Health & Lifestyle

DR ELLIE CANNON: I’ve been told to cut down but I still have a craving for alcohol

I am struggling to control my alcohol consumption, despite a blood test showing I had raised liver enzymes and the doctor ordering me to cut down. Is there any medical solution that can help me stop craving a drink? My willpower alone isn’t enough.

It is incredibly hard to ask for help with an alcohol addiction, so even vocalising the fact you need it is a big deal.

And while it might seem like a huge step to take, groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous are often very successful. It’s not just about willpower: it’s what’s known as a 12-step programme that relies on peer support. There are regular meetings where no one is judged, and everyone tries their best to help one another.

There are other types of support, too: anyone can call Drinkline, the national alcohol helpline (0300 123 1110), to find out what is on offer in their area and discuss quitting.

The alcohol services available on the NHS are area dependent – again, it’s usually local support groups, as well as specialist alcohol facilities, which offer psychological support and help with detoxification.

GPs can offer regular advice and counselling, and may set goals and talk through safe strategies for cutting down, too.

It is incredibly hard to ask for help with an alcohol addiction, so even vocalising the fact you need it is a big deal

It is incredibly hard to ask for help with an alcohol addiction, so even vocalising the fact you need it is a big deal

Withdrawing from alcohol can cause physical problems, so we advise cutting down slowly to make sure it’s safe. We also prescribe specific vitamins, such as thiamine, to prevent some of the problems that can arise – insomnia and nausea, for instance.

Complete abstinence can seem like an impossible task at the outset, but smaller steps could be easier, such as switching to lower-alcohol beverages.

When I bump my arm or hand, even in quite a minor way, blood spots appear – they last about three weeks and sometimes I look like I’m covered in bruises. I’ve visited the GP but they can’t offer any explanation and don’t even seem worried. Can you give me any advice?

AS we get older our skin becomes thinner and more fragile, so marks and bruising can become more common.

Bruising or blood spots occur when the tiny blood vessels beneath the skin are broken by an impact injury, but small knocks on fragile skin might be enough to cause them.

It is sometimes a hereditary problem, but it can also be linked to medications, particularly those that thin the blood and prevent clots – warfarin or clopidogrel, for instance.

If marks are developing at an increasing rate, it would not be unreasonable to talk to the GP about why it is happening. It is important to bring up any other issues, such as bleeding gums.

Blood tests can help to elicit the cause. For somebody with new bruising or blood spots, we can perform liver function tests, blood cell platelet tests and screen for blood clots.

Platelets are the smallest cells in the blood and they act to prevent and stop bleeding. If there is a problem with their levels, it can lead to more bleeding and bruising under the skin. Issues with platelets can arise for a variety of reasons that may lead to blood spots. As people age, this can, in rare cases, be due to cancer or diseases of the blood.

Last week I woke up and noticed a small swelling at the back of my head, near the bottom of my skull. It’s sore when I press on it. My partner looked and can’t see a lump or bump, but it’s making me worried as I am sure I can feel that it is raised. Could it be something serious?

I always say that lumps are an important reason for a consultation with the doctor. Almost all of those I see in the clinic are harmless and benign, but it is still vital that a doctor checks them.

Write to Dr Ellie 

Do you have a question for Dr Ellie Cannon? Email [email protected]

Dr Cannon cannot enter into personal correspondence and her replies should be taken in a general context.

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A lump can be a sign of cancer no matter which part of the body it is in.

We have glands at the back of the head called occipital lymph nodes. These are normally felt at the bottom of the skull and can be particularly prominent in babies and children.

We are all used to feeling the swollen glands in our neck when we have a sore throat or infection, but most are not as well-acquainted with these lesser-known ones.

Occipital lymph nodes help fight infections, and swell when we are ill with colds and the flu.

The most common lump on the head would be a sebaceous cyst. Most people develop at least one during their lifetime.

The cysts feel like a smooth, round lump just under the skin, and are normally quite soft. They are harmless and not normally removed unless they cause repeated infections or frequently get caught on clothes.

If a lump is sore, an abscess may have formed – which is not dissimilar to a large spot. In effect, a pouch of pus collects and creates a painful, hard lump. They require antibiotics as treatment, and sometimes minor surgery to drain it.

Is your doctor sexist? I want to know about it

Do our healthcare services have a sexism problem? Sadly, I think they do.

Last week, BBC presenter Naga Munchetty spoke frankly to the Commons Women and Equalities Committee about her own poor treatment in the NHS, having spent decades being failed and ‘never taken seriously’ while suffering heavy periods, vomiting and pain so severe she would lose consciousness.

Naga, 48, pictured above, was finally diagnosed with adenomyosis last year – a condition where the lining of the womb starts growing into the muscle in its walls.

Us women are on the back foot before we’ve even got into the GP’s consulting room, and it’s an issue that stretches all the way to medical research.

These studies often only to recruit men, meaning that less is understood about illnesses in women. And then there’s the tendency for doctors to see things such as period pain as normal, which is why there are diagnosis delays for a range of serious diseases that affect women.

I’d like to know your experience: have you been fobbed off, dismissed or belittled by a medical professional? Do male readers have similar issues? Write and tell me your story.

A&E for a cold? Not my readers!

I am relieved to discover that readers of The Mail on Sunday know how to tackle a sore throat without resorting to A&E.

As I wrote last week, hospital data has shown an alarming number of people turning up with simple cold symptoms – but I received a deluge of letters that proved the simple art of self-care has not been lost entirely. Barbara Willamson was one, who wrote: ‘Gargle with salt water and keep throat lubricated with warm water mixed with honey and lemon. The next step would be speak to a pharmacist – I wouldn’t go to A&E.’

Throat lozenges and sprays were also mentioned a lot, along with paracetamol. Who’d have thought it?

It is reassuring to hear how many of you realise that sore throats mostly get better on their own and how rest is key. Unfortunately, this is something many patients don’t seem to recognise when, in fact, it’s one of the best treatments.


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