Unusual aches to serious symptoms, Dr Zoe Williams answers your health queries
AS a GP, one of the best parts of my job is reassuring patients and helping them on the path to better health.
I’ve been inundated with questions from readers asking about all sorts of aches, pains and concerns. I do my best to answer as many as possible here but it is important to seek medical help if you are worried.
If you notice any serious symptoms coming on quickly and you are unsure what to do, call 999 in an emergency or visit A&E. For less serious concerns, you can call NHS 111.
There is always your local pharmacist too. They can help with minor illnesses. And your GP surgery is on hand with doctors and practice nurses.
The first of this week’s queries is a good example of when you ought to seek help ASAP.
A) I HAVE had a stabbing pain for a week now. It starts at the base of my skull and radiates behind my left ear. It goes to the top of my head and my scalp is very sore, making brushing my hair painful.
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I have been taking paracetamol every four hours, which gives me some relief. But it’s not getting any better. I am in my seventies and the pain is making me lethargic. I also have a constant heartbeat in my head. Would it be worth trying a pain relief clinic?
Q) I never want to unnecessarily alarm people with my column but I must advise this person to seek immediate medical attention.
As doctors, we get concerned when people over 50 develop a new type of headache. That is because it could be a condition called temporal arteritis (also called giant cell arteritis).
This is when the arteries, particularly those at the side of the head (the temples), become inflamed. It is serious and needs urgent treatment because there is a risk of it causing blindness.
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Other than headaches, the main symptoms are tenderness of the temples or scalp, jaw pain when eating and talking, feeling generally unwell or flu-like and, sometimes, problems with vision.
This requires same-day medical attention. So it is best to attend A&;E, where you can be assessed and blood test results will be available the same day. Temporal arteritis requires immediate treatment with steroids.
A) I HAD a colonoscopy three months ago and it was fine. I am 72 and always constipated. I have to take stool softeners and I have noticed clear mucus right before having a bowel movement. I have no pain but I am worried, as I’ve never had this before.
Q) There are a number of things that can cause mucus to be coming from the anus in a person of your age. The common things would be diverticulitis, infection or the constipation itself, but also colorectal cancer.
While having had a normal colonoscopy three months ago is somewhat reassuring, if this mucus is a new symptom, it is important to see your GP, who can assess the need for further tests.
Q) I HAVE had pain under my left breast at my ribs for the past nine weeks. I can hardly move for the pain and my left arm feels tight. I also have pain in my back, shoulders and left breast.
A) Whenever we doctors hear about there being pain in the chest or torso area, we want to rule out any issue relating to the heart or lungs first of all.
One of the ways we do this is by asking the patient what types of things make the pain worse. If it is made worse by increased heart and lung effort, such as running for the bus or walking upstairs, this would concern us.
However, if the pain is made significantly worse by positional movements of the body, at rest, this tends to be a reassuring sign that the cause of the pain is more likely musculoskeletal. That means it is coming from the muscles and bones rather than the heart or lungs.
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Musculoskeletal pains might start in the ribs, as yours has, but spread to other parts of the body. That is because we tend to tense up and compensate which muscles we use when in pain. Anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen, alongside paracetamol, can alleviate the pain and allow muscles to relax.
You might need to take them regularly for a few days to get the full benefit. If this is not working, it is time to speak to the pharmacist or your GP.