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Diverticula are small, bulging pouches that can form in the lining of your digestive system. They are found most often in the lower part of the large intestine (colon) when naturally weak places in your colon give way under pressure. Diverticula are common, especially after age 40, and seldom cause problems.

Most of the People with diverticulosis (the condition of having multiple diverticula) usually don’t have outward symptoms. However, these pouches can some time have complication such as:

1. Infection and inflammation (Diverticulitis). When this happen it can cause abdominal bloating, pain, and tenderness, typically in the left lower abdomen, plus diarrhea, chills, and a low-grade fever.
2. Bleeding -Diverticular bleeding is the most common cause of acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding. It is estimated that 80% of these cases are self-limiting and require no specific therapy besides monitoring.

Several factors may increase your risk of developing diverticula:

1. Aging.
2. Obesity.
3. Smoking.
4. Lack of exercise. .
5. Diet high in animal fat and low in fiber.

To help prevent diverticula:

1. Exercise regularly. Exercise promotes normal bowel function and reduces pressure inside your colon. Try to exercise at least 30 minutes on most days.
2. Eat more fiber. High-fiber foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, soften waste material and help it pass more quickly through your colon. This reduces pressure inside your digestive tract. However, it isn’t clear whether a high-fiber diet decreases the risk of diverticulitis. Eating seeds and nuts isn’t associated with developing diverticulitis.
3. Drink plenty of fluids. Fiber works by absorbing water and increasing the soft, bulky waste in your colon. But if you don’t drink enough liquid to replace what’s absorbed, fiber can be constipating.

Diverticula are small, bulging pouches that can form in the lining of your digestive system. They are found most often in the lower part of the large intestine (colon) when naturally weak places in your colon give way under pressure. Diverticula are common, especially after age 40, and seldom cause problems.

Most of the People with diverticulosis (the condition of having multiple diverticula) usually don’t have outward symptoms. However, these pouches can some time have complication such as:

1. Infection and inflammation (Diverticulitis). When this happen it can cause abdominal bloating, pain, and tenderness, typically in the left lower abdomen, plus diarrhea, chills, and a low-grade fever.
2. Bleeding -Diverticular bleeding is the most common cause of acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding. It is estimated that 80% of these cases are self-limiting and require no specific therapy besides monitoring.

Several factors may increase your risk of developing diverticula:

1. Aging.
2. Obesity.
3. Smoking.
4. Lack of exercise. .
5. Diet high in animal fat and low in fiber.

To help prevent diverticula:

1. Exercise regularly. Exercise promotes normal bowel function and reduces pressure inside your colon. Try to exercise at least 30 minutes on most days.
2. Eat more fiber. High-fiber foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, soften waste material and help it pass more quickly through your colon. This reduces pressure inside your digestive tract. However, it isn’t clear whether a high-fiber diet decreases the risk of diverticulitis. Eating seeds and nuts isn’t associated with developing diverticulitis.
3. Drink plenty of fluids. Fiber works by absorbing water and increasing the soft, bulky waste in your colon. But if you don’t drink enough liquid to replace what’s absorbed, fiber can be constipating.

More than 25% of all cancers diagnosed in women are breast cancers. Between 2010 and 2014, about 1,856 women were diagnosed to have breast cancer in Singapore each year.

The risk of breast cancer increases with age. Most women who are diagnosed to have breast cancer are older than 40 years old, but younger women may also be affected.

Risk factors

A breast cancer risk factor is anything that makes it more likely you’ll get breast cancer. But having one or even several breast cancer risk factors doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll develop breast cancer. Many women who develop breast cancer have no known risk factors other than simply being women.

Risk factors included

• Increasing age.
• A personal history of breast cancer.
• A family history of breast cancer.
• Inherited genes that increase cancer risk.
• Radiation exposure.
• Obesity.
• Beginning your period at a younger age.
• Beginning menopause at an older age.
• Having your first child at an older age.
• Having never been pregnant.
• Postmenopausal hormone therapy.
• Alcohol.

Sign and symptoms:

1. Breast lumps 
2. Bloody nipple discharge
3. Skin changes 
4. Persistent itchy rash of the nipple 
5. Breast pain 

Screening for breast cancer

1. All women age 40-49 to consider mammogram yearly after discussing with their doctor.
2. All women age 50 and above should go for mammogram every 2 years.
3. For some patient with high risk, screening may need to be consider earlier (before 40).

