THE DOC REPLIES
I AM an active 78-year-old woman. I am, however, woken every night with pains in the knee area. I dread going to bed as I know it will be a broken sleep. When I take a pain relief tablet things improve. Is it safe to continue using them in the long-term and, if so, what do you recommend?
The first step would be to see your doctor to have your knee assessed if you haven’t already done so. The most likely diagnosis is osteoarthritis. This is a bit of wear which roughens the surface of the bone and causes pain and stiffness. Often, soreness occurs after the knee has been stationary for a while but a lot of people find that once they get moving it gets better. Taking a simple painkiller like paracetamol is completely safe as long as you stick within the recommended dosage. If this is insufficient then you should definitely discuss other options with your doctor.
WITH regard to another reader having difficulty swallowing pills – I thought everyone was aware that if you put the pill on your tongue and take a swallow of a fizzy drink you’ll not even know that you’ve taken it. Is this all right to do?
Unless the instructions supplied with the medication state otherwise, it is usually OK to swallow your tablets with a fizzy drink. There are some pills that are recommended not to be taken with milk. Always read the leaflet.
I have a hiatus hernia and for years have been taking Lansoprazole. I understood that this was intended to alleviate the symptoms but that nothing was available to cure it. Is this right?
A hiatus hernia occurs when the stomach slips slightly from its normal position under the diaphragm up into the chest cavity. As a result, food and acids are not securely held down and tend to regurgitate. The symptoms are heartburn and reflux. Lansoprazole is one of a group of pills called proton-pump inhibitors. They reduce acid production and are particularly useful for this condition. If this kind of pill proves insufficient, sometimes taking an antacid with an alginate in it is beneficial. It’s important not to over-eat or move too quickly after meals.
I HAVE suffered from a dull ache, spreading from my buttocks down the back of my leg to my knee, for the past eight weeks. It’s worse when sitting or lying in bed and can wake me up if I have been sleeping on my left side. It’s not tender or painful to touch.
It sounds like you have sciatica – limitation of the sciatic nerve in the back. You should see your GP. It does usually settle with time but it’s important to check there is no weakness from nerve damage.
I HAVE osteoarthritis in my feet and ankle. I had a reaction to cortisone injections and surgery is not an option. What over-the-counter medication can you recommend?
Osteoarthritis causes pain and stiffness. Antiinflammatory medicines can be used to manage the problem. They are, however, not recommended for long-term use by certain people, especially if you are over 65 or have associated circulatory issues such as heart disease, stroke or high blood pressure. If you have a clean bill of health, over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen can be useful. Paracetamol is still the safest option. Steroid injections can sometimes provide temporary relief but shouldn’t be used too often.
MY wife hurt her back last year. She takes painkillers, which helps her cope, but she is looking for a deep heat kind of cream. I should also point out that she is allergic to ibuprofen and lanolin.
There isn’t a huge amount of evidence that deep heat creams work. They aggravate the surface of the skin and tend to disguise the pain a little. Anti-inflammatory medicines, on the other hand, do offer temporary relief from arthritic or injury-type pains. You can buy these over the counter.
Unfortunately The Doc can’t directly reply to individual letters. When in doubt speak to your GP