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31: What is Good Cholesterol?
| "Good Cholesterol" is the type of Cholesterol that acts a cleaner, removing excess Cholesterol from the blood.Its medical term is HDL Cholesterol. |
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32: My friends and I smoke shisha when we go out at night.Is it safer than cigarette smoking?
| No.
Shisha/Hookah/Narghile is actually worse than smoking cigarettes.The reasons are:
1.The tobacco is burned by charcoal which increases the carbon monoxide (CM) inhaled.
2.Because of the sharing of the pipe, there can be transmission of oral diseases, hepatitis and TB. |
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33: I have smoked for 10 years and tried countless times to quit!Doc, why Is It So Hard to Quit Smoking?
| The answer to that very common question is nicotine.
Mark Twain said, "Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it a thousand times."
Nicotine is a drug found naturally in tobacco. It is highly addictive, as addictive as heroin or cocaine. Over time, a person becomes physically and emotionally addicted to it.Hence quiting from it will be difficult, but not imposible. |
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34: What are the risks of smoking cigarettes when am pregnant?
| 1.Small baby at birth.
2.The baby has higher chances of dying from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
3.Low lying placenta which may increase risks of per vaginal bleeding during pregancy.
4.Chances of miscarriages and still births are higher |
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35: What is cholesterol?
| Cholesterol is a fat like material carried by the blood all over the body and is important for building cells and some hormones in the body.Our body makes all its own cholesterol and extra cholesterol comes from foods especially fatty foods. |
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36: What is Bad Cholesterol?
| "Bad Cholesterol" is the type of Cholesterol that sticks to the wallsof the blood vessels slwly clogging them up slowing and even blocking the flow of blood.It's medical term is LDL Cholesterol. |
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37: How can i reduce my high Cholesterol levels?
| 1.If you smoke, stop smoking
2.Control your blood pressure.
3.Healthy eating, by eating more "grees" and fruits and less fatty foods.
4.Exercise, which increases "Good "Cholesterol and may lower the "bad" Cholesterol.
5.Medication, if absolutely necessary and under the guidance of a Medical Doctor. |
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38: What is the normal blood pressure for an adult?Is there a difference in blood pressure between men and women?
| 1.Normal Blood pressure is considered as 129/79 mmHg or less
2.Pre Hypertension:130-139/80-89 mmHg
3.Hypertension:140/90 mmHg and above |
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39: What is ED?
| ED or erectile dysfunction is the inabilty to achieve a good enough erection to have satisfatory sexual intercourse.It can also be called impotence. |
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40: What contraceptive methods are available?
| Broadly, contraceptives can either be hormone-based or non- hormonal. |
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41: What are the hormone-based contraceptives?
| The hormonal contraceptives include the oral contraceptive pills (OCP’s), the injectable contraceptives e.g. depoprovera and the implants e.g. Norplant, Jardelle.
There is also an intrauterine device (IUCD) that has a hormone in one of the arms. This is still relatively new and may thus not be readily available.
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42: What are the non hormonal - based contraceptives?
| These include
• Barrier methods e.g. condoms, diaphragms
• Intrauterine devices (IUCD)
• Surgical methods- Tubal Ligation (females) and Vasectomy (males)
Other methods that have been used but with a higher failure rate are withdrawal method (coitus interruptus) and calendar method (avoid sexual intercourse around the dates of ovulation
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43: How do I know which contraceptive method is best for me?
| Contraceptives should be started by your doctor after an assessment to determine which is most suitable. Certain factors guide the choice of contraceptives including;
•Age
•Current health status e.g. BMI, history of chronic illnesses
•Parity (i.e.How many children/pregnancies one has had)
•Period one wants to stay without getting pregnant
•Level of compliance expected and so on.
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44: I was told I have dyspepsia.What is dyspepsia?
| This is a characterized by a feeling of bloating, belching, loss of appetite and early satiety (i.e. inability to complete a meal due to early fullness). |
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45: I was told I have dermatophytosis. Is it the same as ringworm ?
| Dermatophytosis is the infection of the skin, nails or hair by a FUNGUS.It is also known as Tinea.
