THE DOC REPLIES

Is it possible to fix my trigger finger at home? I occasionally have to straighten out my finger with my other hand. I’ve not spoken to a doctor about it yet.

A trigger finger is a term often used for a tightening of the tendon of the finger which results in the finger being pulled up towards the palm of the hand. In the early stages, the finger can be replaced manually but as it becomes a more permanent fixture then the only option for correction is surgical.

What’s more important to losing weight – cutting out fat or sugar? The advice seems so contradictory.

There is a huge industry involved in the world of dieting, but common sense should prevail. In order to lose weight you need to reduce your energy intake and increase your expenditure. This will vary from person to person but you should have a diet that contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals, and has a variety of different forms of calories. A little of what you fancy is OK! Generally speaking, we should have plenty of fruit, vegetables and fibre and not overdo certain things such as fat and red meat. Within these parameters one should eat what one likes.

My shingles has flared up. I can deal with the physical pain but I just feel run down. What’s the best way to treat this?

Shingles is caused by the chickenpox virus flaring up inside a nerve root. At the time of the illness one often gets pain, a nasty rash and exhaustion. Usually the exhaustion improves after a few weeks or, at most, months. In some people, especially those over 50, persistent pain is an issue. There are a variety of drugs that can be used to manage this. If you are still feeling unwell you should see your doctor to see if anything can be done.

My wife spends upwards of 50 hours a week of leisure time on her laptop. It’s constant from morning until late at night. Is this bad for her health?

This is a difficult one to answer. It doesn’t sound the ideal way to lead one’s life as it is repetitive, socially isolating and suggests perhaps an addiction. It is possible that your wife isn’t getting a lot out of it herself but finds it difficult to stop. As in everything in life it should be balanced. We should spend time with people as we are social animals, we should spend time active for our physical health and outside for our physical and mental health.

I managed to tear off the end of my thumbnail. Half of it is gone. Will it grow back?

The nails grow from the bottom to the top. The nail will regrow unless there is very severe damage to the nail bed. It can take about six months for a fingernail to fully grow back.

What is the best way to reduce anxiety? I feel very anxious around 8pm every evening which gets worse until I go to bed. It’s making it difficult to sleep.

I think you should go to your GP and have a chat about this. Anxiety can be a feature of outside stress or it can be associated with depression. Sometimes it happens on its own. Anxiety like this can influence one’s life greatly and restrict activity. A doctor can perhaps tease out any reasons for your anxiety and the symptoms that you actually have. Then you can take it forward together and decide on a management plan. I would encourage you to deal with it sooner rather than later. Management of anxiety can involve longterm strategies and the more entrenched the anxiety is at presentation the harder it is to manage.

My son finds it difficult to keep his legs still, they’re constantly shaking. He’s otherwise fine – but are the leg movements normal?

I suspect that this is entirely normal. Many people seem perpetually on-the-go and as long as he is otherwise healthy I don’t think it is a medical problem.