The Doc Replies

Our expert answers your medical questions

My friend has severe stomach pain which gravitates to her right shoulder. Her GP thinks she may have acute cholecystitis and has arranged for her to go to hospital. What is it and is it serious?

Cholecystitis is inflammation of the gall bladder, usually due to gallstones. Gallstones are quite common and most often just sit in the gall bladder and don’t do any harm. But in cholecystitis a gallstone gets stuck in the tube draining the gall bladder, known as the cystic duct. As a result, bile builds up, causing inflammation and sometimes infection. Most people who have this will end up in hospital. They usually suffer upper abdominal pain – just under the ribs on the right side – nausea, and sometimes vomiting and a temperature. Cholecystitis will sometimes settle down when treated with drip and antibiotics. But in most cases it is recommended that the gall bladder is removed. This is usually done with keyhole surgery, but the procedure may be delayed to allow the inflammation to settle first. I have a circular, red rash on my arm. A friend said it looks like ringworm. What is it?

Ringworm is a fungal skin infection and nothing to do with worms. There are lots of fungi in the environment and you can pick it up from an infected person, animals or even soil. It looks like a ring that becomes gradually larger, and it is usually itchy and inflamed. It is treated with an anti-fungal cream. I have an unsightly wart on my thumb and would like to be rid of it. Do I need to go to hospital?

Do not go to hospital. Warts are very common and are due to the human papillomavirus and tend to last a long time. This is because your body takes a while to develop immunity. You do not have to treat it as it will disappear eventually. If you do want to treat it, use salicylic acid which comes in the form of lotions, paints and plasters which you can buy from the chemist.

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