Skin Disease: Sebaceous Cyst

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Looks ugly but Sebaceous Cyst swells like this

Ever heard of this? Maybe if brothers and sisters are doctors or medical staffs. I had experienced this disease since three or maybe four years ago. I thought that it is a kind of cell mutation under the skin at my left earlobe after it bleed so badly when I poked it with needle and scratched it for few times.

My mother felt scared when she saw the pillow that I used to sleep was stained with my blood so she keep reminding me to see doctor. I went for the public health center at Precinct 9 at 14:00 but we received the call that uncle Harun (Aron) was visiting us with his daughter, cousin sister Sophinee. So, I have to go home for a while just to respect guests. She'll return home with her family in the UK this Friday. Perhaps we would not have the chance to say goodbye. She came to Malaysia for her son's circumcision ceremony. I can't remember her son's name anyway cause I am not so close with cousins or relatives except with few late elders who were old imams or religious teachers as I always talk in few posts in the past. Didn't feel like going to the health center again after that.

Went for Checking

This Maghrib time, we went to Mediviron clinic at the side of Alamanda. The doctor said that the disease under the earlobe skin is known as Sebaceous Cyst. I was like... what... what?? Can you please repeat that? I can't get the sound. He just wrote down on a piece of paper for me to read then. I see... Sebaceous Cyst it is. It sounds nice that maybe some people would consider it as their child's name but it is a kind of disease eh, hehehe. He said that I should never touch the skin with the disease but leaving it to cure itself. I did not know that. Perhaps I didn't realize that I scratched the area with nails. He said usually illegal motor racers or mat rempit have the disease because the usage of dirty helmet. He just gave me some painkillers and antibiotic for RM30 (USD9.90) which also covers the consultation payment. When I returned home I just feel curious so I checked it in the net. I'm going to keep it a record here as I can't find any synonymous reference in Ayurveda complimentary medical studies or refer it to Chinese Traditional Medicine Practitioners. 

Definition

Sebaceous Cyst is a closed sac under the skin filled with a cheese like or oily liquids. It could also be referred as carbuncle, cyst or furuncle.        

Causes

It most often arise from swollen hair follicles. Skin trauma may also induce a cyst to form. A sac of cells is created into which a protein known as keratin is secreted. Usually could be found on neck, trunk and face. In my case, it is at the earlobes. They usually slow-growing, painless, freely movable lumps beneath skin. Occasionally, a cyst will become inflamed and tender.  

Symptoms

Main symptom is usually a small, non-painful lump. The doctor said to me that I should never try to touch it to avoid infection. If the lump becomes infected or inflamed, other symptoms may include skin redness, tender or sore skin and warm skin in the affected area. It is bleeding at my earlobe. Grayish-white, cheesy, foul smelling liquid may drain from the cyst.

Signs and Tests

Most cases, medical officers can diagnose this type of cyst by simply examining our skin. A biopsy may be needed to rule out other conditions.

Treatment

It is not dangerous. Usually can be ignored. Placing a warm moist cloth over the area may help it to drain and heal. If it is a small inflamed cyst, the doctor perhaps may inject it with a steroid medicine that reduces swelling. If it is swollen, tender or becomes large, the doctor may drain it or perform surgery to remove it. For prognosis or expectations, large or painful cysts may interfere with day-to-day life. It may come again after the surgery.

Close

It is important to see our doctor if we encounter this skin disease or notice any new growths on our body. Although this disease is not dangerous but the doctor should at least examine us for signs of skin cancer.  Last few days I also suffered some oral ulcer due to stress and constipation problem cause I had some "ill-prepared" food at restaurants and running for the dateline. Be careful with foods in restaurant too brothers and sisters. My visits in medical centers and hospitals had made me quite cautious with health conditions around. I think everyone should keep blood pressure machine at home just in case because we live in modern stressful world. I love to keep data about diseases and home treatment methods or herbs.   

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!    

Useful Ways of Leading a Happy Life: Chapter 2

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

 Diary

Chapter two of this book deals with how to ward off anxieties and worries. I am experiencing all of these. I am sure dearly brothers and sisters are also experiencing this because we are all not perfect. Only Allah is Perfect. I had woke up late for night services for Him. I feel very sad, disappointed with myself, disgusted to look at my own face in the mirror and tortured because I had forgotten my position as His lowly slave. 

