Health & Living

Brain Waves: Personalised Medicine and Our Genes

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Personalised medicine tailored to the individual’s health needs is not exactly new, but it’s a field that’s rapidly growing and garnering much a...

Para Athletes: Victories and Injuries

07 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

At the recent Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, para-powerlifter Bonnie Bunyau Gustin broke the Games’ record three times and brought home the gold....

Healthcare Heroes #2: REACH Sarawak

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In conjunction with Merdeka and Malaysia Day 2022, Health & Living features healthcare heroes - individuals and organisations on a mission to make...

Time to Restart HPV Vaccinations for Girls in Schools

05 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

While we’ve done a lot to catch up with backlogged surgeries and disrupted medical procedures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, there is another area...

Doctor in the House: Child Marriage Is Also A Public Health Issue

02 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kedah is now the latest state after Selangor to have banned child marriage, after amending its state laws to raise the minimum age of marriage for gir...

Fighting HIV in Ukraine: “When Others Say No, Civil Society Says Yes”

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In war-torn eastern Ukraine, a non-governmental organisation called the Alliance for Public Health is working to ensure that the fight against HIV and...

Healthcare Heroes #1: ROSE Foundation Removes Obstacles to Cervical Cancer Screening

30 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In conjunction with Merdeka and Malaysia Day 2022, Health & Living features healthcare heroes - individuals and organisations on a mission to make...

NCD Chronicles #2: Asthma Knowledge is a Breath of Fresh Air for Most Patients

29 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Being diagnosed with asthma, but brushing off its significance, is a common narrative you hear among people with the condition. But with a prevalence ...

Doctor in the House: Bullying Does Not Belong In The Workplace

26 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Healthcare Work Culture Improvement Task Force released its report last week, which was aimed at reviewing the Ministry of Health’s work culture...

Infants Have Mental Health Needs Too

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

‘Eat, Sleep, Poop…Repeat.’ You’ve probably seen this on a baby’s onesie, and it seems to capture the entirety of an infant’s daily reality...

COVID-19 and The Heart

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve been hearing more about post-COVID problems, ranging from breathing issues to memory and focus problems. Perhaps a little less is known about ...

Mind Matters: Do We Care Enough About Refugees’ Mental Health?

23 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this month, there was the shocking incident of the murder-suicide involving a refugee man and his two children, which led to calls for better ...

What You Need To Know About Chest Pains

22 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We all know that chest pains are a possible sign of a heart attack. But what about those niggling pains or uncomfortable symptoms that come and go som...

Doctor in the House: Being A Surgeon in a Conflict Zone

19 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

More than seven years after the civil war began, Yemen is one of the largest humanitarian crises we’re seeing globally. With reports indicating that...

Barbers and Beauty Salons Could Be Cancer Awareness Centres

18 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Instead of getting health education information from a clinic, how about getting it from your regular barber shop? Or at your beauty salon during your...

Here’s What You Need To Know About Pituitary Tumours

17 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The pituitary gland is called the “master gland” because it controls several other hormone glands in your body. Because of that, a pituitary tumou...

Because Feelings Matter #12: Being Bullied Made Me Feel Excluded And Rejected

16 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Being bullied is a common experience for many children and adolescents, but with its serious impact on mental health, it should not be dismissed as ju...

Public Health: Unmet Need for Rehab in Public Healthcare

15 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve had a sports injury or some sort of joint pain, you’ve probably had to undergo physiotherapy. If you’re a stroke survivor, rehabilitat...

Doctor in the House: Why Is Malaysia Backsliding In HIV Progress?

12 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Many countries are breathing a sigh of relief for having come through an infectious disease pandemic. However, this is no time to pause - the world ha...

Flu, Coughs And Colds On The Rise?

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re a parent, you’re probably exhausted from dealing with yet another case of the sniffles or cough at home. Clinics have been swamped with ...

Healthy Ageing: Are Our Elderly on Too Many Medications?

10 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For many older adults, having pill organisers filled with a variety of medications and supplements would be a common sight. But while medicines are me...

How Dangerous Are Heatwaves and High Wet-Bulb Temperatures?

09 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Several countries have experienced record-breaking high temperatures this year: Delhi, India recorded a new high of more than 49°C in May; the UK wen...

Ask A Doctor: Health Checkups

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In our monthly open clinic segment, Assoc Prof Dr Nik Sherina Hanafi, Primary Care Physician, joins us to answer questions about going for health chec...

Doctor in the House: Should Health Professional Associations Engage in Politics?

05 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The recent debate surrounding the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill, or more specifically the aspects relating to the generational ban on smoking for t...

How To Support Someone With An Eating Disorder

04 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eating disorders should never be taken lightly, as it can have serious consequences on the individual’s physical and mental health. But in a world w...

