Ask Dr. Gott, M.D.DEAR DR. GOTT: Your article on seizures was totally garbled and seriously incorrect in places. I’m an epileptologist.
DEAR DOCTOR: I apologize for any errors that may have appeared, but your brief note is not very helpful in explaining how and where I went wrong, if indeed I did. Perhaps next time you want to tell someone he did wrong, you could elaborate just a bit.
For my readers, an epileptologist is a neurologist who specializes in epilepsy.
DEAR DR. GOTT: I started your diet six days ago. I have lost one pound and am thrilled. I wonder if I can eat popcorn as a snack while on your diet. I pop it in olive oil and don’t use butter.
DEAR READER: Congratulations on your initial success. A weight loss of about one pound per week is average and healthful while on my no-flour, no-sugar diet.
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DEAR DR. GOTT: I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your column. Two years ago, I had been suffering from night sweats owing to perimenopause, and your column advised taking bee pollen. I tried it, and within just a few days, my night sweats all but disappeared. I kept taking the bee pollen (1,000 milligrams daily) for a few months and then stopped, thinking I didn’t need it anymore. Several months passed with no sweats, but recently they began again, as well as periodic daytime hot flashes. I went back on the bee pollen and, again, after just a few days, I don’t have any more sweating, day or night! I just wanted to pass this on to you and your readers, and to thank you, again, for your wonderful advice.
DEAR READER: Thank you for your kind comments. I am happy to have helped.
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DEAR DR. GOTT: What health concerns are indicated by dry mouth and an insatiable thirst?
DEAR READER: Dry mouth is a rather vague symptom and can be an indication of several disorders or side effects of certain medications or habits, such as smoking. Increased thirst can result as the body attempts to restore moisture to the mouth.
Because your letter is so short, I cannot provide a definitive answer, but based on your wording, I will give you some information about the two most likely (in my mind) candidates: Sjogren’s syndrome and diabetes insipidus.
Sjogren’s syndrome is an immune-system disorder caused by the body mistakenly attacking itself. It affects the mucous membranes and moisture-secreting glands, causing decreased production. It most commonly affects the eyes and mouth.
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DEAR DR. GOTT: I read your column daily but have never seen anything on pudendal nerve entrapment. Any information would be appreciated.
DEAR READER: Pudendal nerve entrapment occurs when a nerve in the pelvic area becomes compressed or trapped. It can be the result of post-surgical scarring, pregnancy or trauma. Activities such as riding a bicycle are known to trigger the condition.
Symptoms include pain when sitting that is reduced or eliminated by standing, lying down or when on a toilet seat; paresthesias in the buttock and genital areas; urinary hesitancy and/or urgency; constipation; impotence; sexual dysfunction; and a great deal more.
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Last weekend my husband, my brother, his children and a few friends and I went to Pulaski, N.Y. to see the salmon run. My brother rolled his ankle while walking down to the river. His ankle swelled to the size of a melon which got me thinking: Do people know the best way to care for an injury like that?
The first thing to know is that there are two basic types of injury — acute and chronic. An acute injury is defined as one that has rapid or sudden onset. The pain is typically short-lived. A chronic injury is one that develops over time and is long-lasting.
When treating an acute injury, you use cold; when treating a chronic injury, you use heat.
Acute injuries are often accompanied by swelling and inflammation; the application of ice will help reduce those symptoms and the pain. You can usually ice an injury as often as you like but here is the key: only apply the ice for 15 minutes at a time; then allow the skin to warm up in between applications. And do not place the ice directly on your skin; the best thing to do is wrap it in a towel.
If you apply ice for longer than 15 minutes, your body’s natural defenses will kick in and try to warm the area by bringing more blood there. At that point, the ice pack will do the opposite of what you want it to do. It will cause more swelling.
Chronic injuries are often accompanied by sore, still muscles or joint pain. This type of pain can be relieved by warming the injury to increase elasticity of the joint connective tissues and to stimulate blood flow. Heat can be applied for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
And, of course, sports injuries and the pain that accompanies them can also be treated by a chiropractor.
Monica S. Nowak, D.C.
Chiropractic Center of Canaan
176 Ashley Falls Road
Canaan, CT 06018
860 824-0748
Reprinted with permission from the writer.
DEAR DR. GOTT: I read your column faithfully and find my work-related musings and questions addressed there. I would like to comment on your recent instructions to a woman who asked about a diuretic and a potassium pill — that large pills can be crushed in a baggie and be taken with applesauce. Potassium pills are usually quite large and should not be chewed or crushed. Sometimes they can be broken in half or dispensed in a capsule, which can be opened and sprinkled on applesauce or yogurt for ease in swallowing. Or they may be available as a liquid. However, there are a great many pills that should never be crushed. The safety and efficacy of a medication relies on proper administration. Keep up your great work!
DEAR READER: Generally speaking, if a medication should not be crushed or chewed, the prescription label provides the appropriate information, but I was too general in advising readers to crush pills that might be too large to swallow. Additional labeling information often includes whether to take the medication with food or on an empty stomach and the time of day to take it. It may also advise the patient not to drink or drive because of possible drowsiness. Thank you for picking me up on this. Your point is well-taken and a good one.
DEAR DR. GOTT: I just had surgery on my right shoulder, and the day following, I began vomiting and having gas every time I ate. My doctor blames these events on the anesthesia during my four-hour surgery. Is there anything I can do?
DEAR READER: General anesthesia takes a person from a conscious to an unconscious state so an invasive surgical procedure can be performed. Anesthesiologists, nurse anesthetists and other trained professionals determine the amount of anesthesia to be administered, depending on the procedure to be performed. Some people remain anesthetized for a short time during a relatively simple process and are released the same day. Others, such as yours, take substantially longer and require hospitalization for several days following. While you didn’t mention what surgery was performed, four hours is extensive and could certainly be responsible for the unwanted results.
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DEAR DR. GOTT: Is there an over-the-counter holistic medicine to use in place of prescription steroids?
DEAR READER: Steroids are powerful hormone-like substances prescribed for a great number of disorders. Athletes have been known to take them for performance enhancement. I cannot stress strongly enough that they and all herbals or OTC substitutes should be prescribed only for a specific cause by a qualified healthcare professional who knows your medical history. They should be taken under detailed instruction because of vital dosing reductions that must be adhered to.
That said, there are several herbals that might be taken alone or in conjunction with other OTCs. They include nettle root, saw palmetto, hydrangea root, pygeum bark, pomegranate, viburnum, ginkgo biloba, black cohosh, lemon balm, chaste tree berry (monk’s pepper) and hawthorne. As you can imagine, the list goes on and on.
You neglected to indicate why you or someone else might choose an alternative, and there are countless disorders for which a physician might make the recommendation. Is it for menopause, pain, poison ivy, low testosterone levels or performance enhancement? The possibilities are limitless, so without knowing the specific reason, I cannot even consider what might be appropriate.
Speak with your primary-care physician or a naturopath for direction. Good luck.
To provide related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Herbs and Other Healing Fads.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order made payable to Newsletter and mailed to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form off my website at www.AskDrGottMD.com.
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