MAY half-term feels like the unofficial start of the summer holiday season, and many of us are finally dusting off our suitcases, including myself.
Rest is a vital clinical prescription.
Dr Zoe Williams, our resident specialist and NHS GP, helps readers with their health concerns Credit: Olivia West
Dr Zoe reveals the product you should pack to deal with an unhappy stomach on holiday Credit: Getty
But ‘holiday mode’ comes with a few medical risks that can follow you home if you aren’t careful.
The most overlooked risk is (DVT) – a blood clot of the leg.
Whether you are flying long-haul or driving for several hours, prolonged immobility can cause blood clots in the legs.
For those with heart failure, smokers, people with or people on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or the Pill, the risk is slightly higher.
Wear compression socks and perform ankle pumps every hour to keep the circulation moving.
Holidays often unsettle tummies, often due to a combination of buffet-style dining, different water standards or food hygiene.
If you already manage a sensitive gut or , I recommend taking a probiotic, such as Boots Good Gut Live Friendly Bacteria, £10.75 for a two-week supply.
It may support the gut before a sudden change in bacteria.
Lastly, always carry your essential prescriptions in your hand luggage in case you lose your suitcase!
Here’s what readers have asked me this week…
Blood clot in my knee has caused complications
Q: When I was 25 years old, I suffered a located behind my knee, which unfortunately remained undiagnosed for approximately three months.
As a result, I have been left with ongoing complications, including persistent leg pain and prominent swollen veins. My consultant says there is no further treatment they can offer.
I’d be grateful for your advice as to whether I can reduce or remove the swollen veins and lumps in the three affected areas, alleviate pain and discomfort.
Dr Zoe helps a concerned reader who needs help dealing with pain and comfort after a blood clot in their knee Credit: Getty A: It sounds as though you’ve been left with long-term effects from what was likely quite a significant clot, and unfortunately this can happen when a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) damages the valves inside the veins.
Ongoing pain, swelling and prominent veins years later sound very consistent with post-thrombotic syndrome.
This occurs when blood flow through the leg veins remains impaired after a clot, leading to pooling of blood, aching, heaviness, swelling and sometimes enlarged surface veins.
The reason you may have been told there is little more that can be done is that once the deeper vein valves are damaged, it can be difficult to fully reverse the problem.
However, that does not necessarily mean there are no options at all.
Compression stockings remain one of the most effective ways of reducing discomfort and swelling, although they need to be properly fitted and are not tolerated by everyone.
Regular walking, calf strengthening and maintaining a healthy weight can also improve circulation and reduce symptoms over time.
I do think it would be reasonable to seek a second opinion from a vascular specialist with a particular interest in venous disease, especially if symptoms are significantly affecting your quality of life.
Depending on the pattern of vein damage, targeted vein procedures such as foam sclerotherapy, ablation techniques or compression strategies may sometimes help symptoms, even if they cannot completely cure the underlying problem.
While the damage may not be fully reversible, there may still be ways to improve comfort and function.
Muscle spasm makes my head move on its own
A reader is confused why he can’t keep his head still Credit: Getty Images
Q: My head has started moving to the right on its own, and if I try to stop it, it’s like a twitch. It’s like a muscle spasm pulling it right. I have been taking electrolytes recently and read somewhere that too much sodium or potassium can cause twitching.
It causes problems when I go to the hairdressers as I can’t keep my head still. I am 60 and it started a couple of months ago.
A: What you describe sounds more like a problem involving the muscles and nerves controlling the neck, rather than simply a mild twitch from electrolytes.
One possibility is a condition called cervical dystonia (sometimes called spasmodic torticollis), where the neck muscles contract involuntarily and pull the head into certain positions.
People often describe exactly what you have – a pulling sensation, difficulty keeping the head straight, or jerking movements that are worse when trying to hold still.
Electrolyte imbalance can sometimes cause muscle twitching or cramps, but significant problems from sodium or potassium are much less commonly limited to one area, like the neck, and usually come with other symptoms too.