Between The State & Adult Children - Who Cares for the Elderly?

03 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s no secret that Malaysia’s population is already an ageing one. For years, a Senior Citizens Bill to protect the rights and welfare of older a...

Ask A Psychologist #23: Parenting

02 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Consultant clinical psychologists Paul Jambunathan and Evelyn Soong join our monthly mental health clinic to address your concerns regarding mental, e...

How Rehabilitation Helps Long COVID Patients

01 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

By now, we’ve learned that having COVID-19 isn’t just about the toll it takes on your body when you first contract the virus, but the lingering sy...

Monkeypox Is A Global Emergency, But What About the Stigma?

29 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After weeks of deliberation since the end of June, the World Health Organisation declared that monkeypox is a public health emergency of international...

Not Eating, Not Sleeping - What’s Happening To My Child?

28 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you think your child is the only one who has become more fussy and problematic with eating, sleeping and daily routines, think again. More children...

Is Road Rage A Psychological Problem?

27 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Recently, videos of a woman losing her temper at another driver on the Tuas Second Link went viral on social media. The videos showed her pulling off ...

Because Feelings Matter #11: The Masks That We Wear

26 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Every mental health struggle has a story behind it. ‘Because Feelings Matter’ is a series that brings you the stories of people and their mental h...

NCD Chronicles #1: Why Are Caregivers Struggling With The Burden Alone?

25 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

NCD Chronicles is a series about people living with NCDs, going beyond the diagnosis to explore their personal experiences, their challenges, as well ...

Doctor in the House: A Conversation With The Surgeon Who Started University Hospital’s Neurosurgery Unit

22 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

More than 20 years ago, neurosurgeon Prof Dr Vickneswaran Mathaneswaran set up a one-person Neurosurgery Unit in University Malaya Medical Centre. Tod...

Will the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill Get Bipartisan Support?

21 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Minister of Health Khairy Jamaluddin has said that the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill will be tabled in the current Parliamentary session, which wil...

Brain Waves: This is Your Brain on Coffee

20 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you’re a casual coffee drinker or a connoisseur, many of us rely on coffee to kick start our day. But what explains the buzz that we get aft...

Health & Living Live 2022 Panel 3: Healthcare We Can Afford

19 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Health is wealth. But we also know that health is an investment - we need to ensure we have the resources to afford more healthcare services because w...

Mind Matters: The Pandemic Isn’t Over For Frontliners

18 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As we look towards COVID-19 becoming an endemic disease, many people are eagerly hoping to return to normalcy. But for frontline workers, the past two...

Keeping Up Childhood Vaccinations

15 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In November 2020, the Ministry of Health Malaysia introduced the 6-in-1 vaccine for infants under the National Immunisation Programme (NIP). This hexa...

When Hunger Makes You ‘Hangry’

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever recalled feeling irritable and grumpy after not having eaten for a while? Most of us are familiar with the term “hangry” and perhaps...

Will BA.4 and BA.5 Lead To Another COVID-19 Wave?

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

COVID-19 cases are creeping up again, amid warnings from the Ministry of Health about the BA.4 and 5 sub-variants that are becoming dominant in many o...

Public Health: Time Is Brain, But Are Our Stroke Services Up To Par?

13 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There is good news when it comes to stroke - deaths due to stroke have reduced over the years, due to the introduction of stroke units in hospitals, a...

Health & Living Live 2022 Panel 2: Are My Mental Health Problems Real?

12 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Stress. Anxiety. Burnout. Many of us have been experiencing these - or worse - throughout the pandemic. In fact, it’s been reported that the COVID-1...

Doctor in the House: Behind the Veneer of Cheap Dental Services

08 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Like any other medical procedures, getting dental treatments from an unlicensed or fake dental practitioner can pose a significant risk to your health...

Is Time Anxiety A Thing?

07 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Are you always anxious about being late? Or do you constantly feel that you’re wasting your time, when you should be doing something more productive...

Healthy Ageing: Retaining & Regaining Independence with Occupational Therapy

06 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As you age, your motor skills can slow down, making it difficult for you to complete simple daily tasks or participate in your favourite hobbies. This...

Health & Living Live 2022 Panel 1: Brain Fog and COVID Cough - Managing Long COVID

05 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The stories of the “long haulers” keep coming in - people who are living with long-term problems following their COVID-19 infection. The experts o...

Ask A Doctor: Your Eyes

04 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In our monthly open clinic segment, Dr Wilson Wong, Vitreoretinal Surgeon & Consultant Ophthalmologist, joins us to answer questions about the eye...

Doctor in the House: What Should Men’s Wellness Services Look Like?

