ASK THE DOCTOR
Our medical consultant responds to a range of readers’ health concerns.
QI’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Is this a lifelong condition and can it be cured? Do diet and exercise help control it? I’m 40 years old. K.W.
Type 2 diabetes can be controlled with weight loss, exercise and diet. It’s not a cure but a remission that lasts as long as your improved lifestyle. Intermittent fasting may work under a dietician’s guidance. Medication may help manage blood sugar levels in the interim.
QSince being menopausal, I’m finding sex very painful. Is there any way to reduce this pain? J.D.
Dry, thin vulval and vaginal tissues can make intercourse painful after menopause. This is due to a lack of oestrogen in the tissues causing them to become fragile. It’s usually relieved by applying oestrogen cream or inserting a low-dose vaginal tablet, initially daily for two weeks then twice a week for maintenance.
QI’m currently on crutches suffering from an ankle sprain – which seems to happen every few years. Besides being careful, is there anything I can do to stop this happening? L.A.
I’d suggest a consultation with a specialist sports physiotherapist to assess your ankle strength. They may prescribe specific muscle strengthening exercises or recommend you see a surgeon for an MRI scan of the soft tissues of your ankle.
QI’m 76 and had a hip replacement a year ago. I did the physiotherapy, but I’ve struggled to walk since without a walker. The doctor tells me I had “Trendelenburg gait” from muscles being cut and not healing due to my age. I can’t understand why the operation wasn’t done from another point if they knew older people had problems with this. What can I do next? H.F.
There’s a move away from the lateral surgical approach to reduce this complication. You need to focus on a solution to your current situation, so persist with muscle strengthening and gait correction exercises with your physiotherapist. PRP injection may help the cut muscles to heal. This is usually done by a musculoskeletal medicine physician.