Second opinion for ongoing symptoms

DEAR DR. ROACH: Can a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis cause discomfort for weeks after the scan?

Also, can it be reread by another radiologist, and if so, what is the procedure? My scan was fine, but I am still having symptoms.

ANSWER: No, a CT scan does not cause symptoms. You certainly can get your scan reread (the usual procedure is to get a CD made by the centre where the CT scan was done, and have the disk resubmitted to another radiologist by your general doctor). It’s possible that something was missed on the scan, but my experience is that it is unlikely.

However, I would be concerned that your symptoms are of the kind that don’t show up on a CT scan.

A CT or MRI is an excellent test for anatomy, but problems related to function — the many conditions in the abdomen and pelvis that cause symptoms — won’t show up on a scan, no matter how skilled the radiologist is.

I would suggest that a second opinion by a doctor (a general doctor, gynecologist or gastroenterologist may be appropriate, depending on your symptoms) might be more likely to get you an answer than having your scan reread.

DEAR DR. ROACH: Can you please explain why every winter causes dry, chapped lips for many people? Every winter my lips turn painfully dry and chapped.

Lip balms and creams give short, temporary relief, but they need to be applied on a regular basis and certainly are not a cure.

Why is it that the lips are prone to being affected as they are, when no other body part seems to be affected in that same way?

ANSWER: Lips are unique in several ways. The thin layer of skin sits on intensely vascularized tissue underneath (that’s why they are red), and it doesn’t have oil glands protecting it from the drying effects of cold, dry air.

If your nose is congested, that worsens the situation because of mouth breathing, and once the lips start to get dry, we moisten them with saliva, which actually worsens moisture loss due to the chemical effects of saliva. You also need to be cautious with lip balms and creams. Many contain phenol, camphor or menthol, all of which can damage the ability of the lips to stay moist.

Email ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.