01 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Minister of Women, Family & Community Development Rina Harun recently said that LPPKN will expand men's wellness services, if there is good respon...

Getting Health Screening Back On Track

30 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In July, the Ministry of Health plans to launch a national health screening initiative to detect non-communicable diseases, especially after the delay...

Mind the Health Gap #6: Knowing When, Where, and How To Seek Healthcare

29 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We don’t plan to fall ill, to need to go to a hospital, or to have to live with a chronic health condition. But if - or when - it happens, how many ...

Because Feelings Matter #10: An Entrepreneur’s Mental Health Journey

28 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

‘Because Feelings Matter’ is a series that brings you the stories of people and their mental health issues. In conjunction with Men's Mental Healt...

Gender and the Health Workforce

27 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Health workers are vital to the functioning of a healthcare system, and almost 70% of them are women. But as with any other workforce, female health w...

Doctor in the House: Can Empathy in Healthcare Be Taught?

24 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We often value the qualifications and experiences of a healthcare professional, but beyond that we also want a doctor, dentist, or any healthcare prof...

Do Video Games Rot Your Child’s Brain?

23 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Are video games bad for children’s development, intelligence and social skills? Unsurprisingly, this has been an ongoing debate for years. A recent ...

What If You Could Get Your Hearing Back?

22 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You could lose your hearing at any age - you may be born with a condition that causes hearing loss, or you may have an infection, injury or problem th...

Aortic Stenosis - When Blood Can’t Be Pumped Out Of Your Heart

20 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Symptoms like dizziness, chest pain, and shortness of breath could be very easily brushed off and ignored, especially among older people. But these co...

Doctor in the House: What You Should Know About Shingles

17 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you had chickenpox before, the varicella zoster virus that causes it remains inactive in your body, and could potentially reactivate again to cause...

Understanding PCOS and How It Affects Women’s Bodies

16 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common condition among women that remains underdiagnosed. Also commonly referred to as PCOS, it affects women’s hormo...

Healthy Ageing: Helping Older Adults Age In Place

15 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sending older family members to residential aged care facilities is still stigmatised  in today’s society, and may not always be the best solut...

Public Health: Preventing Unintended Pregnancies…Without The Moral Outrage

14 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’re shocked whenever we hear statistics of teenage pregnancies in Malaysia (estimated 18,000 every year), or when we read yet another report of a ...

Your Heart Valves Are More Important Than You Realise

13 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to heart problems, you probably think of arteries getting blocked, or the electrical rhythm being disrupted. But even the small structur...

Doctor in the House: What Happens When Medicines Are in Short Supply?

10 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On top of worrying about food shortages - especially chicken - there have been some recent concerns over a shortage of medicines as well. However, Hea...

Mind Matters: You’re Not Alone In Feeling Lonely

09 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

At some point or another in our lives, we’ve all felt lonely before. Maybe it was brief, and you learned how to cope with it. Maybe it’s something...

COVID and Music Therapy

08 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

At the beginning of the lockdown in 2020, people in Italy sang from their balconies and windows to boost each other’s morale. Music has a way of con...

Getting To Know Your Joints

07 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A lot of the musculoskeletal aches and pains that we experience are due to joint problems. As a starting point, joints are where two bones in our body...

Doctor in the House: Are We Prepared for a Monkeypox Outbreak?

03 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With reports of monkeypox spreading in countries where it is not usually found, experts and the public are both keeping an eye on its spread and beefi...

When Your Period Is A Pain For Productivity

02 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Spain’s recent proposed bill to grant women up to three days of menstrual leave a month has made headlines, as the European country looks to add its...

Is Stress An Occupational Hazard?

01 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We often hear about how a certain level of stress is to be expected at work. But how much stress becomes too much, and how do we recognise warning sig...

Psoriatic Arthritis in the COVID Era

31 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The term ‘arthritis’ brings to mind painful joints - but there are many different types of arthritis. A condition called psoriatic arthritis can b...

Mind the Health Gap #5: Can We Afford Healthcare?

30 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For Malaysians, accessing healthcare services in government hospitals or clinics costs very little, as much of the costs are heavily subsidised by the...

Doctor in the House: As Parkinson’s Disease Becomes More Common, How Will Patients Manage?

27 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’re living in an age where many more of us will live longer - and with that, comes a higher likelihood of ageing conditions. Parkinson’s disease...

Special Needs Education: How Do We Help Children Catch Up After The Pandemic?

26 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Following the pandemic, most children in Malaysia have had a major loss ineducation progress. The challenges are even more pronounced for children wit...

What To Expect From A Hip Replacement

25 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hip replacements tend to be something many of us think only much older people will need, or that we might never need it at all. But we’ll all get ol...

Is The 2nd COVID Booster Shot Really Necessary?

