The Doc Replies
Our expert answers your medical questions
What are the symptoms of heatstroke and how can it be treated?
Heatstroke occurs when heat exhaustion isn’t treated. Early warning signs are fatigue, dizziness, headaches, high temperature, feeling thirsty and weak, sweating a lot and sometimes a heat rash and cramps.
Move the person somewhere cool, take off unnecessary clothing, fan them or sponge then down and a get them to drink cool water or a rehydrating sports drink. If it progresses into heat heatstroke, people’s temperature will get very high, they might actually stop sweating and become short of breath. In severe cases, they would have a very fast pulse, become confused and might even have a seizure and lose consciousness, in which case call 999 immediately.
Prevention is better than cure so drink plenty of water, avoid the sun between 11am and 3pm, skip extreme exercise, wear appropriate clothing and go easy on alcohol.
Why do I have red skin and small spots only around my nostrils?
This could be a number of things but it is most likely caused by a skin condition called rosacea. Rosacea is most common in middle age and causes flushed skin and inflammation, quite often beginning around the nose.
You can also get small, dilated blood vessels and little bumps. It could eventually changes in the shape of the nose.
You GP can prescribe various antibiotics and lotions to treat it but sun avoidance is also very important.
I lost a thumbnail years ago. Why isn’t it growing back properly?
Once a nail separates from the nail bed it won’t attach again. Nails grow very slowly so it would take about six months for thumbnail to regrow.
If it doesn’t regrow properly the nail bed has been damaged and that trauma could cause it to grow back with a different sheep and occasionally not at all.
Separation of the nail from the nail bed could be due to a fungal infection or a condition like onycholysis, where you get splitting from the nail bed, or thyroid disease or psoriasis. Treatments depend on the cause so check with your GP.