Garden City Clinic

06/11/2025

GCC Port Harcourt.

05/11/2025

The silent killer

02/11/2025

Breast Pain During Breastfeeding

Severe breast pain during breastfeeding can be distressing and may result from several causes. Here’s a simple but comprehensive overview for understanding and managing it:

Possible Causes

1. Engorgement:
- Breasts become overly full, swollen, firm, and painful.

- Common in early days after delivery or if baby skips feeds.

2. Blocked Duct:
- A small, tender lump in the breast; pain increases before feeding and eases after.

- May be due to tight clothing or incomplete emptying of the breast.

3. Mastitis (Breast Infection):
- Sudden onset of pain, redness, warmth, and swelling in one area.

- Often with fever, body aches, and feeling unwell.

- Caused by bacteria entering through cracked ni***es.

4. Breast Abscess:
- A complication of mastitis — a localized collection of pus.

- Severe pain, fever, and fluctuant swelling.

5. Cracked or Sore Ni***es:
- Due to poor latching, causing sharp pain during feeding.

- May show bleeding or fissures.

6. Fungal Infection (Thrush):
- Burning, shooting pain during or after feeds.

- Ni***es may appear pink, shiny, or flaky; baby may have oral thrush (white patches in mouth).

What To Do
- Continue breastfeeding: Frequent emptying helps relieve engorgement and blocked ducts.

- Ensure proper latch: Baby’s mouth should cover most of the ar**la, not just the ni**le.

- Warm compress: Before feeding, apply warm cloths to improve milk flow.

- Cold compress: After feeding, to reduce pain and swelling.

- Massage: Gently massage the breast toward the ni**le while feeding or expressing.

- Good hygiene: Keep ni***es clean and dry; avoid harsh soaps.

- Pain relief: Paracetamol or ibuprofen (safe for breastfeeding) can help.

- Rest and hydration: Drink more water, its goog for healing and milk production.

See a doctor urgently if:

- You have fever >38°C, chills, or feel generally unwell.

- There’s a red, swollen, painful area that isn’t improving.

- Pain is severe or persistent despite correcting latch.

- You notice pus or abscess formation.

- You suspect thrush (burning pain + shiny ni***es).

01/11/2025

01/10/2025

🇳🇬 Medical Advice to Nigerians on Independence Day

As we celebrate our nation’s Independence Day, let us also remember that true freedom includes the ability to live in good health. A healthy citizenry is the foundation of a strong nation.

💡 Key Medical Advice for All Nigerians:*

1. Prioritize Regular Check-ups

- Early detection saves lives. Visit your doctor for periodic medical examinations such as blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and cancer screenings.

2. Eat Healthy, Live Healthy

- Choose more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and less processed foods. Reduce excess salt, sugar, and oil to prevent lifestyle diseases.

3. Stay Active

- Engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily—walking, jogging, cycling, or even dancing. Exercise strengthens the body and mind.

4. Protect Your Mental Health

- Stress, anxiety, and depression are real. Share your burdens, rest well, and seek professional help when needed.

5. Avoid Harmful Habits

- Say no to smoking, drug abuse, and excessive alcohol. These harm your body and shorten life expectancy.

6. Ensure Good Hygiene and Safety

- Wash hands regularly, drink clean water, and maintain good sanitation to prevent infectious diseases.

7. Immunization and Preventive Care

- Parents, complete your children’s immunization. Adults should also take vaccines (e.g., tetanus, hepatitis, COVID-19 boosters if due).

8. Emergency Preparedness

- Know the nearest hospital or emergency number. In accidents, chest pain, or sudden weakness, seek urgent medical help.

🩺 Final Word:
As we mark this day of freedom, let us embrace healthy living so we can contribute productively to building the Nigeria of our dreams. A healthy nation is a wealthy nation!

Happy Independence Day, Nigeria! 🇳🇬💚

17/09/2025

Childhood immunization

Childhood immunization refers to the systematic administration of vaccines to children to protect them against infectious diseases that cause significant morbidity and mortality.

