Yittz's Clinic!!

[Han Solo]

Biaxin is clarithromycin, i think.

Is there only cough? Any sputum at all?

Han SOlo

[xcutie]

what's sputum? it's just coughing..

[Han Solo]

Sputum = stuff that u cough out.

Things that would help me to understand what happened to you are:-

1) Any runny nose or post-nasal drip?
2) How long did it last for?
3) Any sputum?
4) Any shortness of breath?
5) Any fever?
6) Any travels or contact with animals?

Han SOlo

[xcutie]

i'm pretty much healed now, but i still want to know what happened to me and my family so i'll answer the questions:

1) Any runny nose or post-nasal drip? - i didn't have any, but my parents did
2) How long did it last for? - 2 weeks. but when i start healing, i get sick again.
3) Any sputum? - not me, but my parents had some
4) Any shortness of breath? - no
5) Any fever? - no
6) Any travels or contact with animals? - no

[beansprouts]

My wisdom tooth is growing, or trying to grow. There's not enough space in my mouth for it to grow out fully, so now the tooth is stuck halfway. My gum is hurting as a result, the pain is not terrible, but ever since my gum started aching (last friday), I have been getting headaches. Not constant headaches, but on and off, goes away after I take panadols or sleep.

I am wondering whether my headache is due to the gum pain and whether it is ok to keep on taking panadols to ease the pain (for headache). I am trying to decide whether to remove the wisdom tooth or not, since it is not really hurting. Is it okay just to leave the wisdom as it is?

[Han Solo]

i'm pretty much healed now, but i still want to know what happened to me and my family so i'll answer the questions:

1) Any runny nose or post-nasal drip? - i didn't have any, but my parents did
2) How long did it last for? - 2 weeks. but when i start healing, i get sick again.
3) Any sputum? - not me, but my parents had some
4) Any shortness of breath? - no
5) Any fever? - no
6) Any travels or contact with animals? - no

I'll probably put the money on the post-nasal drip being the cause of the prolonged cough, which started with an upper respiratory tract infection.

[Han Solo]

My wisdom tooth is growing, or trying to grow. There's not enough space in my mouth for it to grow out fully, so now the tooth is stuck halfway. My gum is hurting as a result, the pain is not terrible, but ever since my gum started aching (last friday), I have been getting headaches. Not constant headaches, but on and off, goes away after I take panadols or sleep.

I am wondering whether my headache is due to the gum pain and whether it is ok to keep on taking panadols to ease the pain (for headache). I am trying to decide whether to remove the wisdom tooth or not, since it is not really hurting. Is it okay just to leave the wisdom as it is?

Some ppl may be ok with the wisdom teeth without any action.

Others, unfortunately, is not that lucky. Due to overcrowding of the teeth in the oral cavity, the mucosal surface will break and infections/abscesses will occur --> to the pain.

If you prefer not to have a removal of the wisdom teeth at the moment, painkillers such as panadol is fine. However, also consider seeing someone, in order to get antibiotics as well.

Finally, if there's an abscess, it hurts bad and it is more messy to remove than having the wisdom tooth removed in the first place.

Han Solo

[IcyFox]

Er... when will there be a cure for the common flu?

[Han Solo]

There is indeed cure for the common flu.

Tamiflu and Relenza are both medications that have been shown to work in flu.

Primarily by acting to prevent the further spread of the virus, it enables the body's immune system to fight the infection --> resulting in quicker return to normal, and less symptoms.

Tamiflu, because of the ease to use it, dominates the market, and is currently being stockpiled by every grandmother and their country in preparation for the bird flu.

Han Solo

[maki_hitsugaya]

um... is there a cure for birdflu??

[IcyFox]

There is indeed cure for the common flu.

Tamiflu and Relenza are both medications that have been shown to work in flu.

Primarily by acting to prevent the further spread of the virus, it enables the body's immune system to fight the infection --> resulting in quicker return to normal, and less symptoms.

Tamiflu, because of the ease to use it, dominates the market, and is currently being stockpiled by every grandmother and their country in preparation for the bird flu.

Han Solo

But that Tamiflu is not omnipotent, right? I thought some strains of bird flu are showing resistance to it. Can you tell me more?

[Han Solo]

Yes, unfortunately, the first cases of resistance or failure to treatment to Tamiflu has begun to emerge, mainly in Vietnam.

Nonetheless, WHO still recommends Tamiflu as one of the front-line medications for bird flu.

Efforts to create vaccination for bird flu seems to be making a breakthrough. Australian researchers at CSL are among a few teams in the world that are reporting initial Stage 1 success.

