DR JEFF FOSTER is The Sun on Sunday’s new 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 new resident doctor and is here to help you
See h3health.co.uk and email at [email protected].
Q) I’M a 45-year-old man with constant pain in my neck and shoulder which was diagnosed by a physio as a pinched nerve in my neck.
My GP prescribed amitriptyline for it years ago which helps to numb the pain but it frequently flares up. I don’t want to be on long-term medication that makes me drowsy.
Is there anything else I could have like a scan or injection? I see a physio and chiropractor, but I can’t afford to keep doing this.
James Longman, Hastings, Kent
A) A “pinched nerve” refers to something (usually a muscle) that is compressing a nerve at some point along its journey from the spine to the arms or legs.
It is usually short-lived, but if you have bad posture, a sedentary lifestyle and an exercise regime that doesn’t promote good back strength, then the problem won’t go away.
If you have taken on the advice of your physio and chiropractor and are still in pain, speak to your GP. The majority of people who suffer with back pain never require injections or surgery on their spine.
Q) I’M a 40-year-old woman and had a breast implant procedure in Turkey in 2018. Last year the skin on my breasts became itchy and a small red patch has come up on one of them. It’s hot to touch.
I’ve Googled these symptoms and they suggest lymphoma or breast implant illness.
Can I go to my GP about this?
Layla Harrington, Liverpool
A) Complications from cosmetic surgery undertaken abroad are an increasingly common issue. People should speak to their doctor for advice ahead of time.
It is important to be aware that if anyone undergoes a private cosmetic surgery abroad, post-operative complications will not be covered by the NHS, except in an emergency.
The NHS website does offer specific information. We advise you to be cautious of any procedures done abroad. In your case, it is unlikely that your GP will have any information about the surgery you had done, in particular the make of implant or the actual type of operation performed.
Therefore, while lymphoma is unlikely, your GP can help you determine if there are any non-breast implant issues that could be causing your symptoms and if this is normal.
You will then require a referral to a breast surgeon to work out more information about the procedure you had done and ascertain its safety.