Medical Hotline with Dr James Wright

Summer is here, and the sun, sand and surf each have their own hazards. Watch out! This month Dr Wright talks about skin care, cancer prevention, problems with your feet and problems with your hearing—oh, and sport!

Scratching where it itches
Skin irritation under the arms, between the toes and in the groin is a quite common complaint. Moist, warm, rubbing surfaces attract tinea germs, yeasts and monilia, all a cause of irritations. And the more one scratches, the worse it becomes. Bathing with a very weak (pink) Condy’s solution kills germs. It’s old fashioned, but practical and effective. Bug killers such as Kenacomb, Canesten and tolnaftate are also good. Or simply sprinkling affected areas with cornflour can bring relief!

breast checks
The occurrence of breast cancer in younger women is rare. However, if it occurs in a woman in her 20s or 30s, it will possibly be aggressive and fast-spreading. A regular manual check is advisable, but young women often experience benign lumps, often due to hormonal variations, which are mostly innocuous. Anything persisting, however, needs a prompt medical examination.

listen up!
Deafness in one ear means a prompt specialist’s investigation is essential. A serious cause is an acoustic neuroma—a growth on the hearing nerve. Untreated, it will cause a variety of adverse symptoms, and can even kill. Early surgery will cure the problem, although hearing loss may be permanent.
dizzy,

Miss Lizzie?
Some people have a disposition to dizziness but which worsens when in certain positions. Postural vertigo occurs when the head is in specific positions, such as looking upwards, but a full check of your head is essential in order to exclude any sinister, underlying problem. One such condition is the presence of small particles in the semicircular canals of the inner ear, which control balance. A simple method of displacement is to rotate one’s head through 270°, which carries the debris into the utricle (space). The symptoms vanish in 80 per cent of cases.

ear trouble
Glue ear is an infection in the middle ear that can cause temporary deafness. It begins with an infection of the throat, which then passes via the Eustachian tubes to the ear, which becomes clogged. Eventually the middle ear becomes infected, producing thick, gluggy fluid. Early attention is vital. It is usually treated using grommets—small tubes placed through the eardrum, allowing drainage. They usually drop out after about six weeks.

foot treatment
A lump on the joint where the big toe joins the foot can occur and is irritated by narrow footwear. It will enlarge, become more sore, gradually displacing the toes outward, producing an ugly deformity. There’s also a genetic component. A podiatrist will offer advice for temporary relief but surgery is the ultimate answer—the lump permanently removed. This allows the use of normal footwear minus discomfort.

a nose job
Tiny sores in the nostrils are common and annoying. But picking at them will often allow germs into the shafts of nasal hairs, leading to infection, and further pain and discomfort. A nasal irrigation is the best form of treatment. Use a weak, saltwater solution to eliminate gunk and cleanse the microscopic cilia, which keep your airways clean. Applying a nasal antibiotic is also often helpful. Tea-tree oil is also helpful (poisonous if taken internally) if you prefer herbal, and is a natural germ killer.

sportsman in trouble

Q: I play a lot of cricket, but now my bowling arm suffers intense pain. Is this sport over for me forever?

A: I’d say you have a tear in your rotor cuff, the strap-like tendons holding the shoulder together. Damage and intense pain usually occur with this condition. It’s best diagnosed using ultrasound, with a surgical repair the quickest and best form of treatment. Meantime, try using musculoskeletal physiotherapy, NSAIDs medication, paracetamol, hydrotherapy (hot and cold packs) or acupuncture.

Extract from Signs of the Times, April 2002.

Home - Archive - Topics - Podcast - Subscribe - Special Offers - About Signs - Contact Us - Links