24 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Adults above 60 with co-morbidities are now being offered second COVID-19 booster shots. While these shots are available on a voluntary basis, there i...

Because Feelings Matter #9: "I Love People But I'm Terrified Of Them"

24 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Every mental health struggle has a story behind it. ‘Because Feelings Matter’ is a series that brings you the stories of people and their mental h...

Be Fit Malaysians: Take A Hike (But Do It Right)

23 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Being stuck at home for long periods during lockdowns led to many of us wanting to seek out green spaces and explore the great outdoors. Whether it’...

Doctor in the House: Can Patients With Mucopolysaccharidosis Get Treatment?

20 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when your body is lacking the enzymes needed to break down sugars? You might think it’s just a matter of extra carbohydrates in the bod...

Vaccines Save Lives, But Do We Take Them For Granted?

19 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Vaccines and its vital role in public health have long been controversial, and COVID-19 has only served to heighten fear and distrust towards vaccines...

What Kind Of Treatment Do I Need For Hypertension?

18 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you know your blood pressure level, or make an effort to check it regularly? One-third of Malaysians have high blood pressure, but half of them are...

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease: What’s Causing the Outbreak?

17 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions, most children are back in schools, preschools and day care centres or childcare centres. This has led to...

Mind Matters: Community Mental Health - Why Training Matters

17 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve been hearing about the widespread mental health crisis that has been exacerbated by the pandemic, whether among the young or old, rich or poor...

Doctor in the House: Banning Cigarettes For A New Generation of Adults

13 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Starting next year, an entire generation of young adults may not be allowed to buy or own cigarettes, e-cigarettes and vapes for the rest of their liv...

Public Health: Mobility Aids for PWDs - Do They Belong On The Roads?

12 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re a person with a disability, or a caregiver, you’re probably familiar with the trials of having to navigate a wheelchair around poorly-de...

Brain Waves: Discovering More Genes Linked To Alzheimer’s Disease

11 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been more than a 100 years since Alzheimer’s disease was first described in 1906, yet to this day, we still don’t know for certain what cau...

Aphasia: What Happens When You Lose Language

10 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It came as a shock to many when it was reported that legendary actor Bruce Willis was retiring, due to a condition known as aphasia, a disorder which ...

Mysterious Hepatitis Among Children

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

More than 200 cases of acute hepatitis have been reported in children worldwide, prompting health professionals and authorities to investigate this my...

Sequence of Food - Does It Matter?

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to diet and nutrition, we tend to think that it’s what we eat, and how much, that matters. While that is important, there’s also the...

Doctor in the House: Can Autistic People Find Employment?

29 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do the words ‘work’ and ‘autism’ go together? The rates of employment among autistic individuals seem to suggest otherwise. Despite the commun...

Your Child’s Developmental Milestones Have Been Updated

28 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As a parent, how do you know whether your child is walking, speaking or learning to make friends at the right age? Most of us would rely on something ...

Mind the (Health) Gap #4: Making Hospitals Disability-Friendly

27 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you have a physical disability or other mobility issues, it can be challenging to find your way around a hospital, or to even get there in the firs...

Because Feelings Matter #8: We’re Autistic, Accept Us For Who We Are

26 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Every mental health struggle has a story behind it. Autistic individuals have stories as well, that go beyond the label of their diagnosis. In conjunc...

The Knees 101

25 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We go about our daily routines, such as getting out of bed, waiting for public transportation, and cooking meals, without giving a second thought to t...

Doctor in the House: How Do Microplastics Affect The Human Body?

22 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In March, scientists in the Netherlands discovered the presence of microplastics in human blood for the first time, adding weight to the growing call ...

Ask A Doctor: How to Quit Smoking

21 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In our monthly open clinic segment, Professor Dr Mohamad Haniki Nik Mohamad, Chief Coordinator of Certified Smoking Cessation Service Provider, at Int...

When The Heart Fails

20 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our heart’s main function is to pump blood throughout our body, so what happens when the heart can’t pump blood as well as it should? Consultant c...

Mind Matters: Bipolar Disorder Is A Mental Health Condition, Not A Personality

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that is often misunderstood, with many thinking that it simply refers to extreme mood swings in the indi...

Doctor in the House: It’s All About Aesthetics

15 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Walk down any row of shop lots and you can probably quite easily find a beauty centre offering quick fixes to how you look. But just how many of these...

Healthy Ageing: Beating Influenza When You Have Diabetes

14 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With an ageing population and diabetes being a major health concern among adults, diabetic older adults are at high risk of experiencing severe flu, f...

Public Health: Should Confinement Services Be Regulated?

13 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In Malaysia, the confinement period is a sacred time for many mothers who have just given birth. Most, if not all, of the ethnic communities have thei...