The Citizen (KZN)

Ask the doctor

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Dear Doctor What are amino acids and what do they do ?

Amino acids are building blocks of proteins. They play an important function in nutrition, mostly used in nutritiona­l supplement­s as you would usually see used by people who gym and lift weights. In industries, they can be used to make plastics and some drugs.

Dear Doctor My arthritis seems to get worse in the cold months. How do I treat this ?

Athritis normally does flare up in the winter months in many people. The way to manage that would be to make sure you keep warm. Exercise to encourage joint movement as well. Taking medication will also help. Please visit your doctor to get the right medication to manage flare-ups

Dear Doctor I seem to have a blood clo ing issue. If I have a cut it takes at least 40min to clot before it stops bleeding. How can I fix this ?

You need to visit your doctor urgently. Your doctor will conduct tests to find out what the problem is and put you on the appropriat­e medication.

Dear Doctor Does drinking asprin work for people with heart conditions? What does it do?

It depends what the cause or the heart condition is. If a person has a blood clot causing the condition, then aspirin usually helps by thinning the blood and ensuring flow. If incorrectl­y used, aspirin can be very dangerous as it can lead to bleeding disorders. Please do not self-prescribe. See a doctor first.

SMS ‘HEALTH’ to 32212 with your question (cost is R1 per SMS) or e-mail questions to health@citizen.co.za

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