NOVEMBER is men’s mental health awareness month.
It’s when many grow a moustache to raise money for annual charity Movember, which promotes male health issues.
NHS GP Dr Zoe Williams answers health questions sent in by readers
While the conversation around mental health is improving, some still find it difficult to have open conversations.
It is so important we teach our children to talk about how they feel. If you have noticed a change in your friend, dad or brother, bring it up as a way of asking how they are feeling. Listen and remind them you are always there, offering advice if they need it. If they’ve been down for more than two weeks, tell them to consider seeing a GP.
Here’s a selection of what readers asked me this week . . .
Q) IS there any chance of getting rid of acid reflux in the stomach all together, or at least reducing it?
A) Recurring acid reflux can be tricky. Some food and drink can trigger or worsen acid reflux. Common culprits include spicy food, citrus fruits, tomatoes, chocolate, caffeine and fizzy drinks.
You can also try eating smaller, more frequent meals, and avoid eating within a few hours of bedtime.
Certain medications including aspirin, and anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen, steroids and some anti-depressants, can exacerbate reflux symptoms.
Position in bed matters, too. Try using an extra pillow or two to help prop your head up about six to eight inches while you sleep.
Chewing sugar-free gum after meals can sometimes help.
Did you know that stress can make acid-reflux symptoms worse?
Ultimately, you may need to see a doctor, especially if the acid reflux won’t budge, even after trying over-the-counter medicines for a couple of weeks and making lifestyle changes.
Your doctor will be able to better assess your acid reflux, prescribe medications, consider whether investigations are required and make specific recommendations tailored to you.
Red flags alongside reflux include unexplained weight loss, difficulty swallowing, persistent vomiting or vomiting blood, and persistent symptoms which start in someone over the age of 55.
If any of these are present, you should speak to your GP as soon as possible.
I WORRY ABOUT WIFE’S TINNITUS
MY wife, who is 73 years old, has had a problem with hearing music for several years.
When she had new hearing aids, she asked about this and was told she had musical tinnitus.
But for a few years, she has noticed a sweet smell where she usually sits in our front room. Could this be to do with her musical tinnitus?
I recommend that your wife see a GP. She may need to have some tests to investigate this a bit further.
The most common cause of musical tinnitus is hearing loss.
When a person is experiencing significant hearing loss, the brain can respond to this by creating its own sounds.
But there are some other potential causes.
Very rarely, these may involve issues originating in the brain – such as problems with blood vessels there, or tumours.
The sweet scent could be a so-called phantom odour which is not necessarily linked to her musical tinnitus.
Phantom smells – that nobody else can pick up – are uncommon but could be due to various factors including neurological conditions, sinus issues or even certain medications.
The fact that this has been going on for years is somewhat reassuring.
But I do think that, taken in combination with the tinnitus, this is definitely worth a more in-depth assessment to rule out anything serious.
Q) I FIND myself needing the loo as often as every half hour, or even more.
I followed advice to cut down on caffeine but it hasn’t made any difference. The only way it eases off is if I drink barely any fluids, but that leads to dehydration. I’ve given urine samples to check for UTIs, as I’ve been prone to these for years, but they’ve returned negative.
I’ve previously been tested for diabetes, as I admit I am constantly thirsty, but that came back OK.
Before I’ve finished a drink, whether it’s water, juice, a fizzy drink or coffee, I already need the loo. It’s a constantly uncomfortable feeling and makes me quite drained, as I find I’m spending more time in the loo than I am elsewhere. For reference, I am only 25 years old.
A) There are lots of reasons people might need to go to the toilet all the time and you’ve covered the ones most GPs would want to rule out straight away with UTIs and both types 1 and 2 diabetes. It is deemed normal to be going to the toilet around six to eight times a day so it would be worth tracking for a few days to see just how far outside the normal range you are when drinking roughly two litres a day.
There are lots of other potential medical causes behind constant need to pee, though, and an overactive bladder is one.
You don’t mention whether you have to get up in the night to urinate. But nocturia — which is having to go to the toilet multiple times through the night — could point to some conditions being more or less likely. Of the drinks that you mention, fizzy drinks and coffee can both be bladder irritants, so maybe try switching to water and herbal teas for a while and see if the issue is still the same.
People who have an overactive bladder usually complain of an uncontrollable and sudden urge to urinate and they can’t hold it or put it off.
They also experience needing the loo frequently and sometimes have leakage if they can’t get there quickly enough.
It affects around 12 per cent of the population and anxiety can make it worse. So if it’s something you’re troubled by — and the fact you’ve written in suggests it is – you should definitely go back to your GP and have a further conversation about this.
You may be referred for further tests and your GP might ask you to keep a bladder diary to record times and volumes, so you could get a headstart by doing this now.
Pelvic-floor exercises can often help, so this is something else that you can get started with straight away.
There are lots of treatments for an overactive bladder. But as I mentioned before, there are other potential causes of your symptoms too, so going back to the GP for further assessment is necessary.
I worry about wife’s tinnitus
MY wife, who is 73 years old, has had a problem with hearing music for several years. When she had new hearing aids, she asked about this and was told she had musical tinnitus.
But for a few years, she has noticed a sweet smell where she usually sits in our front room. Could this be to do with her musical tinnitus?
I recommend that your wife see a GP. She may need to have some tests to investigate this a bit further.
The most common cause of musical tinnitus is hearing loss.
When a person is experiencing significant hearing loss, the brain can respond to this by creating its own sounds.
But there are some other potential causes.
Very rarely, these may involve issues originating in the brain – such as problems with blood vessels there, or tumours.
The sweet scent could be a so-called phantom odour which is not necessarily linked to her musical tinnitus.
Phantom smells – that nobody else can pick up – are uncommon but could be due to various factors including neurological conditions, sinus issues or even certain medications.
The fact that this has been going on for years is somewhat reassuring.
But I do think that, taken in combination with the tinnitus, this is definitely worth a more in-depth assessment to rule out anything serious.