8 out of 10 breast lumps are benign or non-cancerous. There are different classifications of breast lumps that can occur, depending on a woman’s age. 

What causes car sickness in children and how can I prevent it?

Car sickness is a type of motion sickness. Motion sickness occurs when the brain receives conflicting information from the inner ears, eyes and nerves in the extremities.

Motion sickness might cause giddiness, upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, cold sweat, fatigue, and loss of appetite or vomiting. It’s not clear why car sickness affects some children more than others. Children ages 2 to 12 are particularly susceptible.

To prevent car sickness in children, you can:

• Reduce sensory input. Advise your child to look at things outside the car — rather than focusing on books, games or movies. Sleeping or laying down with eyes close during traveling also might help.
• Carefully plan pre-trip meals. Don’t give your child spicy or greasy foods or a large meal immediately before or during car travel. If your travel time will be short, skip food entirely. If the trip will be long or your child needs to eat, give him or her a small, bland snack.
• Good air ventilation. Adequate air ventilation might help prevent car sickness.
• Distractions. If your child is prone to car sickness, try distracting him or her during car trips by talking, listening to music or singing songs.
• Use medication. If your child is older than 2 and you’re planning a long car trip, ask your doctor about an over-the-counter medication to prevent car sickness. Usually drowsy antihistamines are more effective.

If your child developed car sickness, stop the car as soon as possible and let your child get out and walk around or lie on his or her back for a few minutes with closed eyes. Speak to your family doctor if these tips don’t seem to help the motion sickness.

Constipation is generally described as having fewer than three bowel movements a week.

Though occasional constipation is very common, you should see your doctor if you’re still having trouble after a few days, if you have chronic constipation, or if there’s blood in your stool, or you have serious stomach pain.

Symptoms

1. Signs and symptoms of constipation include:
2. Passing fewer than three stools a week
3. Having lumpy or hard stools
4. Straining to have bowel movements
5. Feeling as though there’s a blockage in your rectum that prevents bowel movements
6. Feeling as though you can’t completely empty the stool from your rectum
7. Needing help to empty your rectum, such as using your hands to press on your abdomen and using a finger to remove stool from your rectum

Constipation may be considered chronic if you’ve experienced two or more of these symptoms for the last three months.

Causes

Constipation most commonly occurs when waste or stool moves too slowly through the digestive tract or cannot be eliminated effectively from the rectum, which may cause the stool to become hard and dry. Chronic constipation has many possible causes.

Blockages in the colon or rectum

Blockages in the colon or rectum may slow or stop stool movement. Causes include:

1. Anal fissure
2. Bowel obstruction
3. Colon cancer
4. Narrowing of the colon (bowel stricture)

Problems with the nerves around the colon and rectum

Neurological problems can affect the nerves that cause muscles in the colon and rectum to contract and move stool through the intestines. Causes include:

1. Parkinson’s disease
2. Spinal cord injury
3. Stroke

Difficulty with the muscles involved in elimination

Problems with the pelvic muscles involved in having a bowel movement may cause chronic constipation. These problems may include:

1. Inability to relax the pelvic muscles to allow for a bowel movement (anismus)
2. Pelvic muscles don’t coordinate relaxation and contraction correctly (dyssynergia)
3. Weakened pelvic muscles

Conditions that affect hormones in the body

Hormones help balance fluids in your body. Diseases and conditions that upset the balance of hormones may lead to constipation, including:

1. Diabetes
2. Overactive parathyroid gland (hyperparathyroidism)
3. Pregnancy
4. Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)

Complications

Complications of chronic constipation include:

• Hemorrhoids/Piles which can cause pain and bleeding
• Anal fissure -Torn skin in your anus – which causes a lot of pain
• Fecal impaction
• Rectal prolapse – Intestine that protrudes from the anus due to straining

Investigation:

Your doctor would take a detail hisotry and perform a physical examination before deciding on the following tests and procedures to diagnose chronic constipation and try to find the cause:

• Blood tests for thyroid or calcium abnormality.
• Examination of the rectum and lower, or sigmoid, colon (sigmoidoscopy /colonoscopy).
• Evaluation of how well food moves through the colon (colonic transit study).
• An X-ray of the rectum during defecation (defecography).

