THE DOC REPLIES

I TORE my rotator cuff recently and have been told I need surgery. What will this entail?

The rotator cuff is a term used for the various soft tissue structures around the shoulder. Trauma can result in damage to the lining of the joint, the muscles and the tendons. Sometimes this will improve with physiotherapy, medication, strapping and time. In severe cases, surgery can improve function, or help with pain management. I would expect you to be in hospital for one or two days, and have significant pain for two or three weeks. The outcome will vary depending on your surgery, your commitment to rehabilitation and your lifestyle. Depending on your employment I would expect you to be off for at least a few weeks – longer if your work is physical. You’re likely to need physiotherapy to help you make as good a recovery as possible.

IS it normal to experience moles on the soles of your feet? Should I have them checked out?

We don’t have pigment or melanin on the palms of our hands and the soles of our feet so it would seem unlikely that you have moles. You should go and see someone medical and get them checked out.

WHAT’S the best way to treat a bee sting?

The old wives’ tale is to put bicarbonate on a bee sting. This is an alkaline and is supposed to reduce the symptoms slightly. I am personally not sure it is of any huge benefit. Make sure the sting has been removed from the skin. Reactions vary from one person to another. It will be sore immediately and the pain can last anything from a few minutes to an hour or so.

WHY are some people allergic to precious metals like jewellery? Does it run in the family?

Perhaps the question should be why are people allergic to anything? We expose ourselves to a lot of unusual things in terms of what we eat and substances our skin comes into contact with. We all have a different allergic tendency and this is just a reaction to coming into contact with something unusual. There are some people who have more of an allergic tendency than others and we call them atopic. They could suffer from asthma, eczema, or hay fever, for example. Some people are indeed allergic to metals, such as nickel. Atopy runs in families, although otherwise I am not sure that allergies to specific things are hereditary.

I’VE recently started going to the gym but sometimes get a rash when I sit on the machines.

I can’t be certain but I don’t think the rash is going to be related to contact with or any infection from equipment. It is more likely to be related to the material of your gym clothes rubbing against the skin, and a possible sensitivity. Another possibility is that your exertions could be causing a sweat rash. It may be worth thinking about changing your gymwear.

HAYFEVER season is around the corner – what would you recommend is a good preventative measure short of moving to a country with no plants? Hayfever can be a miserable condition and it is not something that we are able to manage medically very well, unfortunately. However, there are useful measures which you can take. Hayfever is an allergy to pollen. The time of year that you develop symptoms depends on your allergy. It could become a problem in early, mid or late summer. Keeping yourself covered is important. Wear long sleeves, wraparound sun glasses and hats when outdoors. Keeping your home’s windows closed if possible is also helpful. Medication such as eye drops, steroid nasal sprays and antihistamines are useful too. It is worth shopping around, as effectiveness varies from person to person.

Unfortunately The Doc can’t directly reply to individual letters. When in doubt speak to your GP