My wife’s snoring is horrific... should I take pills to sleep?

MY WIFE has always been a noisy sleeper, but she is currently on prescribed sleeping tablets and her snores, groans and grunts are getting louder and go on for longer. Even in the spare room, I am getting very little sleep. Shall I just take a sleeping tablet, too?

ANYONE who has been through a few days without sleep will know it can be torturous. A partner’s loud snoring is a common culprit and something I’ve had to deal with countless times in clinic.

The key is to try to avoid blaming a partner who can’t control something that happens when they are asleep.

Many noisy sleepers have a condition called obstructive sleep apnoea, which causes their breathing to stop and start. This triggers snorts, gasps and very loud snoring that increases until it reaches a crescendo.

Sufferers have very disturbed sleep and often feel exhausted, leaving them with difficulty concentrating and headaches.

If a GP suspects sleep apnoea, they will refer to specialists who will test for it by monitoring breathing and heart rate.

A sleep mask, called CPAP, or a plastic device that sits in the mouth can both help to keep the windpipe open. Although these look rather alarming, the effects can be life-changing.

Sleeping pills are not a longterm solution for a serious sleeping problem – in fact, they usually make apnoea and snoring worse, as does smoking, alcohol and sleeping on your back.

Pills should be used only for respite from sleeplessness, and for not longer than a week. Any longer than this and they become addictive while rarely improving sleep quality. But for short periods at a particularly stressful time, they may be a solution.

A GP will help to weigh up the risks versus the benefits. And there is no guarantee you won’t hear a partner’s snoring if you take a sleeping tablet.

A non-drug option is ear plugs. A well-fitting pair really can make all the difference – ask your pharmacist for advice.

I HAVE suffered hot and tingly sensations in my feet and legs – called sensory polyneuropathy – – for the past year. Is there any medication I can take to stop it?

WHEN doctors use the term neuropathy it means the nerves in part of the body are not working properly, causing unusual sensations or pain, usually because of an injury or illness.

The term polyneuropathy means more than one nerve is affected, so the strange feelings might occur in both hands, for example, rather than just one.

There are two main types of nerves. Motor nerves control our muscles and movements, while sensory nerves are responsible for the sensations we feel, such as temperature and touch.

So sensory polyneuropathy implies there is a problem with the nerves responsible for feeding sensations to and from the brain.

Symptoms may include numbness, pins and needles, burning pain and loss of balance or co-ordination. Medication can help, but the type given depends on the underlying cause of the problem and the symptoms.

There are a range of painkillers designed to treat nerve pain, such as amitriptyline, gabapentin and pregabalin. But if the sensations are not painful, such as numbness or pins and needles, there are fewer options available.

Doctors will investigate to see if there is an underlying cause – of which there are many. This includes diabetes, B12 deficiency, too much alcohol, side effects of medications, viral infections such as shingles as well as thyroid, kidney and liver disease. Autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus can also be to blame.

If doctors can’t determine the underlying cause, the condition can be very hard to treat beyond offering painkillers.

I AM 74 and have suffered bouts of gout in my big toe for the past 15 years. The treatments all work, but every few months it comes back. Is there anything I can take to prevent it?

GOUT is a type of arthritis that causes extreme pain in the joints, as well as redness and swelling.

It happens when a substance called uric acid builds up and forms small crystals that rub against the joints. It tends to occur in one joint at a time, which becomes intensely painful, red and warm to the touch, usually for a period of 24 hours.

Medication for gout is aimed at either treatment or prevention.

Treatment aims to curb the attacks – painkillers such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories or a drug called colchicine. They should be used alongside other interventions, such as ice packs and resting with the affected body part elevated.

If a patient has had more than two attacks a year, doctors would instead focus on a prevention strategy. This involves different medications which are started when the acute attack is over. However, preventative strategies can be tough because the drugs can cause a short-term surge in acute attacks.

Anti-inflammatories can be given to help this, but most people who opt for prevention will be taking the medication for the rest of their lives.