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 Want to remove facial hair which is the best method waxing, threading or bleaching?

You can go for the method suitable to your skin. Waxing is not recommended to remove the facial hair. The bleaching will not give you the complete relief. So, you can try threading. Now a days, the excess hair are removed by the Laser operation. But, it is quite costly.

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 I am 30 years old divorcee. My son is very disturbed after our divorce. He remains sad most of the time and gets angry very quickly. What should I do to help him?

Separation of parents is always tough to deal with for kids. Kids are very attached to both the parents and react to the divorce with either feeling anxious, insecure, angry, or sad. It may result in trouble coping at school, social withdrawal, aggression, and other social problems. Parents should help kids to deal with this separation by talking to them about their feelings. Reassurance plays an important role. Tell him that it will not affect the way you love him. Try to make him feel secured. Make sure not to display anger and resentment between you and your ex-partner in front of your kid. Let some time pass by. With time and support from parent, Kids adjust healthily to divorce. If your kid~s behavior remains same, then do seek professional help.

Q What is the true cause of trichotillomania aslo known as severe obsessive compulsive hair pulling?

The cause of trichotillomania is unclear. But like many complex disorders, trichotillomania probably results from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Also, abnormalities in the natural brain chemicals serotonin and dopamine may play a role in trichotillomania. While the underlying biology is not clearly understood at this time, we do know that people with trichotillomania generally have a neurologically based predisposition to pull their hair as a self-soothing mechanism. The pulling behavior serves as a coping mechanism for anxiety and other difficult emotions. It does not hurt and they are not trying to damage themselves. While the average age of onset is 11, trich can be found in children as young as one year old. Onset of trich can be triggered by simple sensory events, such as itchy eyelashes, or by stressful life events, and it can occur quite suddenly. For example, it may be a tingling feeling that can only be relieved by pulling. ny relief that comes with hair pulling usually only lasts for a moment. The urge almost always returns. Thats because when the mind becomes used to giving in to the powerful urges that go with compulsive behaviors, the behavior is reinforced, and then becomes a habit. The mind gets trapped in a cycle of expecting to have the urge satisfied. The longer this goes on, the harder it can become to resist the urge.

Q My daughter has a perforated eardrum identified by our doctor today.Can she fly with this?

Yes, absolutely. There are no restrictions on flying with perforated ear drum. Rather, person with perforated ear drum may experience less discomfort and will get adjusted to air pressure changes more easily than a person with intact eardrums. Strange but true!! But if she has undergone any surgery for eardrum repair, then you should not proceed till her doctor permit to do so.

Q How to control thyroid in pregnency

Thyroid control will require intake of thyroid medication. Medication will depend upon the type of thyroid disorder such as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Hence you should consult your family physician at the earliest as uncontrolled thyroid disease can affect the fetus.

Q What Psychological Factors Contribute to Mental Illness?

The reasons which cause mental illness- Significant interpersonal loss and family instability, such as death of loved one, misfortune, poor relationship with family, domestic partner violence, separation, and divorce, emotional detachment have all been identified as risk factors. Financial stress, unemployment, and a drop in socioeconomic status can also be triggers for mental illness. This is also the case for a range of acute and chronic health problems, such as pain syndromes, or diagnoses of conditions like HIV or cancer. Some mental illnesses have been linked to an abnormal balance of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters help nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other. If these chemicals are out of balance or are not working properly, messages may not make it through the brain correctly, leading to symptoms of mental illness. In addition, defects in or injury to certain areas of the brain also have been linked to some mental conditions.

Q Is ensure a safe drink to have while on both chemo and radiation for metastasized stomach cancer? I have read articles stating that ensure is filled with sugar, which can actually be counterproductive in cancer patients

Ensure drink can be had as a supplement to regular meals but not as a replacement. It is best to stick to actual food in order to get energy and necessary nutrition. As long as you have a small quantity (1 serving a day), you shouldnt face any problems. However, there is a possibility of Ensure interacting with certain medications, so it is imminent to discuss this issue with your treating physician.

Q Stool test report. Color - brown, Consistency - soft, Reaction - acidic, Pus celss - 1-2/ hpf. Kindly advice as soon as possible. I have pain and lubricant stuff without stool

Presence of pus cells and acidic nature of the stool is an abnormal finding. The most probable cause for this is poor absorption of foods. Kindly consult with your doctor to co-relate the report clinically.