chatwithketch

Q: Good day Dr. Ketch. I want to know if truly Garlic can be used to cure STDs and vaginal bacteria by inserting it in the vaginal. Thank you

A: Hi dear, thanks for writing in.

A lot has been said about the beneficial effects of garlic and most of them are true 😀 A good number of women also lay claim to the fact that they have used garlic for vaginal thrush (candidiasis) and it worked like a charm 😀

However, medical evidence does not support the fact that this actually works. Indeed, there are some side effects of using this home remedy. Usually the garlic is cut and then applied to the vaginal area. Some of the side effects of applying this include burns (imagine burns in this very delicate area of the body! Ouch!) allergic reactions, the difficulty with fishing out these cut bits of garlic and…

Q: Good day Dr, my baby of 6 months sweats a lot making heat rashes appear on her face, neck and body. I have been using agnesia powder but it’s not working. Please, what can I do or use? Thanks for your response.

A: Rashes in your baby could be due to different things and so it’s difficult to say what it is over the net L Sorry, this medium has its limitations

Starting with common things, it may very well be heat rashes. If you’re of the school of thought that believes children should be all covered up in warm clothes even what it’s hot, then, this may be the cause of the rashes. To prevent this, ensure that you dress your baby in light clothes when the weather is hot and vice versa. Trust me, they have the same ability to feel hot or cold…just like you :O

Then…

Q: Thanks for this Doc but is it not too early for a 12year old to start menstruating?

Very good question. The post below, which I made a while ago, should answer your question.

Q: Good day sir. Please sir is there anything someone should do for a child of 8 years who has started developing breast. Thanks

A: Okay….first of all, I’m not a sir 😀 And then, what to do? Nothing! Not very helpful, aye?

Before I launch into the gist proper, please don’t also listen to the old school gist of how it may be that some boys are taking undue liberties with her and thus, she’s developing her breast faster than her mates. It has nothing to do with that! By all means, ensure that undue liberties are not being taken but don’t blame the ‘breast buds’ on that 😀

The thing is, there are various shades of normal…

Q: Good evening ma’am. Please ma’am,  I want to ask a question. What could be the cause of stooling light blood and it smells so bad? And whenever I use the toilet, I feel pain in my anus. Please, I need an urgent reply ma’am. Thanks

A: Hello! Thanks for writing in.

The first question I have for you is whether the blood is bright red or altered (almost brownish/black)? If it’s bright red, it is likely coming from the anus or somewhere close by. If it’s altered blood, it’s likely coming from higher up in the digestive system eg bleeding from a peptic ulcer. You should see your doctor immediately, if you experience this.

Common causes of bright red bleeding include:

·      Anal fissure

·      Piles (haemorrhoids)

·      Cancer of the rectum or colon

·      Gastro-enteritis: infection of the stomach and intestines

·      Inflammatory…

Q: Good morning Doc. Please what can be the cause of pregnant woman urinating frequently? (4 months)

A: Hi dear, thanks for writing in. Congratulations on your pregnancy and from your question, it does sound like it’s the first one.

There are quite a number of symptoms and signs of pregnancy and one of those symptoms is urinating frequently.
The simple reason is because the growing baby in the uterus puts pressure on the bladder causing one to want to urinate 😀 Imagine someone just pressing your bladder, even if from the outside! The inevitable will happen….

Other signs and symptoms of pregnancy include:
• Breast tenderness
• Vaginal discharge
• Heart burn and constipation
• Tiredness
• Food cravings
• Morning sickness etc.

It is important, however, to look out for the red flags of pregnancy like bleeding, abdominal pain, severe dizziness etc These need to be checked out…

Q: Hi Dr. Please ma’am, I was told a woman with retroverted uterus cannot conceive. Please ma’am, how true is it?

A: Normally, a uterus tilts forwards at the cervix towards the stomach. In some women, however, the uterus tilts backwards inside the pelvis towards the spine. This is called a retroverted or tilted uterus. Many women with this condition are born with it but some women may develop it after birth as a result of:

• Pregnancy: During pregnancy, the ligaments holding the uterus in place become weak and so after pregnancy, some women now find their uteri tilted.

• Prior surgery, infections and disease conditions like endometriosis may lead to a tilted uterus. In these cases, conception may be difficult but not impossible. Patients here may benefit from seeing a fertility doctor.

For more on endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease, please click on these links:

Daily Health Tips: Can PID…

Q: Hi Doctor, may I ask: is it possible to get HIV from oral sex, whereby the female is HIV positive giving the blow job to a HIV negative guy? Cheers

A: Well, HIV infection through oral sex is not the usual route of HIV infection. However, it is possible. There may be small cuts in the mouth of the female who is HIV-positive from which the virus will gain entrance into the body of the male through the urethra (the opening at the top of the penis from where sperm and urine come out) or anus. In the same way, if an HIV-positive person receives oral sex, the virus can gain entrance into the partner’s body when semen and vaginal fluids get into the mouth.

This risk of contacting HIV through oral sex is increased in the presence of already existing Sexually Transmitted Infections, mouth ulcers, bleeding gums and…

Q: Hello, good morning Doc. I have a lump on my breast. When I went to hospital, doctor said we can’t operate it because it is too small and it might go on its own. But I’m very scared and I don’t know if it will affect me when I want to get pregnant….I’m 26yrs old. Please ma’am, advise me on what to do.

A: Thanks for writing in.

The good news is that not every breast lump is cause for concern. However, all breast lumps should be checked out at the hospital.

A breast lump refers to a growth within breast tissue and can be felt/seen as a thickening, lump, hard area (different from other areas), a breast larger than the other etc

There are different causes of breast lumps and not all may apply to you. Common causes include:

Fibroadenoma: These are common in adolescents and young women…