Health & Living

When it comes to heart problems, you probably think of arteries getting blocked, or the electrical rhythm being disrupted. But even the small structures between the heart’s chambers, called valves, can become faulty. Even though they’re small, they can cause major problems. Dato' Seri Dr Jeffrey Jeswant Dillon, Senior Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, from Institut Jantung Negara, gives us a 101...

On top of worrying about food shortages - especially chicken - there have been some recent concerns over a shortage of medicines as well. However, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has reassured that these shortages only apply to some over-the-counter medicines, and that government health facilities still have adequate supply. But is medicine security something that we need to strengthen as well?...

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 more chronic, and there’s no one to lend a listening ear. What is the impact of loneliness on our mental - and physical - health? And what do people need when they are feeling lonely? We find out from consultant psychiatrist Assoc Prof Dr Amer Siddiq bi...

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 connecting people, lifting our spirits, and can even be applied in medical care to help those who are struggling with illnesses. For the last two years, there has been no health problem more pressing than COVID-19, in terms of the infection, as well as th...

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 meet, but what more do we need to know about these complex structures? Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dr Rajesh Singh gives us a 101 on joints. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 beefing up measures to keep the virus contained. But is it a matter of time before we see a case here? What have we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic to prepare ourselves for the spread of known and unknown infectious diseases? Assoc Prof Dr Sasheela Pon...

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 itself to a handful of countries around the world that provide for menstrual leave. With Lembah Jaya MP Haniza Mohamed Talha urging Putrajaya to consider doing the same, we take a look how much period pain affects a women’s physical and mental health (and...

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 signs that our mental health is tipping over the edge? And should our only options be to live with it, quit the job, or worse, resort to drastic measures? We explore the realities of high-stress workplaces with clinical psychologist Evelyn Soong. Image...

The term ‘arthritis’ brings to mind painful joints - but there are many different types of arthritis. A condition called psoriatic arthritis can be as painful and debilitating as osteoarthritis, but with key differences - namely that psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune condition that also increases your risk of developing other health problems. How do patients manage this condition, especially du...

For Malaysians, accessing healthcare services in government hospitals or clinics costs very little, as much of the costs are heavily subsidised by the government. But with more people turning to private healthcare services and non-communicable diseases on the rise, can many of us still afford healthcare? In the fifth episode of our Mind the Health Gap mini-series looking at barriers to accessing h...

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 is the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s, and has debilitating effects on older individuals as well as their family members. We speak to consultant neurologist Dr Lim Thien Thien about getting the diagnosis right...

Following the pandemic, most children in Malaysia have had a major loss in education progress. The challenges are even more pronounced for children with special needs, including those with learning difficulties. What has been the impact of the last two years on these vulnerable children, and what should we prioritise to help them catch up in terms of learning, as well as social and emotional devel...

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 older, after all. Dr Chua Hwa Sen , consultant orthopaedic, joint and arthroplasty surgeon from Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City, joins us to discuss what to expect if you or a loved one need a hip replacement. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i...

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 is some confusion as to who should get them, whether they are safe, and what protection individuals would get. We check in with Prof James Koh, Infectious Disease Consultant and Professor of Medicine, International Medical University, to get clarity....

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 health issues. These stories aim to normalise conversations about mental health, and to show that it’s okay to struggle emotionally and psychologically, but more importantly, to reach out for help. In this episode, 12-year-old Helena shares about her st...

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’s an easy trail or perhaps even a more adventurous climb, what do we need to know about these activities, especially when it comes to avoiding and managing injuries? It’s especially worrying when we have read reports of people unexpectedly collapsing d...

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 body - but the effects are actually far more wide-ranging and severely damaging to the body, even affecting physical and mental development. In conjunction with International MPS Awareness Day on 15 May, we speak to Prof Dr Thong Meow Keong, Consultant Pa...

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, even among people who previously were not. But when experts point out that those who refuse vaccinations are often the “noisy few”, how do we cut through the noise, and make sure that the vaccines get into people’s arms, and ultimately save lives?...

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 unaware of the condition. And even for those who have been diagnosed, are they controlling their pressure well, especially years down the road? In conjunction with World Hypertension Day on 17 May, Assoc Prof Dr Nik Sherina Hanafi, President of the...

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 a sharp increase in a common childhood infection, hand, foot and mouth disease, with over 30,000 cases reported nationwide since the beginning of this year. While Minister of Health, Khairy Jamaluddin says this increase is to be expected, the Minist...

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. However, not everyone with a mental health issue may need, or be able, to see a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist in a healthcare facility. What is the role of community mental health care, and who should be trained to provide such care at the co...

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 lives. This proposed ban would also apply to the teenagers and children who turn 18 after next year, in a move dubbed as ‘Generational End Game’ by the Ministry of Health. Will banning smoking for an entire generation - and those to come after them - fi...

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-designed public spaces, which may include unsafe walkways, busy roads, and inaccessible buildings. Now, imagine being told that, instead of having these facilities improved to meet your needs, your wheelchair and other personal mobility aids used by PWDs w...

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 causes the disease. In the latest major international study, scientists have identified 75 genes associated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s - out of which 42 genes were previously not linked to the disease. Here to tell us more about this researc...

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 affects a person’s ability to communicate and to use language. This can be hard for people to imagine, especially when it’s such a vital part of our daily lives. So here to shed more light on what aphasia is in conjunction with Better Hearing and Spe...