chatwithketch

Q: Good morning doctor, please I want to know the symptoms of thyroid and how it can be treated .

A: Hyperthyroidism is a condition that occurs when your body produces too much thyroid hormones. These hormones are usually produced by a butterfly shaped organ located at the front of your neck, called the thyroid gland. These thyroid hormones produced typically control the rate at which the body converts food t energy (metabolic rate) and also controls a whole lot of other cells and tissues like your bones (the hormones determine how your body incorporates calcium into your bones), the rate of your heart beats, your muscle contraction, cholesterol levels etc

Most cases of hyperthyroidism is caused by Graves’ Disease in which the body no longer recognizes the thyroid gland as part of it and produces antibodies to fight it. In response, the thyroid gland produces excessive amounts of thyroid…

Nobody wants to die young and heart diseases are a leading cause of death worldwide. Eating healthy is a task that may appear daunting especially in a place like Nigeria, as we really do not have a culture of reading food labels in these parts. So here are some quick tips to help ensure you are getting enough of the good fats:

• Cook with healthier oils. Generally oils that are liquid at room temperature are good for you. If the oil is solid at room temperature, give it a miss.

• Snack on nuts. You can also add them to salads for an extra crunch. I also like them in my yoghurt. Remember to go easy on portions and serve by the handful

• Avocados are a good source of mono-unsaturated fats which help protect your heart and prevent stroke. You can eat it on its own, use it…

Q: Good morning Dr Ketch, thanks so much for the information you’ve been helping us with. Please, is there anything I can do? My 10 years old daughter is developing only the left side breast while right side shows no sign of developing.

A: Thanks for writing in and sharing your concerns. The good news is, there may not be any causes for concern.

A number of people would have noticed asymmetries in their bodies: one foot bigger than the other or one breast that appears to be bigger than the other. That’s the beauty of our uniqueness as individuals. The difference, in a lot of cases is hardly noticeable really.

During puberty, the breast tissue starts to develop due to the effect of the hormone, estrogen. Sometimes, the tissue of one breast is more responsive to the effects of estrogen than the other. Or one breast could have more…

Q: Morning Dr Ketch. I have a problem of eye. Unable to view thing as it is unless is close to me. Sometimes, eye glasses correct it. But I discovered that eye glass might not be perfect solution. Is there any advice on my type of food I eat or anything?

A: Thanks for writing in. It does appear that you have nearsightedness also know known as myopia. In this condition, people are unable to see far objects clearly (these objects appear blurred to them). Other symptoms include headaches, blinking excessively, needing to stay close to source of interest in order to see clearly etc. This can occur suddenly or could develop over a period of time and it does tend to run in families. Activities that encourage close ‘looks’ like reading, using the computer and/or writing have also been implicated in this condition.

The treatment for this includes glasses…

Q: Good Evening Dr, please can a pregnant woman take food or drink that contains vinegar inside it. Thanks Dr

A: Thanks for writing in.

Vinegar is acidic and because of the heart burn associated with pregnancy, vinegar may potentially worsen a bad situation. For more on the heart burn and other symptoms of pregnancy, please click on this link:

Daily Health Tips: What Do I Expect During The Second And Third Trimester Of Pregnancy?

Having said that, a splash of vinegar on thoroughly washed salad greens is okay and shouldn’t cause any problems. This is certainly a better option than soaking up the calories with the very ‘sinful’ 😀 salad dressings available everywhere! Remember that moderation in all things is key. If you do experience a worsening of heart burn, please stop.

Have a good night, people 😀

Do you have corns? Wonder what they are? Those hardened areas of skin found on the foot in people who wear tight shoes. Do you want to know what to do about them…apart from staying away from tight shoes? You should read this!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/finding-relief-from-calluses-and-corns

Q: Dr, please what causes dryness of vagina and what will I do to get wet again??

A: Vaginal dryness can occur due to variety of reasons and at any age. Usually the vagina has a thin film of fluid that coats it. This fluid helps lubrication during sexual intercourse, maintains the normal environment of the vagina preventing the overgrowth of organisms like fungi, flushing out dead cells and menstrual blood. The level of this fluid/moisture varies with the level of estrogen released in the body. During sexual intercourse, there is increased blood flow to the vaginal area leading to an increase in the volume of moisture. During menopause, however, the level of estrogen is very low leading to vaginal dryness, loss of elasticity and thinning.

The main consequence of vaginal dryness is the fact that it affects sex life such that these women experience significant pain and sometimes, bleeding…

Q: Please, Dr my penis is small what can l do?

A: This is an age-old question that has bothered man…and woman 😀 To answer this question, I reproduce a post I had made on this subject

Q: Please, doctor is it only on children health that you give advice?
A friend was complaining that his penis use to be small like that of a child. He was also afraid of being impotent. So he asked me and I said I don’t know why it is so. I now told him that I will ask you. What is the cause and the remedy to it. Thanks

A: Thanks for writing in and yes, it does appear that I ‘minister’ to only children because I appear to have a lot of mothers on this page who ask questions…way to go, mums! But hey, your question is equally important.

The issue of…

Q: Good day doctor, please how does one take care of piles in a 5yrs old girl? That is the external one, in which the inner part comes out.

A; Piles known as haemorrhoids in children is not very common. Indeed, my first suggestion would be to get your baby checked out by a paediatrician to confirm that this is not due to problems like Crohns Disease (a problem-inflammation of the bowel) or even portal hypertension in which there is backwards pressure in the vein (blood vessel) that carries blood from the digestive tract to the liver.

Once these have been ruled out, we can focus on the more common cause of haemorrhoids in children which is constipation. The causes of constipation in children could be dehydration or even a lack of fibre in their diet. So, if you’re fond of feeding your baby highly processed foods without including fruits…

If you’re a parent, how do you give your child his/her medication? With a table spoon? Teaspoon? The dosing cup that comes with the medication? Do you oftentimes wonder whether you are giving the right does? You should read this!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/2-simple-ways-to-ensure-you-give-your-kids-the-right-dose-of-medicine-lots-of-parents-dont-2016091310350