DR JEFF FOSTER is The Sun on Sunday’s new resident doctor and is here to help YOU.
Dr Jeff, 43, splits his time between working as a GP in Leamington Spa, Warks, and running his clinic, H3 Health, which is the first of its kind in the UK to look at hormonal issues for both men and women.
See h3health.co.uk and email at [email protected].
Q: MY 15-year-old son has had a very sore, swollen throat for the last eight days.
He is struggling to swallow food, so I have given him painkillers and throat spray but it hasn’t cleared up.
He hasn’t had any fever though.
Now my eight-year-old daughter has the same symptoms but feels shivery and has a sore on the side of her mouth which she has never had before.
Should I take them to both to the doctor?
Charlotte Barber, London
A: The majority of sore throats we see these days are viral in nature – and other than pain relief, there is often little a doctor can do.
But certain risk factors increase your chances of having a bacterial throat infection.
These are known as “centor critieria” and include young age or old age, swelling or pus on the tonsils, tender glands in the neck, a persistent temperature and the absence of a cough.
The other thing to consider is time. If any simple sore throat has not improved after a week, it is worth seeing your doctor.
He may not need antibiotics, but at least you will know if he is OK.
Q: I’M a 65-year-old woman, and after almost 30 years of steroids for rheumatoid arthritis, my skin is very thin indeed.
It is extremely noticeable on my arms and I’m very self conscious of it.
Do any creams or medication exist to help with this problem?
Josephine Maleki-Rae Bognor Regis, West Sussex
A: When we talk about steroids for rheumatoid arthritis, we are referring to anti-inflammatory ones such as prednisone or hydrocortisone, not anabolic steroids.
The distinction is important because the medicines have very different effects.
While anti-inflammatory steroids are very effective in reducing the inflammation seen in autoimmune conditions, they also have quite marked side effects that occur over time.
These include an increased risk of diabetes, loss of muscle mass, change in body shape and hair, and thinning of the skin.
While some of these changes are reversible, as long as you take the steroids the skin will continue to thin and remain fragile.
It is essential that you use a good-quality, all-over body moisturiser twice a day.
Speak to your rheumatologist and ask whether the steroids could be changed or reduced – there are plenty of newer medications out there.
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