Q Though it takes lots of courage to commit suicide why suicidal people are called coward?

Committing suicide is considered wrong and unjustifiable. Suicide gives up all your future, everything you could have done, because you cant put up with the past or the present. People usually commit suicide when they lack the courage to go on. Its like giving up on the hope that things will ever get better. Under the influence of emotional despair, a suicidal person kills himself in total disregard for those who care for him, those who would have helped him. However at the same time, it is not right to call suicidal people cowards. In fact, they need maximum help and support from those around them. One should lend them a helping hand until they start feeling better about themselves and the situations in their life. There is light at the end of the tunnel. It is important for suicidal people to remember, "this too, shall pass."

Q Diagnosis of high cholesterol

The diagnosis of high cholesterol levels is based on a simple blood test. Usually a complete Lipid profile is advised to test the levels of different components of cholesterol and triglycerides. Total cholesterol levels should be less than 200 mg/dl. LDL levels less than 100 mg/dL ( 2.6 mmol/L) are considered optimal. An acceptable HDL range is between 40- 60 mg/dL (1.04-1.56 mmol/L). Triglyceride levels should be maintained less than 150 mg/dl. High levels of HDL have a protective effect against heart disease whereas high levels of LDL and triglycerides increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Q What services do family planning clinics provide?

Family planning clinic are also called as contraception clinics. They provide wide range of services and can provide. These include: 1. confidential advice on contraception. 2. the combined oral contraceptive pill. 3. the progesterone only pill. 4. removal and insertion of contraceptive implant. 5. limited supplies of free condoms. 6. emergency contraception. 7. confidential advice on STD. 8. advice on unplanned pregnancy. 9. cervical screening, 10. free pregnancy test. 11. Pre-pregnancy advice and fertility awareness information. 12. Fitting and checking of caps, diaphragm, IUDs. 13. Counselling for incest, rape, sexual abuse. 14. vasectomy counselling and procedure. 15. pre-abortion and post-abortion counselling and referral. 16. female sterilization counselling and referral. 17. menopause clinic.

Q What can you tell me about Borderline Personality Disorder?

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a Mental Health disorder that generates significant emotional instability. This can lead to a variety of other stressful mental and behavioral problems. When you have borderline personality disorder, you often have an insecure sense of who you are. Your self-image, self-identity or sense of self often rapidly changes. You may view yourself as evil or bad, and sometimes you may feel as if you dont exist at all. An unstable self-image often leads to frequent changes in jobs, friendships, goals and values. This is because people with borderline personality disorder often have difficulty accepting gray areas; things seem to be either black or white. The common symptom of borderline personality disorder are overwhelming feelings of distress, anxiety, worthlessness or anger, difficulty managing such feelings without self-harming, for example by abusing drugs and alcohol or taking overdoses, difficulty maintaining stable and close relationships, sometimes, periods of loss of contact with reality, in some cases, threats of harm to others. Treatment may involve a range of individual and group psychological therapies (psychotherapy) carried out by trained professionals.

Q What are the symptoms of an abscessed tooth?

An abscessed tooth is a painful infection at the root of a tooth or between the gum and a tooth. Its most commonly caused by severe tooth decay. Other causes of tooth abscess are trauma to the tooth, such as when it is broken or chipped, and gingivitis or gum disease. Sharp or shooting pain are common symptoms of an abscessed tooth. Symptoms include fever, pain when chewing, sensitivity of the teeth to hot or cold, bitter taste in the mouth, foul smell to the breath, swollen neck glands, general discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling, redness and swelling of the gums and swollen area of the upper or lower jaw.

Q What are low-glycemic index foods?

Foods that are very slowly absorbed are said to have low glycemic index. These don~t affect blood sugar levels much.

Q Can HIV spread from kissing?

In most cases HIV virus is not transmitted through saliva. The saliva of an infected person does contain HIV, but the virus is only present there in very small quantities making it next to impossible for the disease or virus to be passed on to another in that way. For instance in the case of two people kissing, if both partners were to have large open sores in their mouths, or if they had severely damaged or bleeding gums then they might transmit the virus through the act of mouth to mouth kissing.

Q I feel my testicle bag contracting, no pain, but it will not stop contracting day or night. I have seen many doctors and underwent an operation but helpless cau you please suggest some thing?

In order to produce sperms optimally, testicles need to maintain a lower temperature compared to the rest of the body. Hence, in cold climates, it is normal to testicles to shrink and move closer to the body in order to maintain an optimum temperature. However in hot climates, the testicles usually hang lower to cool off. This contraction and relaxation takes place due to the cremaster muscle and dartos fascia. Changes in the intraabdominal pressure, contraction of the abdominal muscles and most commonly, spasm of the cremaster muscle can cause contraction of the testicles. Try to keep a warm atmosphere at your home and office. Prefer boxers to briefs. See a surgeon to find out the exact cause and treat accordingly.

Q My 10 year old daughter continues to wet the bed. Not every night, but i thought it would stop as she grows but still hasnt. I wonder if there is something medically wrong.

If you daughter has nocturnal enuresis sometimes, it may need further evaluation, as this is not so common in teenagers. There are some factors that may affect urine control in teens. These include excessive intake of caffeine drinks like tea or coffee, deep sleep pattern which can be a normal for growing teen, excessive emotional stress or fear of something, inconsistent sleep timings etc. These things can be corrected in order to fix the problem. Other things to give consideration are certain medications, diabetes of other medical diseases, family history of parents having the same problem, urinary tract infection, etc. If she is having this problem since her childhood, then this can be considered as primary nocturnal enuresis and she can be out of 2% of girls who continues with this till they reach their teen. This thing can be improved with proper counselling to her. Making her to use bathroom before going to bed. Limiting her fluid intake before going to bed. She can be effectively treated with moisture alarms while asleep. It will be less likely that she will need medications for this. Proper counselling and educating her may motivate her to take initiation to cure herself. You may take her to physician to rule out underlying disease if any.

Q Could performing only fellatio result in acquiring hiv/aids?

HIV is transmitted when there is an exchange of body fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids, pore ejaculatory fluids between the infected and non infected person. This is possible during fellatio / oral sex if there is an open wound such as cuts, abrasions in mouth or gums, sore or inflamed throat, abrasion on penis or if the saliva is mixed with blood.