🔹 Importance of Childhood Immunization

° Prevents life-threatening infectious diseases (measles, polio, diphtheria, etc.).

° Reduces childhood morbidity and mortality.

° Helps achieve herd immunity.

° Contributes to global eradication/elimination efforts (e.g., smallpox eradicated, polio nearly eradicated).

🔹 Principles

° Vaccines train the immune system to recognize and fight pathogens.

° Can be live-attenuated, inactivated, toxoid, subunit, or conjugate.

° Schedule is usually age-specific and country-specific, guided by WHO and national programs.

🔹 Examples of Vaccines in the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) (Nigeria context 🇳🇬)

1. At birth

° BCG (against tuberculosis)

° OPV-0 (oral polio vaccine, birth dose)

° Hepatitis B (birth dose)

2. 6 weeks

° OPV-1

° Pentavalent-1 (DPT + Hib + Hep B)

° PCV-1 (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine)

° Rota-1

3. 10 weeks

° OPV-2

° Pentavalent-2

° PCV-2

° Rota-2

4. 14 weeks

° OPV-3

° Pentavalent-3

° PCV-3

° IPV (inactivated polio vaccine)

5. 9 months

° Measles vaccine (MCV-1)

° Yellow fever vaccine

6. 15 months

° Measles (MCV-2, depending on national policy)

🔹 Contraindications
Your baby should not be vaccinated if there is:

° Severe allergic reaction to a previous dose.

° Immunosuppression (contraindicates live vaccines).

° Severe illness with high fever (temporary contraindication).

🔹 Adverse Effects (mostly mild & self-limiting)

° Pain, redness, or swelling at injection site.

° Mild fever.

° Rarely: severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).

🔹 Should a child not take vaccine because he had pain and or fever in the previous vaccination?

No ✅.
A child should not skip subsequent vaccinations just because they had pain after the previous one.

✅ Childhood immunization is one of the most cost-effective public health interventions.

07/09/2025

How to avoid being depressed after a stressful event

Stressful events can weigh heavily on the mind, and while it’s normal to feel down or shaken afterward, there are healthy ways to reduce the risk of slipping into depression. Here are some practical steps you can try:

1. Acknowledge and process the event
▪️Don’t suppress your feelings—allow yourself to grieve, vent, or reflect.

▪️Journaling or talking about it with a trusted person can help release emotional buildup.

2. Lean on social support
▪️Spend time with friends, family, or support groups.

▪️Sharing your experience and being listened to often prevents isolation, which fuels depression.

3. Take care of your body
▪️Prioritize sleep and rest, since stress often disrupts sleep.

▪️Eat balanced meals and stay hydrated.

▪️Exercise (even gentle walks) helps reduce stress hormones and boosts mood.

4. Practice stress-relief techniques
▪️Mindfulness, or meditation can calm your nervous system.

▪️Engage in hobbies or activities you enjoy to reintroduce pleasure and balance.

5. Create structure
▪️Keep a simple daily routine—waking, eating, working, resting—to prevent feeling lost or overwhelmed.

6. Limit unhealthy coping
▪️Try to avoid alcohol, drugs, or excessive screen time as “escapes”—they can worsen mood long-term.

7. Reframe your thoughts
▪️Instead of focusing only on what went wrong, try identifying what you learned, what you still control, and small positive steps forward.

8. Seek professional support early
▪️If you notice persistent sadness, loss of interest, hopelessness, or thoughts of self-harm lasting more than 2 weeks, it’s important to speak with a doctor, counselor, or mental health professional.

9. Involve God
▪️Pray, read the scriptures, praise and worship, surrender and trust, serve others.

💡 A simple prayer you might use:
“Lord, I give you my broken heart. Heal me, strengthen me, and help me trust Your plan. Fill me with peace, joy, and hope for the future. Amen.”

👉 Everyone responds differently to stress. Some people bounce back quickly, while others need time and extra support. The key is catching yourself early and building habits that protect your mental health.

Stay informed, stay safe

Dr Famba Famba
MD