We begin to ask ourselves, what really is a yeast infection? Am I likely to have this? How do I get rid of it? Is this contagious? Where do I get it? Worry no more, as we are going to answer all these questions to help our readers out there. 

Yeast infection – what is it?

Most women would develop yeast infection once in their lives. This is an infection of the vagina which causes itching and burning of the outer part of the vagina (vulva). This is caused by the increase in growth of fungus Candida. Since yeast normally lives in the vagina in small amounts, it is not impossible to have too many yeasts growing in that part. When a healthy vagina’s balance of bacteria goes out of hand, this causes imbalance and causes yeast. Some of the main causes of this would be medications and imbalance in estrogen level, weak immune system, lack of sleep, poor eating habits and diet. 

Diagnosis – am I likely to have this?

Doctors will first ask about your medical history – history of yeast infection as well as any sexually transmitted disease. Doctors would then examine the pelvic area and vagina to see if there are any external infections. After this, your doctor will prescribe any medications if necessary or treatments you can undergo. 

How to get rid of it?

For simple cases, doctors prescribe creams. Some may also be over the counter medicines to be ingested. Home remedies that we can use are vinegar, tea tree oil and yogurt eaten to promote good bacteria. 

Contagious? Easily contacted?

It can be acquired through with or without sexual intercourse

Prevention?

Avoid wearing tight pants/shorts, avoid using tampons/pads for a long time, do not sit on wet clothing, eat a balanced diet and properly wash your under garments. 

It should be noted that yeast infections are most common during pregnancy. Consult your doctor for further steps and do not take any medications except when told to do so. 

Where can you find more information?
Contact Faith Medical Group  or drop by at our clinics!

It is important to breastfeed your baby right after birth. The baby will start to  look for breast milk and so does your breast. Your breast will increase the production of milk as days go by. Babies are more interested in breastfeeding an hour after birth. From day 1 to day 10 there will be changes in your baby’s stomach. On the first day, the baby’s stomach is still 5-7ml small, day 3, around 22-27ml and day 10 onwards around 60-81ml. 

• Practice getting milk from your nipple by hand so that your baby will get attracted to your nipple with milk. After feeding, try to squeeze some milk out so that you can rub them against your nipple to prevent them from cracking and drying up.
• Instead of timing your baby’s food schedule, it is best to also watch your baby’s actions to know whether he/she is hungry already.
• Vitamin D drops as well as breast milk are the only ones given to your baby at early stages since mother’s milk will suffice the needs of the baby. (first 6 months)
• Mothers also need to rest when your baby is resting. It is vital to get enough rest so that you wont get sick and compromise your baby’s milk.
• When you feel that your breast is inflamed or swollen, try putting cold compress to decrease the swelling. Massaging it with warm towel after will help the milk flow afterwards. 

Breastfeeding is vital since that milk is like liquid gold. It has the essential nutrients to help form the growth and development of the baby. As the baby age, so does your milk. The milk adapts to the growth of the baby and by 5th day after birth, the contents of the milk have adjusted, having the right amount of fat, sugar, water and etc. in it. Furthermore, breast milk is easily digested as compared to formula which the cow’s produce. Lastly, breast milk, believe it or not, fights off disease with its antibodies and cells. 

Where can you find more information?

Contact Faith Medical Group  or drop by at our clinics!

Vulvodynia is the pain in the vulva and or vaginal opening for which there is no apparent cause.  Vulvodynia, thus, is not related to any sexually transmitted diseases. Some of the frequent symptoms can be pain in different extremities. Some women experience sharp pain at one section, for some, pain everywhere. There are two different kinds of vulvodynia, these are:

• Generalized vulvodynia – this refers to pain in different areas of the vulva. The pain also occurs at different times. There may be times of relief, and times of sharp pain. Prolonged sitting as well as wearing tight pants may cause pain as well. 
• Vulvar Vestibulitis syndrome – refers to provoked vestibulodynia. This is the experienced pain of the patient particularly in the vestibule area (inner part entrance). This is frequently experienced during sexual intercourse. 

There is no concrete study of the causes of vaginal pain. However, some of the theories range from nerve injury/irritation, inflammation, yeast infections, hormonal changes to use of medications. Until now, studies are still being done to find out the root cause of this. Those who have this might experience burning sensation, itching, irritation and soreness. These symptoms can be felt during:

• Rigorous exercise
• Using tampons or pads
• Bicycling
• Sexual intercourse

Your doctor should be able to diagnose your condition through asking about your medical history, symptoms felt, past activities and examination of your vagina. He/she may also request blood tests to assess estrogen and progesterone levels. Cotton swabs are also used to perform such examination. 

