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Q&A

Answered by Dr. Y. Siva Roja

Please explain my AFP and serum tumor marker test results.

Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I have thoroughly reviewed your query. The laboratory investigation under discussion here is alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), which in your case might have been done to rule out a possible malignancy of liver (it is a common tumor marker used to screen hepatic or liver carcinoma). But at 1.9 ng/ml, your value was within normal limits.

June 2, 2026

I have high WBC count. Do I have to worry about it?

Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I have gone through your query. White blood cells are a type of blood cell that are mainly involved in fighting infection in the body and are usually increased in amounts when the body is fighting against an infection and occasionally in certain other conditions. Though 12,000 count is a definitely increased number, it need not be considered very high if there are no associated symptoms or any other medical history. But before that, we need to look into the differential count of white blood cells, which means the percentage of various kinds of white blood cells that are elevated in different kinds of infections and other values in your blood picture report.

May 7, 2026

Why does my daughter sneeze excessively after swimming?

Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I have gone through your daughter’s problem. Her complaints might be due to an allergic reaction to the chlorine in the swimming pools (particularly due to chloramines release) to which some people are more especially prone. This can also be due to the development of a chronic sinusitis. These are some things you must follow: Keep a track of any other foods or things she might be allergic.

April 27, 2026

Can mitral regurgitation cause symptoms like chest pain, cyanosis, fatigue, and dizziness?

Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. As mentioned that you used to be a candidate for rheumatic heart disease with trivial mitral regurgitation. Can I know when you had this? As the symptoms present can be due to the increased severity of mitral regurgitation. Rheumatic heart disease can be a process of ongoing destruction and damage to valves for a certain period until it reaches a plateau. 1.

November 17, 2025

Are unsafe self-managed abortions (SMAs) risky for health?

Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. There is no acceptable or approved method to have a natural abortion. If it happens on its own that would be a different issue, but you doing something on your own to have an abortion is not at all recommended. Please do not brush away my opinion as something you have already heard or just because you are in a desperate state with no option. Having an abortion on your own at home has hazardous complications including heavy bleeding, leftover fetus parts in the uterus, resultant infection, sepsis and sometimes even may result in death.

November 14, 2025

My TSH level is 5.440. Do I have thyroid problem?

Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I have reviewed your query. After reviewing your report (attachment removed to protect patient identity), if you do not have any symptoms of hypothyroidism like dry skin, hair loss, cold intolerance, weight gain, loss of appetite, or bradycardia, you can be diagnosed as having sub-clinical hypothyroidism for which your physician will find no need to start you on any treatment. Because subclinical hypothyroidism is usually started on treatment only in special patients like a pregnant woman, and not usually in a general population. If your physician has any further doubts after examining you, he may advise you to get anti-TPO (thyroperoxidase) antibodies test and thyroid scan to rule out any remote causes to be started for treatment.

June 4, 2025

My baby became floppy after treatment of jaundice. What is the reason?

Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I have thoroughly reviewed your query. Baby being floppy can be due to various causes ranging from cerebral palsy, muscle disorders, infections affecting the brain, brain damage due to low oxygen and even brain damage due to jaundice may also cause floppy baby. Brain damage due to jaundice may even cause the baby to have a decreased appetite. I advise you to immediately take your baby to a pediatrician or a pediatric neurologist and get him evaluated immediately.

April 24, 2025

Are tetanus and rabies vaccine sufficient for scratch by a stray dog?

Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. Scratches on any region of the body by a rabies animal or suspected rabies animal need to be treated with a five-dose schedule of Rabipur (inactivated rabies virus vaccine) on days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28. And if that scratch is on regions like head, neck, shoulder, arms, and hands, it must be treated with an additional human rabies immunoglobulin injection (within seven days of the first dose of vaccine) in addition to a five-dose schedule of Rabipur. You have not mentioned how long it has been since you have been bitten and taken the first dose. You should check with your local physician and discuss regarding further doses of vaccine.

April 24, 2025

How can I increase my height by three to four inches?

Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. I have reviewed your query. The growth of bones eventually stops, because of the closure of growth plates in long bones, which occurs in puberty that is around 16 years of age in girls and 14 to 19 years in boys. According to the majority of studies, the growth of height stops between 18 to 20 years. It is highly unlikely for a girl to have her height increased after 18 years (especially after 16 years for girls).

April 24, 2025

Can patients with chronic kidney disease avoid dialysis?

Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I have reviewed your query. There are specific indications for dialysis in patients with chronic kidney disease. They include low creatinine clearance, high potassium, patient becoming acidotic, symptoms of uremia (increased urea in the blood), loss of appetite, uremic heart problems and accumulation of fluid in body parts like feet causing edema and lungs causing shortness of breath. Even if your mother is not experiencing any of the above symptoms, depending on her history of chronic diabetes and levels of creatinine clearance, (I could not calculate exact creatinine clearance for your mother as you have not mentioned her weight, but taking an average female weight of 60 kilograms, your mother's creatinine clearance is very low), she might be considered for dialysis, which can be confirmed by a few other tests and examination done by your physician.

April 24, 2025

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