What’s this thing in my ear?

There is a whitish substance in my ear. I have tried using antifungal medicine, but there has been no change. PHOTO| FILE| NATION MEDIA GROUP

Dr Flo, I am a worried teenager. There is a whitish substance in my ear. I have tried using antifungal medicine, but there has been no change. What am I suffering from? Alex

 

Dear Alex,

The white substance could signal an ear infection, with white discharge being produced. It could also be due to skin conditions like dermatitis (inflammation/irritation of the skin), eczema or psoriasis.

 Sometimes ear infections do not clear up after treatment, and you can end up with a chronic, longstanding infection and/or complications like perforation of the ear drum or developing a cholesteatoma (a growth in the middle ear).

You need to visit an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist so that you can have proper examination of the ears and a diagnosis. Different causes are treated differently, and may require continued follow-up with the ENT doctor.

In the meantime, avoid or reduce the amount of time you spend swimming, and avoid using cotton buds or other objects to clean or scratch the ears.

 

Dr Flo, I sprayed a perfume on my body and it has affected my three-week-old baby. It started with mucus in the nose which graduated to a severe and persistent cough. Which medicine should be administered to make the baby better? Concerned Peter

 

Dear Concerned Peter,

For an infant with a running nose and cough, the recommendation is to use an antihistamine like piriton, cetirizine, etc.

However, because you have described the cough as severe, it would be good for the child to be examined by a doctor, to check for any chest congestion, wheezing or signs of an infection, because these would be treated differently.

 You also need to monitor for fever, difficulty or fast breathing, reduced activity, and difficulty feeding, which are signs of something more than a reaction to perfume.

 

Dr Flo, I had a total thyroidectomy. Can the thyroid be regrown using nutrition so that I don’t have to fully depend on thyroxine? Grace

 

Dear Grace,

When a total thyroidectomy is done, the whole thyroid gland is removed and no part of it remains. This means there is no thyroid tissue left at all and it cannot re-grow.

You have to take the thyroxine medication every day for the rest of your life to provide the thyroid hormones which are now not produced by the body, because there is no thyroid gland. And the thyroid hormones are very important because they regulate how your body utilises energy, and they affect breathing, the heart rate, temperature, the brain and nerves, the muscles, the reproductive system, the gastrointestinal system, and others. To get the most out of your medication, take the thyroxine on an empty stomach, like 30 minutes to an hour before breakfast or three hours or more after supper.

Avoid changing brands of medication and store the medicine in a cool, dry, dark place. See the doctor regularly for checkups. Avoid “natural” thyroid medications and supplements because sometimes they contain the thyroxine medication or even parts of thyroid glands from other animals which is dangerous.

There is no diet per se for someone who has had a thyroidectomy. Eat healthy, well balanced meals. You may benefit from small frequent meals to keep your energy up. Also exercise regularly and establish a sleep routine.

 

Dr Flo, I am a 26-year-old guy.  My feet itch when I stand for a long time like while in church. This occurs mostly in the morning hours when the temperatures are high. It only ceases when I sit or by scratching them. Please help. Zak

 

Dear Zak,

The itching of the feet could be due to sweating of the feet, impaired blood flow, nerve problems, fungal infection, or irritation of the skin due to dirty socks or harsh detergent used to clean socks. Rarely, other conditions like allergic skin conditions, and liver and kidney diseases can also cause itching of the feet.

To manage it, do not stand for long; move around every few minutes to help with blood flow and relieve pressure from your nerves and muscles. You can also sit down after standing for a while, and also raise the legs with a pillow or foot rest. You can use cold packs to cool your feet or soak your feet in warm water.

Wear clean socks and well-aerated shoes, and don’t wear the same shoes on consecutive days. Avoid walking on wet surfaces to avoid getting a fungal infection, and if you already have one, it can be easily treated with antifungal medication.

In case all these measures don’t work, you should visit a doctor, for further evaluation and treatment.

 

 

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