Since there is no found root cause of vulvodynia, there is also no present cure for it. However, self-treatment as well as home remedies can relief pain. Over the counter pain relievers, vaginal creams, and other topical creams can be used to limit pain.

Where can you find more information?
Contact Faith Medical Group or drop by at our clinics!

For most of us, we often hear other women having breast cancer or having their mammography every now and then. But little do we realize the gravity of this disease and the high probability of getting one for ourselves. We may often hear someone dying from such cancer or surviving it, but do we realize the importance of breast check-up every now and then to avoid such dilemma in our lives that can ultimately change not only our selves but also affect the lives of the ones we love. In this article, we will be discussing first, the importance of having breast examinations, who should be having these, how to do it and what mammography is.

                The primary goal of any breast examination is to ensure that there are no abnormal findings in the patient’s breasts. According to Dehn and Asprey (2007), 60% of breast cancer victims survived with the help of breast examinations.  The American Cancer Society recommends women over 40 years of age to annually have their breast examinations since women at this age are prone to breast irregularities (abnormalities increases with age). Clinical Breast Examination otherwise CBE, aims to detect early symptoms of breast cancer to prevent progression. Since most breast cancers are detectable at the latter stages, CBE or mammography can ultimately heighten the chances of patient survival. Women under 40 should have regular CBE while women 40 and above should get mammography annually.

                A mammogram is an x-ray for the breast. This equipment is used to detect any tumors inside the breast. Women that are breastfeeding may still go through this, but it may not be accurate as breast tissues are still dense at this period. After such procedure (breasts are compressed), a result will come out that will be analyzed by the doctor. He/she will check if the results confirm abnormalities in the breast. Further tests such as biopsy will be done to ensure that the abnormality is indeed cancerous.

There are a lot of reasons for having breast cancer, it could be genetics, from drinking liquor, tobacco smoking, obesity, birth control pills, and the likes. Even if we have these systems to check tumors in the breast, it is still best to have a healthy lifestyle to avoid having one. Consult your doctor about breast examinations, better to be safe than sorry.

Where can you find more information?
Contact Faith Medical Group  at +65 6444 8019 or drop by at our clinics!

During pregnancy, women undergo a lot of tests to make sure that the baby is healthy and that everything is okay. Men and women both have to be patient in making sure that these tests are done so that both the baby and the mother is safe from any illness. Some of the tests given are:

• Blood tests - these tests are conducted to ensure that there is no infection and that there would be no complications during pregnancy or after giving birth.

• Blood pressure – higher blood pressure can be a sign of pregnancy-induced hypertension. It should also be noted that lower blood pressure is normal in the middle of pregnancy. 

• Urinalysis – to track protein in the body, when there is protein in the urine, an infection may be present and should immediately be treated. 
• Blood count – during labour, the mother can lose a lot of blood and might need blood transfer, this process will determine the blood type that can be transferred to the patient. Anemia can also be present during pregnancy due to iron deficiency. The body needs extra iron to produce blood supply to the baby. Lack of iron can and may jeopardize both the mother and the baby. 
  
• Pap smear – is also a test to detect any cancer that might develop in the future. Antenatal care requires screening for pap smear if they have not taken any cervical screening for the past 2 years. 
  
• Gestational diabetes – is normally caught by women in pregnancy stages. Insulin hormones control the sugar levels inn the body. However, during pregnancy, some women have higher levels of glucose or sugar in the body that the insulin hormone cannot regulate. A check up on this is necessary to keep the mother and baby healthy.

Keeping track of your changes and developments during and after pregnancy is vital for a healthier you and a healthy future for the baby. Taking any medications during pregnancy should always be consulted by your physician and monitored. Do not take matters to your own hands since you are dealing with two lives. Always remember that things are viewed upon differently during pregnancy stages.

Where can you find more information?
Contact Faith Medical Group  at +65 6444 8019 or drop by at our clinics!

