THE DOC REPLIES
I experienced a pelvic fracture following a car accident two years ago and I still get pain in one side of my pelvis. I’m on painkillers but wondered if the pain would eventually clear up with rest.
A fractured pelvis is a very painful condition and can take some time to heal. Most adults would heal their bones well within six to eight weeks. One can get long-term pain for a variety of issues. Sometimes the position of healing can be a little irregular. Your walking style can change resulting in muscle pain. It is impossible to say what will happen with the pain in the future. It is worth a doctor looking at each of these issues and considering which kind of pain you are dealing with.
I had a sore throat and related swelling in the neck and face. The doctor told me it was pharyngitis and gave me antibiotics. I’m OK now but wondered exactly what pharyngitis is?
Pharyngitis is inflammation of the pharynx – the back of the throat at the back of the palate. It is often inflamed and sore with colds and other fluey viruses. It is especially sore when we swallow. Examination shows a red throat but nothing else untoward. Pharyngitis is usually a viral infection and does not get better with antibiotics. Antibiotics are used for some forms of tonsillitis which is slightly different. It is interesting that you mention the swelling in your neck. If you have swollen, inflamed tonsils especially if you have swollen glands and fever, it can indicate a bacterial infection for which antibiotics can help.
Is it possible my 18-year-old daughter has varicose veins? They certainly look like them but I thought she’s too young to get them.
Get somebody experienced in this area to look. Varicose veins are rare at this age but they can happen especially if there are varicose veins in the family. Varicose veins are just swelling in the veins immediately under the skin, especially in the legs.
What is claudication? I’ve recently had problems walking and have been told I might have this.
Claudication is often used for a symptom of what is medically known as peripheral vascular disease. There are many conditions that cause clogging up of the blood vessels. The effect is that the blood does not get through to the muscles. When the muscles are working harder – for instance, during exercise – then the result is pain due to insufficient oxygen. In the legs we call this claudication. Stopping smoking, keeping active, lowering cholesterol and managing diabetic control helps. Occasionally other procedures and surgery are undertaken in severe cases.
I’m a 48-year-old woman who goes to the gym every day. I’m a keen runner and weightlifter. My friends say going every day might be too much and I’ll suffer when I’m older. Is this true?
I think there are pros and cons to vigorous exercise. Like everything in life it is about getting the balance right. If you enjoy exercise then that is fine. If you are keeping fit then largely that is good for you. There are of course problems with the joints and tendons if one overdoes it and can sometimes make you more prone to one or two wear and tear problems as you
get older.
I received a tetanus injection last week and have developed a tender lump at the site of the jag. Is this normal?
This is absolutely normal. Immunisations and vaccinations actually contain a part of the actual infection itself. The body reacts to this and the reaction causes swelling, or a lump. If you have had the infection for which the vaccination is given, or if you have had a vaccination previously, your body will already have some antibodies to the component part. This means when you introduce the next vaccine the body reacts against it and the result is some swelling.