Lifestyle and home remedies

• Increase your fiber intake. Slowly begin to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables each day. Choose whole-grain breads and cereals. A sudden increase in the amount of fiber you eat can cause bloating and gas, so start slowly and slowly increase over a few weeks.
• Exercise most days of the week.
• Don’t ignore the urge to have a bowel movement.

Prevention

• Include plenty of high-fiber foods in your diet, including beans, vegetables, fruits, whole grain cereals and bran.
• Eat less processed foods and meat products.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Stay active and get regular exercise.
• Try to manage stress.
• Don’t ignore the urge to pass stool.
• Try to create a regular schedule for bowel movements, especially after a meal.

Dr Lee Chong Han (Source – Mayo Clinic and WEBMD)

Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). For some people, hepatitis B infection becomes chronic. HBV infection is considered chronic when it persists longer than six months. Having chronic hepatitis B increases your risk of developing liver failure, liver cancer or cirrhosis (permanent scarring of the liver).

Common ways HBV is transmitted include:

• Sexual contact. You may become infected if you have unprotected sex with an infected partner whose blood, saliva, semen or vaginal secretions enter your body.
• Sharing of needles. HBV is easily transmitted through needles and syringes contaminated with infected blood.
• Accidental needle sticks. Hepatitis B is a concern for health care workers and anyone else who comes in contact with human blood.
• Mother to child. Pregnant women infected with HBV can pass the virus to their babies during childbirth. However, the newborn can be vaccinated immediately after labor to avoid getting infected in almost all cases.

Complications

• Scarring of the liver (cirrhosis). The inflammation associated with a hepatitis B infection can lead to extensive liver scarring (cirrhosis), which may impair the liver’s ability to function.
• Liver cancer. People with chronic hepatitis B infection have an increased risk of liver cancer.
• Liver failure. Acute liver failure is a condition in which the vital functions of the liver shut down. When that occurs, a liver transplant is necessary to sustain life.

Treatment for acute hepatitis B infection

If your doctor determines your hepatitis B infection is acute, you may not need treatment. Instead, your doctor might recommend rest and adequate nutrition and fluids while your body fights the infection. You need to recheck your blood regularly to monitor the progress of the infection. Adults tends to fight off the infection much better than children.

If the body is unable to fight off the infection within 6monhts, then you would be treated as a chronic hepatitis B infection.

Treatment for chronic hepatitis B infection

Treatment is usually not needed also as most cases of chronic hepatitis are inactive and does not cause complication but your doctor would need to monitor your liver function every 6-12 months as chronic hepatitis B can be reactivated and increases your risk of developing liver failure, liver cancer or cirrhosis.

If the chronic hepatitis is reactivated (evidence by persistent abnormally liver function test) your doctor may need to refer you to a liver specialist for treatment to suppress the activity of the Hepatitis B virus to reduce the risk of liver complication.  

Vaccination prevent hepatitis B infection

Theirs is no cure for hepatitis B, but vaccination can prevent hepatitis B.  

Therefore check with your family doctor about hepatitis B vaccination.

For those who has not been vaccinated before a three dose vaccination regime is recommended.  

For individuals previously vaccinated for hepatitis B but with antiHBs levels < 10 IU/L, to consider repeat booster of hepatitis B vaccination or give a second course of hepatitis B vaccination before rechecking the anti-HBs antibody titre.

Treatment to prevent hepatitis B infection after exposure

If you know you’ve been exposed to the hepatitis B virus, call your doctor immediately. If you haven’t been vaccinated or aren’t sure whether you’ve been vaccinated, receiving an injection of hepatitis B immune globulin within 12 hours of coming in contact with the virus may help protect you from developing hepatitis B. You should be vaccinated at the same time.

Dr Lee Chong Han (soruce: Mayo Clinic and American Family Physician)

Overweight and obesity are not just a cosmetic concern. It increases your risk of diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

The good news is that even modest weight loss can improve or prevent the health problems associated with overweight and obesity. Asian adult should try to keep their Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18.5 to 23 kg/m². You can calculate your BMI by dividing your body weight (in Kilogram) by the square of your body height (in meter)

How to lose weight?

1. Follow the DASH diet
2. Follow the WHO Exercise Recommendation
3. Talk to your family doctor if you are suitable for weight loss medication and surgery

1. DASH diet: What to eat

DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is a healthy way of eating. It is proven not only to lower blood pressure but also help with weight loss, diabetes and high cholesterol thus helping in preventing heart disease and stroke.

