2010 February | Ask Dr. Gott

Did fall cause loss of taste and smell?

February 28, 2010 By Dr. Gott

DEAR DR. GOTT: As one of your loyal readers who is helped by your daily recommendations, I hope that you will be able to assist me as you have so many others.

About 18 months ago, I tripped on city cobblestones and fell. The accident was serious enough that I had to be taken to the emergency room. I was diagnosed with a concussion and treated for lacerations to my forehead, nose and mouth. Shortly after this incident, I realized that I could no longer smell or taste.

My family doctor told me to be patient, to allow myself time to heal and that these senses would likely return. After nine months with no improvement, I was sent to an ear-nose-and-throat specialist. There, my hearing was tested and I underwent an endoscopic procedure on my nose. I was then prescribed Medrol and Flonase, which I took exactly as prescribed. Unfortunately, they did not help. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Daily Column, Leading Letter Tagged With: concussion, loss of smell, loss of taste, loss of taste and smell, loss of taste and smell after fall, smell disorder, taste disorder

Floaters annoying but harmless

February 27, 2010 By Dr. Gott

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 56-year-old male who has suffered from tinnitus for the past 15 years. Within the last year, I have noticed a lot of eye floaters, which seem to be worsening. My doctor says that my eyes are healthy. I don’t wear glasses.

I live a healthful lifestyle. I don’t smoke or drink. I have changed my eating habits and consume very little sugar and red meat. I do eat a lot of chicken, fish, juice and vegetables.

Is there anything I can do to get rid of the eye floaters? What can I do to prevent more from occurring? Is there a dietary change I can make? [Read more...]

Filed Under: Daily Column, Leading Letter Tagged With: eye floaters, Floaters

Leg pain is troublesome

February 26, 2010 By Dr. Gott

DEAR DR. GOTT: I’ve been experiencing unusual discomfort in my legs. It began when I started to exercise in the summer of 2009. I attributed it to the exercise on the glute machine, so I stopped. The pain went away, but I then began to experience leg pain/discomfort that can be described as similar to shin splints. It’s not a sharp pain, just a throbbing discomfort. I feel it especially at night, and it wakes me up. This usually happens when I lie on my side. Sometimes I put a pillow between my legs, hoping to avoid it, but it doesn’t always help. When I wake up, I turn on my back and the discomfort dissipates, allowing me to go back to sleep. There are nights when the pain doesn’t awaken me, and I’m not sure what that is attributed to.

During the day, I occasionally feel the same discomfort but not to the same degree, and it’s not as bothersome. Do you have any ideas on what it could be or how I can work toward making it go away?
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Daily Column, Leading Letter Tagged With: glute machine, leg discomfort, leg pain, red yeast rice, shin splints, statins

Persistent dry hands

February 25, 2010 By Dr. Gott

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have very dry hands, which seem to soak up creams and lotions within a few minutes of applying them, rendering them ineffective. Petroleum jelly seems to help, but it leaves my hands all greasy and I can’t do anything. What do you suggest?

DEAR READER: If the petroleum jelly works, you may want to try using it at bedtime and putting your hands in white cotton gloves. In the morning, take the gloves off and wash your hands with cool water and a mild moisturizing soap to remove any remaining jelly. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Daily Column Tagged With: dry hands, glycerin, mineral oil, petroleum jelly

Did H1N1 vaccine cause fainting, rapid heart rate?

February 25, 2010 By Dr. Gott

DEAR DR. GOTT: My 15-year-old daughter had the H1N1 shot on a Tuesday morning. That afternoon, she passed out walking to one of her classes. Her pediatrician did not find anything wrong. On Wednesday, she broke out with a rash from her armpit to below her hip. Thursday, her heart was racing at 150 beats per minute. Her pediatrician then ordered an EKG for the following day. The EKG on Friday was normal, but my daughter said she was still having palpitations, so I took her to the emergency room. There, she had blood work done and another EKG. Everything was normal, so they sent her home with a 24-hour heart monitor. On the following Tuesday, she passed out again but for a longer period of time. Again, we went back to the emergency room, where nothing was found to be wrong. She was then referred to a cardiologist and a neurologist. The cardiologist said it was vasovagal syncope and recommended she take salt tablets. The neurologist ordered an EEG, but we haven’t heard anything back from him.

I am not convinced that vasovagal syncope is the problem because she is still having racing-heart episodes out of the blue. What other questions should I be asking her doctors?

DEAR READER: First, vasovagal syncope is the most common cause of fainting and occurs when the body reacts in an exaggerated way to certain triggers. These triggers cause a sudden drop in heart rate and blood pressure, which reduce blood to the brain, leading to a brief loss of consciousness. Because it is generally harmless, it typically does not require treatment.

Treatment may consist of blood-pressure medication (which blocks some signals that can lead to fainting), antidepressants, blood-vessel constrictors, certain exercises, avoiding prolonged standing, drinking plenty of fluids and finally, in severe cases, surgery to implant an electrical pacemaker.

