by extension are not also useful, if the stain is deeper than the surface of your teeth! 😀

Whitening strips and gels are also available. Apart from all these, there are a couple more sophisticated treatments available from the dentists’. So check with yours.

Beyond all these, please don’t forget the place of regular brushing of teeth in the maintenance of a bright and gorgeous set of teeth.

Fruits like apples and strawberries actually contain substances that help whiten the teeth. So, just like the doctor ordered…an apple a day, keeps the doctor (and the dentist :D) away.

A DIY (Do It Yourself) solution is to mix the juice of one lemon with one or two pinches of baking soda. Then dip a cotton ball into this and leave this on your teeth for 1 minute ONLY! Yes, I had to scream that for emphasis 😀 If you leave it longer than that, the lemon juice can lead to the erosion of the enamel. So, if you can’t manage this, please just see your doctor who will suggest other solutions too or get it done for you professionally.

Have a great weekend, people.

Here’s to a healthier you!

 

 

 

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