THE DOC REPLIES

I HAVE shingles. Is it infectious?

Shingles is a condition which is caused by the chickenpox virus. This virus, after a bout of chickenpox, lies dormant within the system and, at any time in the future, can be reactivated. This results in a rash along a particular nerve root, commonly around the chest and trunk on one side only. It is not possible to catch shingles from somebody with the condition or from someone with chickenpox. However, when the illness is in the blister phase, the virus is live within the blisters so technically, if a person who has never had chickenpox makes direct contact with an open blister, it would be possible for them to contract the virus and develop chickenpox. But this would be unusual.

I’M a heavy smoker and drinker and have recently been diagnosed with cancer. Is it worth signing up for organ donation, or will my bits not be much use?

I am sorry to hear of your diagnosis. You don’t mention what type of cancer this is. Many types of cancer would exclude you from becoming an organ donor and each case would be considered individually. Speak to your doctor.

I’M an avid egg eater but have been warned it’ll be bad for my cholesterol. I thought science had debunked that. Is it true?

In the past it was thought that people should limit the number of eggs they ate because of their cholesterol content. However, more recent research suggests that cholesterol in food has a much smaller effect on blood levels of cholesterol than previously thought. Saturated fatty acids are more harmful. These are found in butter and fatty meat, so now there is no recommended limited on how many eggs people should eat. However, if you do have raised cholesterol due to genetic make-up then it would probably be sensible to limit egg consumption to three or four a week.

I HAD a problem with a lump in my mouth. My GP told me to sook on a bit of lemon – which helped. What was happening?

It sounds as though the lump in your mouth may have been due to a blocked salivary duct. When your doctor told you to suck on the lemon, it stimulated the salivary gland to produce saliva, which often helps unblock the duct.

MY neck has been giving me trouble since I was in a car accident. It wasn’t sore at first but then I developed some pain.

It is not uncommon to suffer from whiplash injuries causing neck pain after car accidents. With all of these types of injuries there tends not to be major discomfort immediately but for the pain to develop in subsequent days. This usually will settle over time but can take a few weeks for the pain to resolve completely. If you are having any worrying symptoms, such as tingling or shooting pains down the arms, then it probably would be worth getting checked out. In most cases the pain is self-limiting and taking some simple analgesia such as Ibuprofen may help to improve symptoms.

I’VE developed some pink, dry spots on my arm. They’re not that itchy. Could it be psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a skin condition which appears via thickened red plaques, commonly over knees and elbows. However, they can occur anywhere over the trunk. Plaques can be large in size, or they can be found in small patches. Often there is a family history of the problem. If the spots are fairly flat and pink with just a bit of dryness then this is possibly eczema or dermatitis. Both conditions are treated with regular moisturisers to the skin to help prevent the dryness. With eczema, if it is more severe, then sometimes steroid creams can help and there are other medications that can be used for psoriasis. If they are troublesome, or getting worse, then your GP can help.