DASH diet include lots of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products. It also includes some fish, poultry, and encourages a small amount of nuts and seeds a few times a week.

You can eat red meat, sweets and fats in small amounts. The DASH diet is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and total fat.

Average daily calorie requirements for women is about 2000 Kcal and men about 2400. The calorie needed depends on a person activity level as well. The more active you are the more calorie you may require.

Below are example of servings from each food group for the 2,000 to 2400 calorie-a-day diet.

Grains: 6 to 8 servings a day

Grains include bread, cereal, rice and pasta. Examples of one serving of grains include 1 slice whole-wheat bread, 1 ounce dry cereal, or 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice or pasta.

· Choose whole grains because they have more fiber and nutrients than refined grains. For example, use brown rice instead of white rice, whole-wheat pasta instead of regular pasta and whole-grain bread instead of white bread.

Vegetables: 4 to 5 servings a day

Chinese cabbage (bok choy), Chinese broccoli (kai-lan), tomatoes, carrots, greens and other vegetables are full of fiber, vitamins, and such minerals as potassium and magnesium. Examples of one serving include 1 cup raw leafy green vegetables or 1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables.

· Fresh and frozen vegetables are both good choices.

Fruits: 4 to 5 servings a day

Like vegetables, they’re packed with fiber, potassium and magnesium and are typically low in fat — coconuts are an exception. Examples of one serving include one medium fruit, 1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit, or 120mls of juice.

· Remember that citrus fruits and juices, such as grapefruit, can interact with certain medications, so check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if they’re OK for you.

· If you choose canned fruit or juice, make sure no sugar is added.

Dairy: 2 to 3 servings a day

Milk, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products are major sources of calcium, vitamin D and protein. But be sure to choose dairy products that are low fat or fat free. Examples of one serving include 1 cup skim or 1 percent milk or 1 cup low fat yogurt.

· If you have lactose intolerance , choose lactose-free products

· Cheeses are typically high in sodium, so take in moderation.

Lean meat, poultry and fish: 6 servings or fewer a day

Meat can be a rich source of protein, B vitamins, iron and zinc. Choose lean meat and aim for no more than 170mls a day.

· Eat heart-healthy fish, such as salmon, herring and tuna. These types of fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids.

· Cut away skin and fat from then try baking, grilling or roasting instead of frying in fat or oil.

Nuts and seeds: 4 to 5 servings a week

Almonds, sunflower seeds, kidney beans, peas and lentils are good sources of magnesium, potassium and protein. Serving sizes are small and are intended to be consumed only a few times a week because these foods are high in calories. Examples of one serving include 1/3 cup nuts, 2 tablespoons seeds, or 1/2 cup cooked beans or peas.

· Soybean-based products, such as tofu and tempeh, can be a good alternative to meat because they contain all of the amino acids your body needs to make a complete protein.

Fats and oils: 2 to 3 servings a day

Fat helps your body absorb essential vitamins and helps your body’s immune system. But too much fat increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. The DASH diet strives for a healthy balance by limiting total fat to less than 30 percent of daily calories from fat, with a focus on the healthier monounsaturated fats.

Examples of one serving include 1 teaspoon soft margarine, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise or 2 tablespoons salad dressing.

· Butter, meat, cheese, whole milk, cream and eggs along with foods made from lard, solid shortenings, and palm and coconut oils has saturated fat that increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. DASH helps keep your daily saturated fat to less than 6 percent of your total calories by limiting use of

· Avoid processed foods as crackers, baked goods and fried items which has high trans fat.

Sweets: 5 servings or fewer a week

You don’t have to totally stop sweets entirely, just go easy on them. Examples of one serving include 1 tablespoon sugar, jelly or jam, 1/2 cup sorbet, or 1 cup lemonade.

· When you eat sweets, choose those that are fat-free or low-fat, such as sorbets, fruit ices, jelly beans or low-fat cookies.

· It’s OK to swap a diet cola for a regular cola and artificial sweeteners for the normal sugar but we still must take them sensibly.

· Cut back on added sugar.

Salts: To limit to less than 2,300 mg a day

Too much salt cause water retention and contribute to high blood pressure. It is recommended to keep daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg a day. Some group of people might need even lower intake.

