Laparoscopy is a tried and tested method, and (below) personal hygiene is the first step in tackling body odour

Gall stones

Q: I am 30 years old and suffer from stomach pains. An ultrasound has revealed multiple stones in the gallbladder. Please advise.

A: Intervention for gallbladder stones is needed when they are symptomatic, as they seem to be in your case. The stones can be removed by laparoscopy. It’s a tried and tested method with high rates of success. However, your doctor may even advise conventional surgery depending upon your individual condition. The stones can also be broken into smaller pieces using sound waves with the hope that they will then pass into the intestine. Treatment with urisodeoxycholic acid tablets dissolves small stones, but unfortunately this treatment has to be continued lifelong. Gallbladder stones if untreated can cause acute infection of the gall bladder, pancreas or lead to formation of fistula. They also increase the risk of cancer of the gallbladder.

Unsafe sex

Q: I am a 16-year-old boy. Recently, I had sex with a girl without using a condom. Can she become pregnant?

A: Sex must come with responsibilities. Intercourse without using a condom can result in the girl getting pregnant if she was in her fertile period. If she is an older person, and sexually active, she may know how to avoid, diagnose and tackle an unwanted pregnancy. Sex without a condom also puts you in danger of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Some like AIDS and hepatitis B are life threatening. Others like herpes recur repeatedly despite treatment. Have safe sex by using condoms.

White spots

Q: I am 20 years old and have strange white spots on my neck, face and back. They are the size of a 25 paise coin. They have silvery scales and if I scratch them, the scales turn white. If I apply an ointment, the spots disappear temporarily. Please suggest a remedy.

A: It could be a minor fungal infection like tinea versicolor, psoriasis or vitiligo. Consult a dermatologist at the earliest. He can scrape off a little amount of the spots and arrive at a positive diagnosis by carrying out tests. Sometimes, the appearance of the lesions may be typical enough for proper diagnosis. The cream you have been applying may contain steroids and therefore the lesions subside temporarily. Long-term application of steroids is harmful, and may cause thinning and atrophy of the skin.

Penis problem

Q: I am not able to pull back the foreskin from my penis. There is a very small opening. Sometimes, it gets red and I feel an irritation in the area. It often balloons out when I pass urine. What is my ailment?

A: The condition you are describing is called phimosis. It leads to tightness or constriction of the orifice of the foreskin and also prevents retraction of the foreskin over the glans (the head of the penis). The condition can be present from birth or may even occur later in life. It can be the result of an infection. The urine, which collects underneath the skin, is causing the irritation. You probably require a minor surgery called circumcision, during which some of the skin is cut off under local or general anaesthesia. Please consult a urologist immediately.

Excess triglycerides

Q: I’m a 33-year-old man suffering from severe hypertriglyceridemia (974 mg per cent) and am on gemfibrozil 600b.i.d. However, I wish to supplement this with high concentrated omega-3 oils. Are they marketed? Do they work?

A: Omega-3 oils do reduce very low-density lipoproteins. They are also of proven benefit in cases of severe hypertriglyceridemia, like yours. They do not lower other lipids and may aggravate hypercholestraemia in some patients. They cause occasional nausea, vomiting and belching. No long-term detrimental effects are known, but please consult your physician before taking any medication.

Smelly armpits

Q: I have a very bad smell in my armpits. What should I do?

A: Sweat is odourless and the smell is caused by harmless bacteria living in the skin of the armpits. The hair in the armpits trap the sweat. These bacteria then break down the sweat and the oily sebum found on the skin to produce the odour. To smell good, remove the hair in your armpits by shaving or waxing. Bathe twice a day with a soap like NEKO, which has the correct fat content. Apply the soap with a scrubber (not directly on the skin) and then wash it off. Use a deodorant or body spray after bathing. Avoid talcum powder; it blocks the sweat glands and aggravates the problem.

Dr Gita Mathai is a paediatrician with a family practice at Vellore. Questions on health issues may be emailed to her at yourhealthgm@yahoo.co.in