The fact this has been going on for a couple of months and is now affecting daily activities, such as sitting at the hairdresser, makes it worth getting assessed properly rather than assuming it’s harmless.
I would suggest arranging a appointment, ideally face to face, as they may want to examine the neck muscles and movements and consider referral to a neurologist if needed. Treatments are available, including physiotherapy, medication and sometimes injections into overactive muscles.
In the meantime, it would be sensible not to take excessive electrolyte supplements unless medically advised.
While frustrating and understandably worrying, this sounds more consistent with a treatable movement disorder than anything immediately dangerous.
Worried about my exhausted wife who sleeps so much
A concerned reader has written to Dr Zoe whose worried about his wife’s low energy levels Credit: Getty
Q: For four years, my wife, 72, has slept on average 12 hours per day, and when she wakes, she feels exhausted and has little energy. This year she has suffered from three , resulting in her increasing to 17 hours per day.
The GP has advised vitamin tablets, but this has not helped, and says medication is not the cause. One year ago, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Recent blood tests have proved normal otherwise. If she were diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, there is little that can be done. I am at a loss.
A: It’s understandable that you are worried, because sleeping 12 hours a day and still waking exhausted is not something most people would consider normal ageing alone.
The fact this worsened significantly during her urinary infections suggests that illness is having a big impact on her overall energy levels, which is common in older adults, particularly in people living with Alzheimer’s disease.
itself can also affect sleep patterns, energy levels and motivation, and many people with Alzheimer’s become more sleepy or fatigued as the condition progresses.
However, I would be cautious about labelling this as chronic fatigue syndrome.
That condition is usually diagnosed based on a very specific pattern of symptoms and is less commonly first identified later in life.
The reassuring point is that her blood tests have been normal, but severe ongoing fatigue still deserves a broader review.
One important possibility worth considering is sleep apnoea, where breathing repeatedly pauses during sleep, leading to long sleep duration but poor-quality rest.
This can cause profound daytime exhaustion.
, low physical activity, pain, poor sleep quality and medication combinations can also contribute, even if no single tablet is identified as “the cause”.
It would be reasonable to ask her GP whether further assessment of her sleep might be appropriate.
It’s also important to recognise the impact this is having on you as her husband and carer. You are clearly trying very hard to support her, and you should not feel you have to manage this entirely alone.
There is often support available to help carers, and make sure that your GP records have you coded as a carer.
Walking is difficult thanks to severe pain
Dr Zoe helps a reader whose severe pain is making is hard to walk Credit: Getty
Q: For over a year, I’ve had pain, sometimes severe, that makes walking difficult. The doctor says that at 73 years old, I have to accept some pain.
A scan shows no reason why I have it. The only painkillers my body accepts is paracetamol, which does not really work. Any ideas for what to do next?
A: Pain does become more common as we get older, but I do not think severe pain that affects walking should simply be dismissed as “just age”, particularly if it has been ongoing for over a year.
One difficulty is that scans do not always match the level of pain someone experiences.
Pain can come from muscles, tendons, nerves or referred pain from the spine or nearby joints, and these do not always show clearly on imaging.
Paracetamol is also often not very effective for more significant pain, especially if inflammation or nerve irritation is involved.
What matters most is understanding exactly where the pain is, what triggers it, and whether there are other symptoms such as stiffness, weakness, numbness or swelling.
I think it would be reasonable to ask for a more detailed review focused not just on painkillers, but on mobility and quality of life.
Physiotherapy, strengthening work, heat therapy, topical anti-inflammatory gels or treatments aimed at nerve pain can sometimes help more than standard pain relief alone.
Getting older may contribute to pain, but pain that limits walking still deserves proper attention and support.
TIP: A study last week suggested women could avoid menopausal weight gain by limiting potatoes and chips, salty food, processed meat (like bacon, ham and sausages) and ultra-processed foods. It might sound obvious. But specific dietary advice during this period can be helpful.
- Got a question for Dr Zoe? Email her at health@thesun.co.uk
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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