DR JEFF FOSTER is The Sun on Sunday’s resident doctor and is here to help YOU.
Dr Jeff, 43, splits his time between working as a GP in Leamington Spa, Warks, and running his clinic, H3 Health, which is the first of its kind in the UK to look at hormonal issues for both men and women.
Dr Jeff Foster is The Sun on Sunday’s resident doctor and is here to help you
See h3health.co.uk and email at [email protected].
Q: I HAVE a skin-coloured lump on my nose.
I’m a 28-year-old man and it’s been there for about 15 years.
I tried a home wart removal kit but it did nothing.
Can I have it removed on the NHS?
Jeremy Larch, Windsor
A: Over the last few years we have seen measures introduced in the NHS to reduce the ability of doctors to routinely prescribe or treat certain conditions such as verrucas, and the discouraging of GPs to issue over-the-counter medicines such as paracetamol and antihistamines.
Many NHS trusts have what is deemed a “low priority list” which comprises of various medical problems that should not routinely be referred for on the NHS – cosmetic procedures are usually included in this.
It used to be that if a cosmetic issue was causing significant psychological distress we could refer a patient for surgical correction, but this has been made much harder to do, and in the majority of cases the only option is to go private.
In your case, it is important to see your GP to obtain a firm diagnosis of what the warty lump is and whether your local “low priority list” will make it hard for your GP to refer you on the NHS.
Q: I AM a 40-year-old woman and I’ve been having light-headed spells for a month.
Every time I get up or if I tilt my head to the left it happens and I have to sit down again. I’m healthy and my blood pressure is fine.
Juliette May, Dartford
A: Light headedness and dizziness is a common presenting symptom in many people and is often medically described as vertigo but vertigo is only a symptom and not a diagnosis.
Dizziness can be caused by a range of problems including heart-based, hormonal, nutritional, neurological, and middle ear.
Getting a doctor to examine you is important, but the key to getting a proper diagnosis is really down to the history.
For example, if when you get up quickly the symptoms come on, this can be related to a drop in blood pressure or heart issue.
If you also suffer with hot flushes, or changes in your periods, the cause might be hormonal, and if you find that the symptoms only come on by turning your head in a particular direction, this may indicate a middle ear condition such as labyrinthitis.
All of these underlying causes are diagnosed and treated differently, so if you have symptoms for more than a few days, or you are feeling particularly unwell from your dizziness, it is important to speak to your doctor, as they are all treatable.