THE DOC REPLIES

What is iron deficiency? My husband has it. He doesn’t eat red meat and I wondered if it would help.

Iron deficiency anaemia happens because of either a poor intake of iron or blood loss. Iron is found in meat, in particular red meat, and in green vegetables. A normal diet in this country would give all the iron necessary. Blood loss is usually obvious but occasionally it can go unnoticed. Iron deficiency anaemia can make the patient very tired and breathless and can aggravate other conditions. When we find iron deficiency anaemia we usually check diet with the patient and look for possible blood loss. Supplements can be taken but it is important to find the cause. At night I’m often woken up by a nosebleed. What could the reason be?

Sometimes nose bleeds can be triggered by trauma such as sneezing, blowing or picking – yet sometimes they are spontaneous. They are more common in young people and often get better as we grow older. A nose bleed can be common in other conditions such as pregnancy or when taking anti-coagulant medicine. It is important to sit upright when you have a nose bleed, with a cold compress over the bridge of the nose and the nose pinched for 10 minutes. This should stop the bleeding. If the bleeding is very heavy or doesn’t stop then you need WHEN IN DOUBT CONTACT YOUR OWN GP to seek medical attention. Mainly it’s just a case of managing until it settles down. Can I have a troublesome keloid scar removed via the NHS?