2. World Health Organization exercise guidelines

1. Adults should target to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity a week.
2. If the intensity of the aerobic exercise is vigorous, the duration can be halved (75 minutes).
3. Total exercise time can be split in 10-minute increments.
4. In addition to 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, muscle-strengthening exercises should also be performed at least twice a week.
5. These exercise guidelines are meant for health maintenance and general disease prevention. For optimal weight loss, you would need to go beyond the 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. When it comes to losing weight, experts recommend targeting 250 minutes of such moderate-intensity exercise.

Moderate aerobic exercise includes activities such as brisk walking, swimming and mowing the lawn.

Vigorous aerobic exercise includes activities such as running and aerobic dancing.

Strength training can include use of weight machines, your own body weight, resistance tubing, resistance paddles in the water, or activities such as rock climbing.

As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. But even brief bouts of activity offer benefits. For instance, if you can’t fit in one 30-minute walk, try three 10-minute walks instead.

3.Diet pills and surgery

Diet pills and surgery when combined with a healthy diet and physical activity can help with weight loss. But diet pills and surgery are not for everyone.

Talk with your doctor about whether diet pills or surgery could help you lose weight. Your doctor will also counsel you about the lifestyle changes you’ll need to make to be successful over the long term.

Although you can find diet pills and supplements at the pharmacy, supermarket and online, none has been proved effective. Infect some can dangerous. Talk with your doctor before taking any diet pills or supplements.

 

Dr Lee Chong Han

(Resources:Mayo Clinic and WHO)

When we take food rich in purines, a natural substance in certain food such as bacon, codfish and alcohol etc (see below), our body breaks it down and turns it into uric acid. Normally, uric acid passes through our kidneys and into our urine. But sometimes our body either produces too much uric acid or our kidneys excrete too little uric acid. When this happens, uric acid can build up, forming crystals in a joint which is what we call a gout attack. 

Sign and symptoms of a gout attack

Sudden, severe attacks of pain, redness and tenderness in one or more joints. It often involve the joint at the base of the big toe but can involve other joints such as the foot, ankles, knees, shoulders and fingers. 

Risk factors

• Diet. Eating a diet that’s high in purine which is converted into uric acid, thus causing gout.
• Obesity. Our body produces more uric acid and our kidneys have a more difficult time eliminating uric acid when we are overweight, which increases risk of gout.
• Medical conditions. Un-treated high blood pressure and chronic conditions such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and heart and kidney diseases increase gout risk.
• Certain medications such as thiazide diuretics, commonly used to treat hypertension increases risk of gout.
• Family history of gout.
• Gender. Gout is more often in men

Complication

If left untreated or frequent flare up, one may develop:

• Recurrent gout.
• Advanced gout. Untreated gout may cause deposits of urate crystals to form under the skin in nodules called tophi on the joints. It is usually not painful, but they can become swollen and tender during gout attacks.
• Kidney stones. Urate crystals may collect in the urinary tract causing kidney stones.

Treatment

During acute attack most patients would require strong pain killer. It is common to be needing a combination of few painkiller such as NSIADS (ibuprofen, naproxen), colchicine and prednisolone (steroid) during gout attack.

Prevention

Your doctor would usually ask you to:

• Limiting alcoholic beverages and drinks sweetened with fruit sugar (fructose). Instead, drink plenty of nonalcoholic beverages, especially water.
• Limit intake of foods high in purines, such as red meat, organ meats and seafood. (see slide below)
• Exercising regularly and losing weight. Keeping your body at a healthy weight reduces your risk of gout.

The Purine Content of Foods and Beverages

High (Best to Avoid)	Liver, kidney, anchovies, sardines, herring, mussels, bacon, codfish, scallops, trout, haddock, veal, venison, turkey, alcoholic beverages
Moderate (May eat occasionally)	Beef, bouillon, chicken, crab, duck, ham, lobster, oysters, pork, shrimp
Low (no limitation)	Fruits, breads, grains, macaroni, cheese, eggs, milk products, sugar, tomatoes and green vegetables.

If the above fail and gout attack is more than twice a year, one might need to consider a regular medication to lower the uric acid in our blood. This is to prevent complication. Medication include allopurinol, febuxostat, probenecid and colchicine (yes colchicine can be used as prevention as well as acute treatment). However, your doctor will discuss with you the pro and cons of taking such medication. Once started on these medications, you would be advised to continue for few months to few years before stopping.