I doubt this is your daughter’s problem because vasovagal syncope decreases the heart rate rather than increases it.

I believe the likely culprit is the H1N1 vaccine. According to the Mayo Clinic, you
should check with your physician immediately if you have chest pain, dizziness, fainting, fast heartbeat, feeling faint, dizzy or lightheaded, get hives, itching, shortness of breath, a skin rash and much more. These side effects are listed as having an unknown incidence rate, but clearly your daughter is having many of these reactions.

I urge you both to return to her pediatrician to discuss the possibility that she is having a reaction to the vaccination injection she received. If they will not consider it a possibility or don’t know how to help, consult another physician.

Filed Under: Daily Column, Leading Letter Tagged With: fainting, H1N1, H1N1 vaccine, rapid heart rate, vasovagal syncope

Carpal-tunnel treatment

February 24, 2010 By Dr. Gott

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 64-year-old female with carpal-tunnel syndrome in my right hand. I wear a wrist splint when I go to bed. For many years, it hasn’t been too much of a nuisance, but over the past few months, about once every seven to 10 days, I have an episode of painful numbness that takes more than a half-hour to go away. The incidents happen at night while I am sleeping. I have to get out of bed and try to shake the numbness away. I have also tried running hot water from the faucet over my hands, but it still takes a long time to subside.

I do have numbness in my hand during the day, but it is not as intense. It occurs when I apply my makeup, style my hair, write, drive and a few times it has happened while playing tennis. Is there anything short of surgery that can be done? [Read more...]

Filed Under: Daily Column, Leading Letter Tagged With: Carpal tunnel syndrome, hand numbness, hand pain

Spongiotic dermatitis a type of allergic reaction

February 23, 2010 By Dr. Gott

DEAR DR. GOTT: Thank you for all your interesting questions and answers. I have questions about a condition I have never heard of — “spongiotic dermatitis eosinophils consistent with allergic contact dermatitis.” What is it? And what can be done for it?

DEAR READER: Spongiotic dermatitis (SD) is primarily an allergic reaction that causes swelling rather than a rash. It can sometimes be associated with the formation of microvesicles, which are small fluid-filled sacs. Eosinophils are a component of the blood, often found in elevated numbers when an allergic reaction is present, and can generally be used to determine how severe the reaction is. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Daily Column Tagged With: allergic reaction, contact dermatitis, spongiotic dermatitis

Cortisone appropriate for arthritis

February 23, 2010 By Dr. Gott

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 54-year-old female with osteoarthritis in both hips. My general practitioner sent me to an out-of-state specialist who recommended cortisone injections. When I tried to have cortisone injections done by a local specialist, I was told that they would not help me because I don’t have bursitis.

I am most uncomfortable when I stand still, sit or lie down for any length of time. Using a heating pad several times during the night helps alleviate the muscle cramping, though. I have more pain in my lower back/sacral area, knees and thigh muscles than in the hips themselves. Who is right? Would the cortisone injections really help? [Read more...]

Filed Under: Daily Column, Leading Letter Tagged With: bursitis, cortisone injections, cortisone shots, osteoarthritis

Chiropractic Education

February 22, 2010 By admin

Having been in practice now for over twenty five years I have been asked innumerable times “How much education does a chiropractor have?” My usual answer is a lot. A typical entering chiropractic student has four years of premedical undergraduate studies in chemistry, biology, physics and psychology, much the same as an entering medical student. I, myself, did graduate work in Biochemistry prior to entering chiropractic school.

The prospective student has a choice of many chiropractic colleges located throughout the United States and in numerous countries around the world.

Once enrolled he or she begins a four to five academic year program of professional study that encompasses a minimum of 4200 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical experience that includes a minimum of a one-year clinical-based program dealing with actual patient care. In some areas, such as anatomy, physiology, and rehabilitation, they receive more intensive education than most medical doctors or physical therapists. Whereas in medical schools there is a focus of concentration on pharmacology; chiropractic schools have a focus on specific adjusting techniques and therapeutic modalities for the spine and the extremities.

After the successful completion of the above the graduating student is awarded the professional degree of ‘Doctor of Chiropractic’ or D.C.

Before entering practice, doctors of chiropractic must pass four national board examinations as well as individual state board examinations. Chiropractors are licensed as primary care providers (meaning patients have direct access without a referral needed) in all fifty states and many nations throughout the world. They are trained in diagnosis and treatment and have the knowledge to make appropriate referrals when necessary.

To maintain their license the individual states have yearly requirements for post-graduate continuing education. Many chiropractors choose to pursue advanced training in diagnosis, neurology, orthopedics, nutrition and rehabilitation. Thus my answer of “a lot” would be most appropriate.

David D. Godwin, D.C.
Chiropractic Physician
Salisbury Chiropractic
Salisbury, NC
704-633-9335

Filed Under: Guest Column Tagged With: chiropractic, chiropractor, David Godwin DC

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