Han Solo

[xcutie]

Doctor, is there any way to make a person's immune system stronger? if there are any colds or flus going around, i always catch it and i take a long time to heal. for colds, it takes me a week or more. could it be because i don't sleep enough?

[KJ]

Doctor, is there any way to make a person's immune system stronger? if there are any colds or flus going around, i always catch it and i take a long time to heal. for colds, it takes me a week or more. could it be because i don't sleep enough?

Is it true that if the more you take medicine, the more reliant your body is on medicine and antibiotics? Would taking medicine less often and letting your body's immune system stay more active? Similar to keeping your brain activity strong by reading and thinking so you won't become "dumber".

[charbydis]

Hi Dr. Can you die from sea-sickness? I was on a ship cruise with my mum last week for one night, and she kept on vomitting and won't eat. May I ask will prolonged seasickness kill someone, or will the person eventually get used to it over time? How come I don't have sea-sickness? Thanx.

[duguxiaojing]

Hey Doctor Han,

I had a question...ive always had a hard time studying...partly through 2 lazyness i'm actually posting right now while im doin labs . But anyways I was wondering if you could tell me ways to concentrate better while studying(that dont involve drugs i got a bit messed up trying some dex my friend gave me...dont wanna go through that again ).

Alright thanks a bunch.

[PJ]

Hey Doctor Han,

I had a question...ive always had a hard time studying...partly through 2 lazyness i'm actually posting right now while im doin labs . But anyways I was wondering if you could tell me ways to concentrate better while studying(that dont involve drugs i got a bit messed up trying some dex my friend gave me...dont wanna go through that again ).

Alright thanks a bunch.

on a sidenote, some researchers are currently trying to find the LAZY GENE, a gene responsible for causing laziness in organisms

while others are busy discoverying the gay gene (or have they found it already>?).

[Han Solo]

Doctor, is there any way to make a person's immune system stronger? if there are any colds or flus going around, i always catch it and i take a long time to heal. for colds, it takes me a week or more. could it be because i don't sleep enough?

Unless you have immunodeficiency with examples such immunogobulin deficiency, then it is likely that it is just your normal healing patterns.

Also, are you taking any medications that might impair your immune systems such as steroids, cyclosporin or the like?

Lack of sleep, stress etc increase the body's production of catecholamine and also cortisol. These had been known for a long time to have an adverse effect on the efficiency of the immune system.

Han SOlo
P/s: get well soon, and sorry for the late reply.

[Han Solo]

Is it true that if the more you take medicine, the more reliant your body is on medicine and antibiotics? Would taking medicine less often and letting your body's immune system stay more active? Similar to keeping your brain activity strong by reading and thinking so you won't become "dumber".

That is incorrect.

In fact, this are just fuzzy thinking.

Why would your body be relying on the antibiotic?

The antibiotics help the immune system to fight the infection. It is not like the antibiotics will do all the work, and your immune system will just sit around doing nothing. Each has its role.

Now, the second part of your statement about the reading makes sense. Studies have shown that elderly ppl who keep their brain busy with mind puzzles actually do better in daily terms.

Han SOlo

[Han Solo]

Hi Dr. Can you die from sea-sickness? I was on a ship cruise with my mum last week for one night, and she kept on vomitting and won't eat. May I ask will prolonged seasickness kill someone, or will the person eventually get used to it over time? How come I don't have sea-sickness? Thanx.

I don't think that anyone can die from sea-sickness per se.

Now, you might die of dehydration if you have prolonged vomiting and minimal oral intake.

Motion sickness, which sea-sickness is a sub-set, existed as a clash of sensory inputs.

If the visual system indicates that a person is stationary (eg, viewing the interior of a cabin on a ship), but the vestibular system senses ongoing head movements (eg, due to motion of the ship), the vestibular and visual cues conflict and engender symptoms of motion sickness. Furthermore, if the semicircular canals and otolith organs produce sensory cues that are incongruous, motion sickness can be evoked that is independent of vision.

Motion sickness is more common in women, peaks at age of 12 and has decreased incidence with age, and is increased with ppl with expectations that they will get motion sickness or ppl with migraine.

There are no great evidence to show that eating increases or decreases motion sickness. Lying flat helps and so is looking at immobile things such as the horizon at sea.

There are multiple types of medications that can help with motion sickness including anti-histamine, anti-cholinergic, anti-dopamine, ginger, acupoints!

As to your question whether ppl will adapt to motion sickness, the answer is yes. However, this is provided that they were continously exposed to the same stimulus for 36 to 72 hours. In addition, should they return to land and go back to sea again, they might have a new bout of motion sickness.

I don't know why you do not have motion sickness. Is it because you are all grown up now or just lucky.

Han SOlo