Please see your GP or family doctors for more information on gout. 

(Dr Lee Chong Han)

 

Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea) are cramps or pains in the lower abdomen. Many women experience menstrual cramps just before and during their menstrual periods.

For some women, the discomfort is merely irritating but for others, menstrual cramps can be severe enough to interfere with everyday activities every month.

Most of the menstrual cramps have no underlying condition which tend to lessen with age and often improve once a woman has given birth. Severe or prolong menstrual cramps may be caused by underlying problems, such as endometriosis or uterine fibroids. Treating any underlying cause is key to reducing the pain. Talk to your doctor.

Ways to get rid of mild menstrual cramps:

1. Drink plenty of water.

Staying hydrated won’t treat your cramp directly, but it can help with bloating, which makes cramps feel worse.

2. Comfort Foods

Take low-fat, high-fiber diet: whole grains, lentils and beans, vegetables (especially leafy dark-green ones), fruits, and nuts. Nutrients such as vitamins E, B1, and B6, magnesium, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids cut back on the hormone-like substances responsible for those painful cramps or help relieve muscle tension and inflammation. Avoid fatty fried foods

3. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and smoking

4. Pain killer

In small amount and short duration they are usually safe

5. Use heat

Soaking in a hot bath or using a heating pad, hot water bottle or heat patch on your lower abdomen may ease menstrual cramps. Applying heat may be just as effective as over-the-counter pain medication for relieving menstrual cramps.

6. Stretching and exercise

7. Massage and acupressure may help. 

8. Herbal.

Herbal supplement such as evening primrose oil has also been found to help some women with cramps, but the scientific evidence isn’t strong. Check with your doctor before you take these

9. Get enough sleep and rest.

10.           Talk to your doctor

Especially if your menstrual cramps disrupt your life every month, if your symptoms progressively worsen, or if you start to have severe menstrual cramps only after the age of 30. We might need to check for other cause of stomach cramps.

 

(Dr Lee Chong Han)

(The article is provided only for medical  education purposes. It is by no mean to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. These are medical procedures performed by medical professional and should not be performed in a non-medical setting. Please contact your own physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition.)

Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea) are cramps or pains in the lower abdomen. Many women experience menstrual cramps just before and during their menstrual periods.

For some women, the discomfort is merely irritating but for others, menstrual cramps can be severe enough to interfere with everyday activities every month.

Most of the menstrual cramps have no underlying condition which tend to lessen with age and often improve once a woman has given birth. Severe or prolong menstrual cramps may be caused by underlying problems, such as endometriosis or uterine fibroids. Treating any underlying cause is key to reducing the pain. Talk to your doctor.

Ways to get rid of mild menstrual cramps:

1. Drink plenty of water.

Staying hydrated won’t treat your cramp directly, but it can help with bloating, which makes cramps feel worse.

2. Comfort Foods

Take low-fat, high-fiber diet: whole grains, lentils and beans, vegetables (especially leafy dark-green ones), fruits, and nuts. Nutrients such as vitamins E, B1, and B6, magnesium, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids cut back on the hormone-like substances responsible for those painful cramps or help relieve muscle tension and inflammation. Avoid fatty fried foods

3. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and smoking

4. Pain killer

In small amount and short duration they are usually safe

5. Use heat

Soaking in a hot bath or using a heating pad, hot water bottle or heat patch on your lower abdomen may ease menstrual cramps. Applying heat may be just as effective as over-the-counter pain medication for relieving menstrual cramps.

6. Stretching and exercise

7. Massage and acupressure may help. 

8. Herbal.

Herbal supplement such as evening primrose oil has also been found to help some women with cramps, but the scientific evidence isn’t strong. Check with your doctor before you take these

9. Get enough sleep and rest.

10.           Talk to your doctor

Especially if your menstrual cramps disrupt your life every month, if your symptoms progressively worsen, or if you start to have severe menstrual cramps only after the age of 30. We might need to check for other cause of stomach cramps.

 

(Dr Lee Chong Han)

(The article is provided only for medical  education purposes. It is by no mean to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. These are medical procedures performed by medical professional and should not be performed in a non-medical setting. Please contact your own physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition.)