Most people are always bothered with menstrual cramps or otherwise, scientifically called dysmenorrhea. Why most people? It’s because women experience the excruciating pain every menstrual cycle and men such as husbands, fathers, and boyfriends are affected by the change in the mood of their loved one. An estimated 30-50 percent of women experience menstrual cramps during their childbearing age (University Health Service, University of Rochester, n.d.). Menstrual cramps are discomfort/pain in the lower abdomen of women during their period. The number one cause of this pain is due to a chemical, prostaglandins, produced by our body that causes the uterus to contract and allow menstrual fluid/blood to pass through. This means that the higher the production of prostaglandins, the more painful it is.

How are menstrual cramps diagnosed?
Most women take over-the-counter drugs like painkillers to suppress the pain. However, women should always consult their doctors to properly diagnose the pain. Physicians normally ask series of questions to properly assess the causes (external and internal) of the pain. They also will provide you with a physical and pelvic exam. Blood tests, ultrasounds are upon recommendations of your doctor.

How do we treat menstrual cramps?
Trust only your doctor when taking medicines. With proper medication and prescription of drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help alleviate the pain and inflammatory (McKesson Health Solutions LLC, 2003). Second thing can be putting warm compress on your lower abdomen (hydrotherapy) to relax the muscles and relieve pain. In some cases, birth control pills are prescribed to decrease the production of prostaglandin, which in turn decreases contraction and pain. Home remedies are also encouraged such as pelvic exercises (ask your doctor about it) and exercising regularly. In most cases, living and eating healthier can have positive effects on your general well-being.

Where can you find more information about menstrual cramps and the likes?
Contact Faith Medical Group  at +65 6444 8019 or drop by at our clinics!

Just when you think about being too young for cancers, think again. According to Singapore ICO Information Centre on HPV and Cancer (2015), women ages 15 years and older are already at risk of developing cervical cancer. Such cancer has been ranked as the top 6th diagnosed cancer in Singaporean women and 8th in mortality rate. Cervical cancer, like any other cancers is caused by cells that continue to grow and form abnormal cells instead of dying (American Cancer Society, 2015). It starts in the cell lining of the cervix (the womb) and begin in the transformation zone. Cervical cancer cells start with pre-cancerous changes but not all women develop cancer. Luckily, tests like Pap test and vaccinations can help prevent cervical cancer. So many among us ask the question, where do we get such cancer and how can we prevent them?

What causes cervical cancer?

 Although cancers are usually inherited damaged DNA, most often than not these damaged DNA are caused by our lifestyle. Cervical cancer is developed by a virus called Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). This virus can be spread from one person to another through direct skin contact, sexual intercourse, and the likes. HPV, when caused by a higher type of risk, can eventually become cancers. Most simple life actions can be a cause to cervical cancer as well. Here are as follow: 
1) Smoking – we all know that smoking is bad or our lungs. The chemical in it and the way we affect the people that surrounds us with second-hand smoking. These harmful chemicals are transferred to our lungs and carried through our bloodstream. These harmful chemicals damage the DNA of the cervix cells and will ultimately lead to cervical cancer. 
2) Sexual contact – Chlamydia infection is the most common sexually transmitted disease and has no apparent symptom (WebMD n.d.). It is only examined through a pelvic exam. Furthermore, this infection can affect primarily women but can be found in men as well. When women have multiple sex partners and do not practice safe sex, they usually are more prone to catching this infection. Better be safe than sorry.  
3) Drugs – Contraceptives/hormonal drugs can cause irregularities in the cells that may trigger abnormal growth and lead to cancer. An example is the Diethylstilbestrol (DES), which is usually given to women to prevent miscarriage. This drug increase the risk of developing pre-cancer cells linked to HPV. Long-term use of contraceptives/birth control pills may cause cervical cancer as well. Patients should always discuss the benefits of taking contraceptives as well as his/her disposition. 
4) Family History.

Is there anything we can do to prevent/cure cervical cancer?

Many thanks to global innovations and technology, this cancer can be prevented/cured. 
1) Pap Smear test – Visit your doctor to find pre-existing cancer cells before they can spread. This procedure is non-invasive and a test is used to collect cells from the cervix and examined under a microscope. Further, an HPV test can also be done at the same time. 
2) Cervical Cancer vaccinations – vaccines against HPV infections can be prevented 95% of the time. Like most vaccines, it works best if administered by a professional and prior to the exposure of HPV. Such vaccines require 3-doses injected over a period of 6 months. 
3) Healthier living.

Where can you find more information about cervical cancers and the likes?
Contact Faith Medical Group  at +65 6444 8019 or drop by at our clinics!