Health

Our expert answers your medical questions

Real-life issues and medical Q&As

What is Paget’s disease of the nipple? I thought this condition affected the bones.

It’s a type of breast cancer but it usually first shows as nipple changes, which can resemble skin conditions like eczema. You usually find a red scaly rash on the nipple that can spread to the areola and can give an itching or burning sensation.

It can also cause nipple discharge or inversion of the nipple. It is usually one-sided, while eczema generally appears on both breasts (and we are more reassured if the patient also has eczema on other parts of the body.) Paget’s of the nipple is an early form of breast cancer, confined to the ducts. But it can become invasive and be associated with a lump. Diagnosis is by mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy. The treatment is usually surgery and normally local excision, meaning you do not have to remove the whole breast.

The key message is that if you see a rash on your nipple, don’t just go off to the pharmacy and buy hydrocortisone cream. Go and see your doctor.

I’m already overweight and have piled on more pounds in lockdown. A friend suggests we play tennis at the nearby courts. We are only just easing out of lockdown, is it safe to do that and what are the health benefits of the game?

Tennis is a good form of exercise; it is good for the muscles and improves cardiovascular health. If someone is overweight they should be easing themselves in gently. To protect against Covid-19 infection you should socially distance, carry hand sanitiser, and only use your own tennis balls and equipment. Make sure you wipe your equipment down with soap and water or alcohol-based sanitiser.

We moved to a Highland village four months ago and wonder if mains water – stored in a tank at the top of the hill – is safe to drink?

Ideally you should only use a tap connected to mains water and not stored in a tank. But if you have a properly designed and installed tank in good condition it should be all right for drinking or preparing food. You should make sure it has been checked.

The Doc Replies

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