Here's what is causing your morning allergies

Dr Flo,
I always have a runny nose when I wake up in the morning. The runny nose is also easily triggered by things such as an air conditioner, taking cold water and cold weather. I have to take medication such as celestamine regularly to get some relief. Is there a permanent solution?
James

Dear James,
You most likely have allergic rhinitis. This means your body’s immune process reacts quite strongly to dust, strong smells, pollen or cold. These are called triggers and they cause your respiratory system to overreact, causing the runny nose. You may also be sneezing, have nasal blockage, throat irritation or cough.
Allergic rhinitis is usually in the genetic makeup of a person, which means it can be passed from parents to children, and cannot be cured. It is also associated with other allergy conditions like allergic skin rashes, allergic cough, recurrent itching of the eyes (allergic conjunctivitis) and asthma. A person may have one or a combination of conditions.
But the condition can be controlled by avoiding the triggers like cold, dust, strong smells, pollen and smoke. For some people, the symptoms disappear after they move to an area where there are no triggers. Anti-allergy medicine, like celestamine, help control the symptoms. It would be advisable for you to visit an ENT (ear, nose, throat) specialist for evaluation. They may prescribe medication you can take for a long time, for instance one or three months, to control the symptoms and reduce persistence.  A nasal spray may also be prescribed.

Dr Flo,
How can one stop premature ejaculation?
TA

Dear TA,
The normal male sexual response cycle involves desire, arousal, plateau, ejaculation, and resolution. The average time from beginning of intercourse to ejaculation is five minutes. If ejaculation happens sooner than you or your partner would like, it is called premature ejaculation. If it happens once in a while, then it is not a cause of concern. If it is frequent and is causing frustration, then it needs to be addressed.
It can occur due to psychological and physical factors. Psychological issues include traumatic early sexual experiences, worrying about sexual performance, anxiety, depression, guilt, poor self-image or relationship problems. Physical factors include abnormal levels of hormones or brain messengers (neurotransmitters), or inflammation of the urethra or the prostate.
To manage it, any psychological issues need to be addressed if necessary, by visiting a mental health professional. You also need to have a supportive partner. A specialist can prescribe medication and topical creams that have a numbing agent.
Other ways of managing it include:
Avoid sexual intercourse for some time and focus on other forms of touch to reduce the pressure to perform.
Strengthen the pelvic muscles using kegel’s exercises – tighten the muscles that you would use to stop urine flow. Contract these muscles 10 times and repeat at least three times a day.
Stop-start technique – during intercourse, when you feel the urge to ejaculate, stop all activity until the urge passes, then start again. By repeating as necessary and some practice, holding off ejaculation can become a habit.
Pause and squeeze technique – during intercourse, when you are about to ejaculate, have your partner squeeze the penis where the head joins the shaft for several seconds, until the urge passes, then continue..
Use a condom to reduce sensitivity.

Dr Flo,
For about three weeks now, I have been feeling some pain in my lower abdomen on the left side. It occurs occasionally whenever I make some movements.
Concerned gentleman

Dear Concerned gentleman,
Pain on the left side of the abdomen can be caused by any of the organs on that side of the body. This includes the digestive tract, the urinary tract, the reproductive tract and the muscles. Issues in the digestive tract include hyperacidity and gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, digestive problems, infections or inflammatory conditions. In the urinary tract, you may have infections, kidney stones, or inflammatory conditions anywhere along the tract from the kidney to the urethra. The internal reproductive organs may also have a problem. Other possible causes of left lower abdominal pain are musculo-skeletal pain or nerve pain.
 You should visit a doctor, and have a proper medical history and physical evaluation carried out. The tests that would be helpful include urine and stool tests, an abdomino-pelvic scan and others as necessary. Depending on the results from all the above, then appropriate treatment can be given. You can also get a referral to the proper specialist depending on the findings.

Dr Flo,
My armpits, stomach and the area around my private parts itch. This makes me scratch constantly, leaving me with wounds around those areas. What could be wrong?
Faith

Dear Faith,
Itching all over the body can be caused by many illnesses. These include allergies, inflammatory skin conditions, skin infections, helminth infection (worms), diabetes, thyroid disease, liver disease, kidney disease, nerve disease, iron deficiency anaemia, HIV infection and some types of cancer. It can also occur as a reaction to medication, dryness of the skin or even due to ageing.
Considering the areas where you experience the worst itch, it is likely due to sweating. It is also more likely to happen if you are overweight, if you wear tight or ill-fitting clothes, if you wear rough fabrics or after shaving or hair removal.
To treat the itching, the underlying cause has to be identified and treated.
Meanwhile, avoid scratching yourself as much as possible. You can place a cool cloth or ice over the area that is itching the most for a few minutes to relieve the itch. Use sunscreen when you are going out into the sun. Use mild soap and warm water to bathe, and not hot water. Use moisturising creams or lotion after taking a shower. Avoid clothes and beddings made from material that can trigger itching like wool and some synthetic fabrics. Instead, opt for cotton clothing and beddings, wear breathable fabric and loose underclothes and pants, keep yourself well hydrated, maintain a healthy weight, and consider applying anti-perspirant to your armpits. Some ointments can reduce the itching on the abdomen for example antihistamine or hydrocortisone ointments. If symptoms persist, please visit a dermatologist for review.

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