PHILIPPA’S TOP TIPS Hangovers

As the party season kicks off, here’s how to minimise morning-after pain

◆ Prevention is better than cure, so the best tip for treating a hangover is not to get too drunk!

◆ Alcohol is a diuretic – it makes you urinate. So it can lead to dehydration, which – combined with causing blood vessels to widen – can lead to a headache.

◆ The dehydration and stomach irritation from alcohol can also lead to nausea, vomiting and in time, indigestion.

◆ Low blood sugar can also occur as the liver is involved in storing sugar, but is busy processing the alcohol instead.

◆ People often think that alcohol gets them to sleep but it actually causes disturbed sleep. It can also cause low mood.

◆ Hangovers do worsen as you get older. We have less of the liver enzymes we need to break down alcohol and we store less water in the body as we age.

◆ To prevent a hangover, alternate water or soft drinks with alcoholic ones.

◆ Eat a meal, preferably containing carbohydrates, before you star t drinking as these will slow down the speed at which your body absorbs the alcohol.

◆ Congeners are chemicals found in dark drinks such as red wine. Some people are sensitive to these and find that their hangovers are worse if they drink dark drinks.

◆ If you’ve been drinking, even if it makes you get up for the toilet, drink a glass of water before bed to treat/prevent dehydration.

◆ If you do develop a hangover it is important to keep drinking fluids to rehydrate. You can use simple painkillers such as paracetamol and eat plain food to avoid further irritating the stomach.

◆ Avoid hair of the dog – it just delays symptoms!

◆ If you think you have a problem with alcohol do seek help; your GP may refer you to local alcohol services. Or contact alcoholics-anonymous.co.uk, 0800 9177650.

QI hate how my legs look, I have really obvious blue, bulging, veins and recently my legs have started to ache towards the end of the day. I have been told they are varicose veins, but what are they and can anything be done?

AVaricose veins are common, generally in the lower legs, and tend to affect more women than men. A vein is a blood vessel returning to the hear t, and these contain one-way valves to prevent the blood flowing backwards instead of towards the hear t.

If valves in a vein become leaky, it stops working so efficiently, and there can be backwards flow of blood into the veins. The superficial veins near the sur face of the skin can’t withstand the higher pressure of more volume of blood, so over time they widen and twist leading to varicose veins which look bulging and thickened. Our veins connect with each other, so one leaky valve it puts more pressure on surrounding valves increasing the problem. Having a family histor y of varicose veins, being pregnant or having a DVT all increase your risk of developing them, as do obesity and getting older. Standing for long periods may worsen symptoms related to varicose veins, but it isn’t clear if it leads to them developing.

Not ever yone with varicose veins will have symptoms but symptoms can include a heavy, aching, or uncomfor table sensation in the legs. There can also be burning or throbbing in the legs, foot or ankle swelling, and the overlying skin can become dr y and itchy. Symptoms can be worse after standing for long periods or in hot weather.

Symptoms may be improved by sitting or lying down and lifting your legs up, or walking around as the contraction of your leg muscles helps the blood return to the hear t.

Treatment may be available if the veins are causing symptoms but generally not for cosmetic reasons. Treatment includes wearing compression stockings and other options such as radiofrequency or endovenous laser ablation of the veins. Sclerotherapy involves injecting the vein with a chemical mixed with air, causing it to spasm and shrink. Alternatively surger y may be an option.

Standing for long periods may worsen your symptoms