IT’S something we don’t miss until it’s gone – our hearing.
When we start to lose things with old age, including our eyesight or mobility, it’s easy to assume it’s just part of life.
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But you can prevent hearing loss – and doing so has more benefits than just avoiding hearing aids.
It could stave off dementia, too, according to a study published last week in the journal Jama.
The findings suggested that 32 per cent of dementia cases that occurred over eight years in a group of almost 3,000 people aged over 60 could be attributed to hearing loss.
The researchers cannot say hearing loss causes dementia, but it’s not the first time that the link has been made.
Check your hearing with the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) free online hearing test, which can signal if you need to have a face-to-face test with an audiologist.
If you’re regularly exposed to loud sounds or use headphones, follow the 60-60 rule: listen at no more than 60 per cent volume for no longer than 60 minutes at a time.
And use earplugs when in noisy environment.
Here’s a selection of what readers have asked this week.
A PAINFUL OP DELAY
Q) I HAVE an overactive thyroid, and because they can’t sort it out, I was told it had to be removed.
But the procedure has been cancelled four times and I’m now without any further appointment.
For the past 13 months, I have had very high blood pressure.
Right now, it is 182 over 110, with dizziness and vomiting.
I’ve been prescribed blood pressure tablets but with no success.
Could it all be thyroid-related? I’m a woman of 66.
A) This must be extremely frustrating for you. I know there are many people waiting for surgery and having surgeries cancelled.
There are many potential symptoms of an overactive thyroid which include: anxiety, palpitations, tremor, weight loss, diarrhoea, visual changes and heat intolerance.
When examined, you can be found to have increased heart rate, lumps in the neck or changes to the eyes.
So it is possible that your symptoms could be linked to hyperthyroidism, but it would be wise to investigate fully, as there are many other potential causes.
Your blood pressure reading does concern me. A reading of either number being 180/120 mmHg or higher is considered severe hypertension, which requires immediate investigation and treatment.
If it has suddenly increased a lot to this level then it constitutes a medical emergency – it is a hypertensive crisis.
This would require immediate medical intervention to lower your blood pressure and prevent organ damage.
Whether the high BP is caused by hyperthyroidism or not, it needs immediate management.
I’d advise calling 111 if it reaches this level again, or going back to A&E.
Now, back to your surgery. Patients in England have the right to request a referral to a different NHS trust if they have been waiting longer than 18 weeks for a consultant-led outpatient date.
This right aims to give patients more control over their care.
Q) MY wife has suffered with fibroids for as far back as I can remember.
We only knew about them when she suffered a miscarriage.
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She has had numerous operations to remove or reduce them.
She’s just had a check-up scan, but has been having her period for 16 days.
The doctors hardly want to know, except a couple of them.
A) I’m sorry to hear about the miscarriage, and that your wife has been through so much surgery.
It’s understandable that such a prolonged period, especially following her history, would be worrying for both of you.
Fibroids, which are benign growths in the uterus, are a common cause of heavy or prolonged bleeding. Although your wife has had several operations to remove or reduce them, fibroids can sometimes recur or new ones can develop.
A prolonged menstrual bleed can be treated very easily with a course of hormone tablets, called norethisterone. A dose of 5mg three times daily for ten days is the usual treatment. This usually stops the bleeding within 24 to 48 hours.
You could ask her doctor about this option if it hasn’t already been discussed.
It’s reassuring that your wife has had a recent check-up scan – and if no abnormalities were found, it’s less likely that this episode of prolonged bleeding is due to anything serious.
If women experience this type of thing as a one-off, investigations are not usually necessary.
But abnormal bleeding that persists or repeats should be investigated, as should bleeding that occurs during/after sex or in between periods.
If you feel your concerns are not being taken seriously, don’t hesitate to seek a second opinion.
Fibroids can have a real impact on women’s lives, including an emotional toll.
If this is an issue for your wife, it might be worth discussing this with the doctor to see if there is a more consistent way to manage it.
Other ways to manage fibroids and related symptoms include the Mirena (contraceptive) coil.
Tip of the week
IF you feel sluggish, try fixing your posture by sitting up straight.
Slouching can squash the lungs and prevent deep breathing.
Take five deep breaths to get your oxygen flow going again.
And shake the body to get blood pumping, too.
VITAL CLUES ON ORAL CANCER
Q) CAN I ask why doctors don’t like talking about mouth cancer and instead push you to a dentist?
Cancer is cancer and needs to be sorted out ASAP.
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I think people need to think about their mouths more.
A) Thank you for raising the topic of oral cancer, which isn’t talked about enough.
There are more than 6,500 new oral cancers diagnosed each year and it’s important that people know the symptoms and what to do.
Symptoms include ulcers that last three weeks or more, abnormal bleeding, a lump on the lip or in the oral cavity, or a persistent and unexplained lump in the neck. GPs and dentists do have different skill sets.
GPs can directly refer patients to a suspected cancer pathway if they have unexplained mouth ulcers lasting longer than three weeks or a persistent unexplained lump in the neck, to be assessed within two weeks.
When it comes to oral lesions, our dental colleagues are much better placed to assess whether they are indicative of cancer.
To ensure that cancer assessment services aren’t overwhelmed with thousands of benign lesions, the guidelines are for GPs to consider an urgent referral (for an appointment within two weeks) to a dentist for assessment for possible oral cancer.
The simple message here is that any lesion in the lip/mouth or lump in the neck that persists for longer than three weeks should be reviewed by either a doctor or a dentist to assess whether it requires investigation for the presence of oral cancer.
Early detection of oral cancer is crucial for successful treatment, so checking your own mouth, being aware of potential symptoms and having regular dental check-ups is important.