“Ring worm” is used to refer specifically to the fungal infection on the skin or scalp. Its name -“ring worm”- arises due to the small circular patches it appears as on the skin.
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46: Is having a ringworm the same as having a worm infection? If so what type of worm causes a ring worm?
| No. The use of the word ‘worm’ in ring worm is a misnomer since it is actually not related to worms.
A ringworm defines an infection to the skin on the face and scalp by a FUNGUS.It is refered to as a 'ring worm' due to the small circular patches it appears as on the skin. |
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47: What is eczema?
| Eczema is an inflammatory condition of the skin. It is also commonly referred to as dermatitis. |
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48: I was told i have ECZEMA,What causes it?
| Eczema is an inflammatory condition of the skin and there are several varieties of eczema.
The commonest and most well known cause is atopy i.e. the genetic tendency to develop allergic diseases.(atopic eczema).
It can also be caused by direct contact with an irritant e.g. perfume, jewelry |
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49: How do I know my child has chicken pox?
| The main symptoms are rash, fever, fatigue. The rash begins on the face and trunk and spreads rapidly to involve the rest of the body. |
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50: Is it true that shingles occur only in HIV infected persons?
| No. Shingles (herpes zoster) is a skin infection that can occurs due a reduction in one’s immunity.
HIV affects one’s immunity thus shingles (herpes zoster) is common.
Shingles is also common amongst the elderly, diabetics and those taking medicines that reduce immunity.
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51: What causes measles, and is it true that one infection makes you immune for life?
| Measles is an infection caused by a virus and it is one of the most contagious diseases.
Yes,it true that one infection makes you immune for life. |
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52: How do I tell a rash could be due to measles or chicken pox?
| The measles rash is usually reddish and begins at the hairline and behind the ears. It then spreads to the rest of the face before proceeding to the trunk and the arms and legs.
It then fades after 3-4 days and may leave behind a brownish discoloration of the skin. In some cases the skin may be dry and flake off.
The rash due to chicken pox is small and blister-like beginning on the face and trunk and spreads rapidly to involve the rest of the body.They are very itchy
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53: How do i prevent measles from infecting my child?
| Vaccines are now available either singly or in combination as the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella).
Infected children should be kept out of school for up to 5 days after rash.
Avoid close contact with infected people during the infectious stage.
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54: Is dyspepsia the same as ulcers?
| No. Peptic ulcer disease is a more serious illness. |
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55: So what causes stomach ulcers?
| The medical term for “stomach” ulcer is peptic ulcers, and the main cause is an by an infection by a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori. Also long standing use of pain killers, alcohol, smoking and spicy foods can predispose to the ulcer developing. |
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56: How do I know I have stomach ulcers?
| First you visit your Doctor when you develop pain in your abdomen below your diaphragm.
Your Doctor will ask you a few questions, carry out a physical examination and request for a stool test to confirm the diagnosis.
Further tests can be carried out like endoscopy and barium meals |
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57: What is the treatment for stomach ulcers?
| A specific combination of two antibiotics and an drug to neutralise acid for about 7 to 10 days.
After that you have to be seen by your Doctor again for follow up treatment with the drug to neutralise acid for about 21 days. |
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58: My baby had diarrhoea and was found to have Rotavirus.What is rotavirus?
| This is a virus that is responsible for diarrhoea especially in children. It is currently one of the most important causes of childhood diarrhea. |
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59: Does breast feeding protect my child against rotavirus?
| It has been found that rotavirus tends to occur more in bottle-fed rather than breast-fed children. The maternal antibodies in breast milk tend to offer some protection against childhood diarrhea. But this protection is not absolute, neither is it lifelong. |
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60: Are antibiotics useful in rotavirus infections?
| No. Antibiotics have no role in the treatment of rotavirus.Antibiotics are used to treat infection caused by bacteria. |
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| NOTE: FAQs are authored by the Ask-a-doc panel of Doctors |
