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The follows are the questions post to the experts with their answers:

Question 1:SKIN SPLITS ON THE PALMS
I'm a 57-year-old man. In the past two months, I've had skin problems in both palms. The skin tends to split at the life lines on my palms. Sometimes the splits are quite deep but they seldom bleed although the wounds are reddish.
My doctor gave me some gel that I applied every night. During the day, I also constantly apply a moisturising cream he prescribed. The wounds take about a week to heal. But once this happens, the skin splits again after a couple of days, always at the life lines. I now wash my hands with mild detergents. But I don't normally wash dishes or come into contact with any chemical.

Answer:
What you probably have is chronic hand eczema. This condition is likely to be related to a genetic predisposition and especially occurs in people with a history of sensitive skin and nose. Although primarily endogenous, it can be aggravated by contact with external irritants such as harsh soaps and detergents.
When the skin splits, you could apply an antibiotic ointment which can prevent a secondary bacterial infection and also help relieve the pain somewhat. Doctors can prescribe a potent steroid ointment to reduce the underlying inflammation.
It is very important that you keep your palms moisturised, preferably with an ointment-based product, and that you continue to use only soap-free cleansers. If your hand condition continues to be disabling despite these measures, you should consult a dermatologist.
He may recommend more aggressive treatment measures such as phototherapy (the therapeutic exposure of selected wavelength ranges of ultraviolet or visible light to treat certain medical conditions, such as eczema, psoriasis or acne) or oral medication.

Dr Derrick Aw

Question:2 FLU LEADS TO OTHER WORRYING SYMPTOMS
I am 18, active and exercise regularly. Sometime ago, I fell very ill with the flu. After recovering, I began to have stomach discomfort, diarrhoea and nausea. I saw the doctor four times and was given progressively stronger medicine for controlling the urge to vomit and for stomach acid reflux.
All symptoms stopped for a few weeks before they returned. I saw the doctor again and was given the same medicine.
Once, I had palpitations while swimming. I stopped swimming, but the palpitations continued. A specialist gave me the same medicine and an additional one to normalise my bowel movements for six weeks. I had a blood test and an ECG and was told to wait for my next appointment.
Can my heart condition be related to my gastric conditions? I'm studying for exams. Can stress be the cause?

Answer:
Palpitation is a subjective increased sensation of a person's heartbeat. The most common cause is just extra heartbeats while the less common cause is atrial fibrillation (chaotic upper chamber heart rhythm). A heartbeat rate above 120 beats a minute may signal a heart rhythm problem while rates below 120 beats a minute are almost always benign in cause.
The heartbeat rate goes up as the body responds to illness (any illness - whether heart problems or not - causes physiological stress to the body), physical pain, and even to emotional stress or anxiety. All this can also lead to increased heartbeats. Also, people who are deconditioned (who lead sedentary lifestyles) tend to have higher baseline heart rates, whereas physically fit people tend to have lower heart rates.
Usually a simple blood test can rule out anaemia and thyroid gland dysfunction. However, in your case, it sounds like it is the result of several factors such as a sedentary lifestyle and test anxiety.
I recommend increasing the level of physical activity to improve your fitness. If shortness of breath limits this, you may want a cardiologist to evaluate your heart in more detail.

Dr Antono Sutandar

Question 3 TRYING FOR BABY WHILE HE'S ON MEDICATION
My husband and I want to have a baby. However, is it advisable to start planning a family while my husband is on medication? His neurologist has prescribed amitriptyline for his headaches. We understand that taking it is not advisable for pregnant women as there is a risk of birth defects. However, what happens if it is administered to the male partner instead of the female? Will it affect the quality of the sperm? Will the foetus be at risk when I do conceive?

Anwer:
Amitriptyline is often used for the management of migraine and depression. Although there are possible risks to the foetus when amitriptyline is used, there has been no study to show that its use will affect the sperm quality. Only trace amounts of amitriptyline have been found in semen, but there is no evidence that paternal exposures increase the risk of birth defects. Generally, agents that may cause birth defects do not reach the foetus through the father as they do from the mother.
However, a potential side effect of amitriptyline is ejaculatory dysfunction. If your husband has such concerns, he should discuss this with his neurologist and ask for alternative treatment.
There are many other issues that can affect a pregnancy. These include maternal age, smoking, diabetes mellitus and family history of congenital defects.
I would advise you and your husband to visit your family doctor for prenatal counselling.

Dr David Hau

Labels: flu, skin splits on the palms, trying for baby while on medication

# posted by Leo @ 8:26 PM