I want to know if men are also susceptible to Breast Cancer like women
— Ibrahim (by SMS)
Breast cancer is predominantly the disease of women but about one per cent of men also develop cancer. Therefore, every male adult out there is a susceptible candidate for breast cancer. This is why when we are talking about the self-breast examination, people usually think of women doing the self-breast examination. Men too need to be doing the examination, especially men that have the outgrowth of breasts – some men have the outgrowth of breasts like that of women. It is about awareness and people getting informed because so many people out there don’t know that they can go for cancer screening through sample collection.
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Is low sperm curable?
My brother who has been trying to have a child recently came back with his Laboratory result that indicated he has a low sperm count. Kindly let me know if this condition is curable as my brother is very unhappy about his situation.
— Kingsley (by SMS)
Fertility experts have urged men battling with low sperm count to seek proper medical intervention, noting that the condition is curable with appropriate medical treatment. The experts, however, noted that the treatment of the condition is dependent on the underlying cause, stressing that unknown to many people, most cases of low sperm count usually have an underlying cause. Infection is the commonest cause of low sperm count while testicular failure is another cause. The condition occurs when the testes fail in their duties to produce the male hormone called testosterone which makes men develop muscles and appear masculine and produce sperm which is used to fertilise a woman’s eggs. For a man to be considered to have normal semen, the World Health Organisation’s criteria state that such a man must produce 15 million spermatozoa per millimetre of ejaculated volume or 39 million in the entire sample. Although having a low sperm count can make it more difficult to conceive naturally, successful pregnancies can still occur with a low sperm count.
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Do you need drugs for menopause?
I recently discovered that I am in my menopause period. Apart from occasional hot flushes, I feel very healthy. I want to know if I still need to take some medications.
— Abigail (by E Mail)
Although not every woman that enters the menopausal age have significant symptoms, it is advisable for women in this age group to seek medical check- up once they have any serious menopausal problems. Some of these problems include anxiety, physical and mental exhaustion, sleep problem, irritability, Joint and muscular discomfort as well as heart problems. The most classical symptom of menopause is hot flushes. The changes in levels of estrogens and progesterone in the body are what’s responsible for these developments. Some natural ways of tackling the problems includes aerobic exercises, going for walks as well as dancing and swimming exercises. If these do not work, then medications under doctors’ instructions should be considered.
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Breast sucking and cancer
There are reports that sucking women’s breasts will help in reducing the risk of breast cancer. How true is that?
— Angelina (by SMS)
When you say sucking women’s breasts, we refer to it as breastfeeding. Breastfeeding in women that have given birth has a significant advantage in the prevention of breast cancer. While breast feeding has been confirmed to prevent the development of breast cancer, other forms of breast sucking especially that between husbands and wives have nothing to do with prevention of breast cancer.
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Managing diabetes without drugs
I want to know if it is possible to manage Diabetes without Drugs?
— Lucas (by SMS)
This will depend on the level of the severity of your Diabetes. While some people with very mild type of diabetes can do without drugs, others with severe cases may need some medications under their doctor’s supervision. Management of diabetes include blood glucose control, through a combination of diet, physical activity and, if necessary, medication. On the matter of diet, a diabetic should be cautious of what to eat especially avoiding soft drinks, sugary fruits as well as large portions of carbohydrates laden meals. A diabetic must obey his/her doctor’s recommendations for living with diabetes, eat healthily, exercise and if possible, use medications.
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What is vitiligo?
I recently met a friend of mine whom I have not seen for five years but could not recognise him. Although he was previously dark in colour, he is now white in some parts of the body. When I asked him what the problem was, he said he suffers from a skin problem called vitiligo. Kindly let me know what this is?
— William (by SMS)
Vitiligo is an acquired condition of the skin with reduced or absent coloration/pigmentation leaving areas of white patches compared to other areas of the body. This is due to the absence or non -function of cells called melanocytes responsible for the coloration of the skin. People with vitiligo are not born with the disease but acquire it along the way. The disease which is not infectious can be caused by genetics since some people with the disease have a family history of the condition. However, it is not an inherited disease. Research has shown that males and females are affected equally, but females tend to present more often to the hospital. In addition, the majority of cases will occur between the ages of 10 to 30 years. However, it can also occur in people older than 30 years or those younger than 10 years.
Chemical vitiligo can also occur when there is an exposure to some chemicals like those used in the rubber industry while also identifying autoimmune- where the body itself attacks the cells producing the pigments in the skin as another cause. In addition, vitiligo might be associated with diabetes mellitus and other endocrine malfunctions. Since it has no known cure for now the current management revolves around dietary advice and most importantly, the need to develop self-confidence because skin conditions can make people fall into depression. People with vitiligo must know that the fault is not theirs, that they are perfectly normal except for the color change. Vitiligo is not infectious so they don’t need isolation. They need to be confident about their self-worth and discard negative responses. They need to be part of the advocacy to enlighten those ignorant about the condition. They should join support groups and even become a strong voice and advocate for people living with vitiligo.
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Wearing of face mask
I want to know if wearing of face mask to prevent COVID-19 is still necessary.
— Chike (SMS)
Since older people above the age of 60 are at highest risk from COVID-19, they should be encouraged to continue to wear facemasks in crowded environments and closed spaces shred with visitors. In addition, anyone with an underlying disease or ailment who are at a significantly increased risk of severe disease following infection from COVID-19 should also put on face masks. This because eight out of 10 deaths are occurring in individuals with at least one underlying co-morbidity, in particular those with cardiovascular diseases/hypertension and diabetes, but also with a range of other chronic underlying conditions.
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Still on breast cancers
I want to know if there is a particular part of the women’s breasts that is susceptible to breast cancer?
—- Nifemi (by SMS)
Any part of the breast can develop cancer but it has been documented that the commonest cancer of the breast is that of the ducts, a terminology called ductal carcinoma. The ducts are like tubes that secrete into the lobules of the breasts and that is what generates something like breast milk that eventually comes out of the nipples. These ducts are like pipes that are connecting the lobules inside the breasts. So, most commonly, cancer occurs in the ducts, which is why ductal carcinoma is the commonest cancer of the breast. Having said this, it is important to note that cancer can occur in any part of the breast tissue. In addition, any of the two breasts can be involved.
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