Doc, I've got a question

A pain in your side could be caused by a large number of things. Without knowing the actual location of the pain or any background information, I cannot say with any confidence what is causing your pain. If you are concerned, you should make an appointment with your doctor. You may have done something simple, like straining a muscle. Think about your activities over the day or two prior to having the pain. If you did anything more strenuous than usual or outside your normal routine, a pulled muscle could be your culprit. Muscle strains will gradually get better with time and the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, is helpful for symptomatic relief. If you had a fall prior to the pain starting, a rib fracture is possible. If you have other symptoms besides pain, such as fever, chills, painful urination, or blood in your urine, you could have a kidney stone and/or a kidney infection. Many people with kidney stones are able to pass them on their own; however, if the stone is too big, other interventions are necessary. In the case of infection, antibiotics are needed. These are just a few of the many possible reasons you may be having a pain in your side. Again, the only way to know for sure the cause of the pain is to be evaluated by your physician.

Why do doctors perform circumcisions so soon after a boy is born? Is it better to do it right away or could you wait until the child can make a decision?

The decision for parents to circumcise their son can be based on several factors, including medical benefits, religious reasons and social reasons (father’s circumcision status, for example). Circumcision is an elective medical procedure and the potential benefits and disadvantages should be considered carefully by parents. From a medical standpoint, the benefits include lower rates of urinary tract infection (most benefit during infancy), penile cancer, penile inflammation, penile dermatoses (skin diseases), and sexually transmitted infections. Complications of circumcisions are rare (approximately 0.2 percent in the United States during and in the first month after procedure) but can happen. Complications include inadequate skin removal, bleeding, infection, penile injury, adhesions, and removal of excessive skin. Complications are more common in premature newborns, newborns with a congenital anomaly, and circumcisions performed after the newborn period. Additional benefits to doing circumcisions in a newborn include a shorter healing time, less post-procedure discomfort, and less cost. Electing to delay a circumcision until adulthood also delays protection from sexually transmitted infections. As an adult, circumcision involves a trip to the operating room and is done under general anesthesia, like any other surgery. For the newborn, a circumcision is done in a room adjoining the regular nursery and only a very small amount (1 milliliter) of local anesthesia is needed for pain control.

Are there risks to getting tattoos? What precautions should I take? Or questions I should ask?

The biggest risk of getting a tattoo is infection. This includes a local skin infection at the site of the tattoo as well as the transmission of systemic infections, such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV. Hepatitis B and C infection is more of a risk if that tattoo is done in an unregulated setting, i.e. a studio that reuses or does not adequately sterilize instruments. HIV infection is possible during tattooing, though there are no known cases of such transmission. To minimize these risks, use of sterile procedures is of utmost importance. Aseptic techniques include proper hand hygiene, using disposable gloves, using new needles for each tattoo, and using single-use disposable ink cups. These are all things you should ask the tattoo artist about. Some people also find it helpful to ask friends and relatives that have tattoos for recommendations for or against establishments or specific artists. It can also be helpful to go and observe a tattoo being done at several different studios before making your final decision.

Is it possible to be allergic to a Christmas tree? I have relatives coming for the holidays and one of them is allergic to everything. I just want to hedge my bets.

It is possible for a person to be allergic to pine trees? Generally speaking, symptoms of environmental allergies (grass, weed, tree pollens, etc.) are able to be improved with over-the-counter medications. However, depending on the severity of the allergy, the symptoms may not be eliminated and the day may not be very enjoyable for your relative. If you ask the relative, he or she will likely be able to tell you if a real Christmas tree will be a problem. But if you’re uncomfortable with asking them, an artificial tree is a safe bet (with the added bonus of no watering duties and no needles to clean up).