Q How does umbilical cord work?

During the prenatal life umbilical cord is the connection between the foetus and placenta. It consist of two umbilical arteries and one umbilical vein. The vein does the function of carrying oxygenated and nutrients rich blood form the placenta to the foetus. The two arteries do the work of carrying deoxygenated and nutrient depleted blood from the foetus back to the placenta.

Q My 1 year old boy vomits while sleeping what can be the reason?

The cause of vomiting could be a viral infection, the food your child ate or disorder related to stomach such as reflux disorder. In either cases it is necessary that you consult your childs pediatrician who after a thorough examination can tell you the exact cause and treatment.

Q My lips are very dry and occasionally bleeds what to do?

Lips have a thin coating of oil which prevents them from drying. However in some people this moisture is lost resulting in excessive drying. The main reasons behind this is defective hydration, excessive licking habit, in winters due to dry winds, side effect of medications. In most cases self care measures helps to resolve the issue. Self care measures include: Improving daily water intake because it is important to remain well hydrated to prevent drying of lips. Use a lip balm whenever you are outdoors. Rubbing a slice of cucumber or a milk cream on lips at night. Keep it for few minutes and then wash it of with plain water. This will help in healing of cracked lips. However a condition called as chelitis which is cracked skin at corner of lips needs medical care, as the cause is infection. In that case consultation with dermatologist is required.

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 What is a kleptomaniac?

Kleptomania is a complex disorder characterized by repeated attempts of stealing (especially invaluable things). It is often seen in patients who are chemically dependent or who have a swings in mood, anxiety, or eating disorder. Other coexisting mental disorders may include major depression, panic attacks, social phobia, anorexia nervosa and obsessive compulsive disorder. People with this disorder have an overwhelming urge to steal and get a thrill from doing so. The recurrent act of stealing may be restricted to specific objects and settings,

Q Do men suffer from menopause like women?

The phase of life similar to menopause is called as andropause in men. It is marked by lethargy, sadness, weariness, lack of drive, irritability, poor concentration and sometimes loss of sexual desire in middle-aged men. This leads to boredom, lack of fitness, heavy drinking and lack of self-esteem.n Though, male menopause is controversial, as there isn~t any calculable fall in the levels of male hormones in middle age like females have fall in sex hormones drastically, yet it is advised that men experiencing the symptoms should exercise regularly and eat healthy, nurture a hobby, and have a peaceful mind and renew interest in life.

Q What triggers hormonal migraines in women?

The hormonal migraines are also known as menstrual migraines in females. The cause of headache is due to sudden drop of estrogen levels. This may happen during menstrual period, in menopause, due to sudden stopping of oral contraceptive pills and in pregnancy during first few weeks.

Q what is fever? what are the signs and symptoms of fever?

Fever or pyrexia is an elevation of body temperature above the normal range of 36.5-37.5 °C (97.7-99.5 °F). Fever is a common symptom of many medical conditions. The signs and symptoms of fever are termed as sickness behaviour which include lethargy, depression, anorexia, sleepiness, hyperalgesia, and the inability to concentrate. Additionally, local symptoms arising due to the cause of fever are usually present.

Q Hi, I am suffering from itching at vaginal area. kindly advice me some medicine or ointments

There are many reasons for vaginal itching. The most common cause is fungal infection. Other causes include vaginal irritation, inflammation, allergy. Physical examination by a doctor is important to know the exact cause of vaginal itching without which medicine cannot be prescribed.

Q My two year daughter fell from the slide this morning. In evening she passed white stool with bad smell.

Episode of fall and the white stool does not seem to be connected. But at the same time white coloured stool can not be ignored. Stool gets its normal yellow- brown colour due to bile. White colour stool indicate that either the bile is not produced or it is obstructed. Hence it should be evaluated by the doctor. Consult your family physician at the earliest.