It happens because I lost the grip over my time since I am in an empty space and I am only depending on Allah without any brother (teacher) to guide me. After all, I also heard that my dad is driving to the north while he is not well because he feels bored and dull at home. Who says if we are married and having family we could be peaceful? I had seen many sorrows, physically and mentally tortured since I am a young child. I am sure others also experienced this but they don't share their stories widely to people because their situation might varies. Anything that other people do or experience does not apply to all people. Human also need friends and dad have lost all of his friends. When he was young, he used to mingle with his friends chatting and doing activities together. We can't easily develop friendship and friendship could easily end. 

Ya Allah... Your angels and other faithful brothers in my room are also witnessing me. I renew my declaration that You are the only True Friend of mine... You had befriend our patriarch Abraham a.s while he was alone and You also accompanied our beloved prophet Muhammad s.a.w while he was alone. I love You Lord, please forgive me I wake up late please don't leave alone, amin! 

I don't want to experience what my dad experienced. I feel so sad for him especially I can't accompany him to help guide him to see You in Your houses. Last few semesters I faced with few sorrows in the same time too which also includes my dad was affected by strokes until he's half paralyzed during Ramadan. I was so worried that I can't eat anything or drink anything. I threw out everything once I put something in my mouth. That's why I can't have my meals in front of brothers in my hostel. I don't want people to be affected and burdened because an unworthy creature like me :'( 

Chapter Two

It says among the means to wipe off anxieties due to nervousness and the preoccupation of the heart on sorrowful things is to keep ourselves busy with one activity that we like or another one is to seek knowledge. Why we keep ourselves busy? Because we want to distract our heart away from dwelling in anxieties. Activities like seeking the knowledge and knowing Allah will make us forget our grief and worry. As the result we will experience happiness and become cheerful again. This is actually something that we share with people of other faiths.

What makes us different from people of other faiths. A faithful Muslim will make intention to seek knowledge solely because to get Allah's pleasure. Whatever he does such as worldly acts which have good intention because of seeking the strength to worship Allah are due to his faith and sincerity only for Allah. This actually has an additional effect which wards off grief, worries, and anxieties through the Divine intervention. 

So many people today afflicted with permanent anxieties and sorrows. It comes the extent which makes him feeling very ill. The only cure is to forget the cause of sorrows and miseries. A person must make himself busy with normal activities. The activities which keep him busy should be something pleasing to himself. This will bring the person into his desired goal and all of knowledge only with Allah.

Among things to ward off worry and anxiety

1. Concentrate one's attention and concern only with present affairs.

2. Stop being anxious about future or grieving over the past.

3. Praying to Allah to protect one self from anxiety and grief (Bukhari n Muslim).

4. Anxiety and grief usually is a fear and concern over what will happen in the future. 

 A person should be the son of the moment.

5. Concentrate his energy and attention only for the betterment of the existing events and present moments.

6. Concentrate only the affairs of the moment is a necessary cause which leads to its accomplishment. 

Hope, Dependence to Allah and Working Hard

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w when he asks something from Allah, or when he guides the community at that time to ask specific things from Allah, he is advising them that prayers and supplication to Allah must be followed with hope in His favor. The same time, work hard and earnestly to achieve accomplishment of what had been asked or the removal of what had been asked to be removed from them.

The du'a to Allah should go side by side with action. A slave strives for what will benefit him in his Path and his worldly life. He asks his Lord to make him accomplish his need, and he seeks His help and intervention in that. 

Noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w said: "Strive for what will benefit you. Seek the help of Allah. Don't get incapacitated. If something afflicts you, don't say "if I had done such and such would have happened." But say: "This is the Decree of Allah. He does what He Wills". This is because "if" opens the act of the Devil". (Reported by Muslim) 

Our noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w advised us through this speech for us to join between two things:

I. Strive for useful things in all situations. 

Strive for the benefits of all situations. Seeking help of Allah and never surrender to incapacity as it is a harmful negligence.

II. Surrender to Allah the past events that have passed.

Witness in them the decree of Allah and His pre-destination.

Noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w has highlighted two categories of affairs: 

1. That a slave has ability to accomplish totally or partially, or those that can be completely avoided or at least lighten their burden. The slave should give his utmost effort and seek help of the Lord.

2. The affairs which the slave has no power over them. For this, the faithful slave must keep calm. Accept whatever come to him and surrender to Allah. This is a principle which complies with a definite mean to remove worry and grief beside achieving happiness.

Allah knows well... Finish this part and I had cried in front of the lappy until my chest get wet... Useless, hehehe.... :')

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!