The Sunday Post (Newcastle)

The Doc Replies

Our expert answers your medical questions

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What causes abdominal bloating and when should I see my GP?

The most common cause is gas in the bowel, often due to eating things like beans or lentils, cabbage, and fizzy drinks. Bloating can also accompany constipati­on, irritable bowel syndrome, or food intoleranc­e like coeliac disease. Often women feel bloated during or just before their period.

It usually isn’t serious and will go away naturally. Exercise can help shift the gas and prevent bloating. Some people experience it by swallowing too much air so chewing carefully can help. For constipati­on, a high-fibre diet can help, as can consuming small meals more frequently. Limiting or avoiding sugary, fatty and processed foods can help. Pharmacist­s can offer medication­s, like laxatives and Buscopan, which can help with irritable bowel syndrome.

Occasional­ly, bloating can be more serious. In older woman, sudden, regular and persistent bloating can be a sign of ovarian cancer.

If bloating is persistent and associated with weight loss, nausea, diarrhoea, or a change in bowel habit, see your GP.

What causes and cures heartburn?

Causes can include an underlying hiatus hernia, consuming spicy foods, alcohol, coffee, being overweight, smoking and pregnancy. Some medicines can cause it, such as anti-inflammato­ries. Stress and over-eating can aggravate it. Preventati­ve measures can include avoiding large meals, especially close to bedtime, limiting alcohol, not smoking, and not wearing tightly fitting clothes at the waist. You can treat it with antacids from a pharmacist, or a GP can prescribe stronger medicines, such as a proton pump inhibitor, like omeprazole.

Why is my elbow sore from playing guitar?

It could be either lateral epicondyli­tis (tennis elbow) if around the outer elbow, or medial epicondyli­tis (golfer’s elbow), if around the inner elbow. Both are due to repetitive strain or repeated stress of the forearm muscles, and can take weeks to months to develop. Ways to fix it are to address your posture and technique, and, in terms of a guitar player, warm up before you play.

The Doc Replies

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