At Home with Dr Christian Jessen - 109

| MEDICAL S.O.S|
reliance on them. They're also
known to cause a rebound headache.
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT: If
you're using painkillers more than
two days a week for three months or
more, visit your GP, as you're at risk
of developing painkiller headaches.
He may prescribe triptamine-based
medication to reduce swelling and
restrict blood vessels or anti-emetics,
to prevent nausea. If necessary, she
may also refer you to a headache clinic.

SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL HELP:

Around 5% of headaches are
serious and need urgent attention.
There are several symptoms to
watch out for. If a headache is
accompanied by a rash, stiff neck,
confusion and fever; weakness or
paralysis in one or both arms;
slurred or garbled speech; or sudden
agonising pain call 999 immediately.

2

Diarrhoea

Although unpleasant, an
upset stomach will often
pass of its own accord, but for the
elderly, and those with a compromised
immune system, the symptoms may
be more severe. There are many
reasons why you might have diarrhoea,
including infection (in which case
you may also have a fever and
stomach cramps), foreign travel,
side effects from prescription
medicines, food allergies, anxiety
or an underlying condition such as
ulcerative colitis, Irritable bowel
syndrome (IBS), coeliac disease
and pancreatic or bowel cancer.
MANAGE AT HOME: You don't
usually need to take antidiarrhoeal
medicine, but it's important to
ensure you don't become dehydrated.
Take small sips of water, and start
eating solid food as soon as you feel
ready. Be aware that any medication
you are on, including the Pill, may
not have been absorbed properly.
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT: If
your symptoms continue for more
than a week, your stools contain pus
or blood, or you have recently been

in hospital or taken antibiotics, book
an appointment with your doctor.
He is likely to arrange for blood
tests to identify the cause of your
diarrhoea, and he may ask you to
provide stool cultures (three, taken
over three consecutive days) to test
for bacteria and viral infections.
Other foecal tests will determine
if there is inﬂammation in your
digestive tract. Depending on the
results, you may be referred to
a specialist for further diagnostic
investigations and treatment.

SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL HELP:

If you develop symptoms of extreme
dehydration - scant or dark urine,
excessive thirst and feeling dizzy
on standing - experience severe
abdominal pain, persistent vomiting
or an inability to retain ﬂuids, you
should seek medical attention
straightaway. If it's out of hours, you
can seek help from your local A&E
department or call 111 (a nonemergency freephone helpline).

3

Unexplained
weight loss

Losing weight is a common
and usually temporary reaction to
stresses such as divorce, bereavement
or redundancy. However, unintentional
weight loss can also be an indication
of an underlying condition such
as an overactive thyroid, diabetes,
depression, an eating disorder or
cancer, although this is unlikely
unless you also have other symptoms.
Less commonly, unexpected
weight loss can be caused by certain
medications, lupus, diabetes, liver or
kidney disease or coeliac disease.
Opinions vary as to when to be
concerned about weight loss, from
losing 5% of your total body weight
in six-to-12 months, to dropping 5kg
over a couple of months.
You know your body best, so if
your weight regularly ﬂuctuates,
maybe leave it a while to see if
it settles. On the other hand, if the
scales are normally pretty stable and
they suddenly start to fall, it might
be time to take action.
Always be watchful of an elderly
or frail adult who should see a
doctor before this stage. They may
not talk about their weight loss, but
if you notice a change in appetite or
their clothes become increasingly
loose, book them in to see their GP.
MANAGE AT HOME: The best way
to gain weight will depend on the
reason you lost it in the ﬁrst place.
Essentially, you need to eat more

REDUCE STROKE RISKS:
While your likelihood of having
a stroke is linked to your age and
genetics, there are several things
you can do to lower your chance
of having a stroke:

Limit your salt intake to 6g a day
If you haven't already, stop smoking
Stick to the healthy guidelines for
consuming alcohol (Men: 3-4 units a
day; women: 2-3 units)
If you have diabetes, high
cholesterol or high blood pressure,
ensure your condition is well managed
Follow a healthy diet and take
regular exercise, to maintain a healthy
weight and reduce the risk of high
blood pressure or high cholesterol

calories than you burn, so it's likely
you need to eat more, and more
healthily, to gain maximum nutrition
from your food. It might be helpful
to keep a food diary and note your
weight, so you can monitor your
results. Visit www.nhs.uk/livewell/
healthy-eating for ideas on how to
plan and eat a healthy diet.
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT:

It's unlikely that you'll need an
emergency appointment, but see
your GP if you are concerned
that your weight is not coming back
on. Other reasons for seeing your
doctor include passing more urine
than usual (you may have Type 2
diabetes), rapid weight loss, breathing
problems, bone pain, fever and night
sweats. Your GP may need to give
you an overall health assessment and
arrange any necessary tests, such as
a full blood count to check your
haemoglobin levels, which could
indicate malabsorption or kidney
disease, or a fasting blood glucose
test, to rule out diabetes.
He will also check for signs of
infections such as tuberculosis (TB),
and for cancer. If your weight loss is
the result of a nutritional deﬁciency,
you may need to see a dietician and
follow a specially devised diet plan.

4

Pins and needles

Known as paraesthesia,
pins and needles are
common, usually temporary and
often no cause for concern. They
may be caused by mechanical >

www.athomemagazine.co.uk MARCH 2015 | 109
http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/ http://www.athomemagazine.co.uk
At Home with Dr Christian Jessen

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