Ask the doctor

Dear Doctor My child, 7, has issues sleeping at night – she says that her stomach hurts. What do I do?

Good day How long has this been happening? Is there abdominal swelling? Does it hurt when you touch or press the abdomen? Is the child nauseous or vomiting or diarrhoea? How is the appetite?

It will be definitely be helpful to take the child to the doctor to get a full history taken and examination done.

Dear Doctor I have a leg that is always swollen but doctors say this isn’t gout. I do tend to drink a lot. What could this be?

Good day Sometimes gout is not picked up from blood tests. That doesn’t mean it is not there. The swollen leg could be from inflammatory and degenerative joint diseases, to chronic illnesses like hypertension, diabetes, liver or kidney diseases.

Please ask your doctor to do a thorough check of everything and you look into your drinking.

Dear Doctor How do you manage weekly migraines without becoming dependent on painkillers?

Good day Adopting some healthy habits and taking care of yourself better can help you cope better with the migraines.

As soon as the pain strikes it will help to retreat if you were doing something strenuous. Relax in a dark, quiet room. Apply hot packs to your head and neck to relax the tense muscles.

A caffeinated hot beverage can help. Make sure you get adequate amounts of sleep 365 days in a year. Avoid taking foods that you know will trigger your attacks.