THE DOC REPLIES

IS it good for you to drink a glass of red wine every day? If so, why?

The amount and the quality of what we should eat and drink is talked about in medical literature and in the press every day – and often the advice seems to be conflicting. In general, a small amount of alcohol is not bad for you and may actually be good for some aspects of your health. A small amount is usually the equivalent of one small drink taken on not more than five days per week. As well as being a relaxant, a little alcohol may be good for your circulation.

MY eyesight is beginning to degenerate. It’s fine at the edges but I struggle to see things if I look directly at them. What could it be?

Your first stop is an appointment with an optician. If it is a sudden change from usual then you should seek urgent medical attention, but if it is a gradual deterioration you should see your optician. It may be cataracts, which is a thickening of the lens and is usually quite easily sorted. It may be glaucoma, which is pressure in the eye which needs to be treated to prevent deterioration. It could be macular degeneration, which is a degeneration of the main visualising area of the retina. Sadly, the treatments are not terribly useful yet for this condition. If you are a bit older, then your description would suggest macular degeneration, but you need to have a full assessment by an optician first.

I HAVE been told I have nasal polyps. What are they?

Nasal polyps are lumpy areas within the passages of the nose. They are often associated with allergy. The symptoms are a blockage in the nose which can include discomfort, snoring, and poor sleep. Thankfully, polyps can be treated with steroid-related medications or surgery.

COULD the beta blockers I’m on be responsible for a regular, annoying tingle I’m feeling in my feet?

Beta blockers slow the heart and lower the blood pressure, but they can also have an effect on the blood vessels especially in the hands and feet. The result can be that the blood supply in the little blood vessels is not getting to the peripheral areas, such as the feet, as well as it should. This can sometimes give cold extremities or even white, slightly sore extremities.

I HAVE a forthcoming operation for my cataracts. What does it entail?

A cataract is a cloudiness or a thickening in the lens of the eye. The light has to get in through the front of the eye through the lens and into the retina for our brain to perceive light and colour. If then lens becomes cloudy then the images don’t get through clearly. It’s fixed via a little operation, usually with a local anaesthetic, to take out the old lens and replace it with a new, artificial lens. Most patients would then require to be on some drops to relax the eye and prevent infection for a month. After that, the eye will be checked by a specialist and you will be free to get new glasses. The operation is usually very successful.

WHEN I wash my ears I can sometimes taste soap in the back of my throat. Is this normal? You might be getting liquid rather further in your ear than is necessary. If you are tasting something at the back of the throat from the ear then this means that you have a hole in the eardrum that’s letting liquid trickle thyough. See a doctor and have your ears checked.

I TAKE two vitamin C tablets a day but am beginning to wonder if they have any effect.

There is no need to take vitamin C supplements if you have a good diet. We get vitamin C in many products, fruit and veg in particular. There is some evidence that vitamin C tablets can reduce the chance of catching colds or even possibly reduce the symptoms slightly. It certainly is not necessary, though.