From agonising arthritis to foot pain making it difficult to walk – Dr Jeff answers your health questions
DR Jeff Foster is The Sun on Sunday’s resident doctor and is here to help YOU.
Dr Jeff, 43, splits his time between working as a GP in Leamington Spa, Warks, and running his clinic, H3 Health, which is the first of its kind in the UK to look at hormonal issues for both men and women.
See h3health.co.uk and email at drjeff@the-sun.co.uk.
Q) I AM 83 and a carer for my wife.
For four months I’ve had painful thumbs, which got so bad that I saw my GP.
He diagnosed arthritis, recommended injections and sent off a request.
I’ve received a reply that I’m on the 26-week waiting list.
It is so painful it’s making it hard to care for my wife.
Is there anything I can do to cope with the pain while I wait?
Kenneth Hughes, Derby
A) Delays in secondary-care waiting lists are sadly here to stay.
As the demands on the NHS have risen, GPs are now trying to manage thousands of patients who should have been seen in secondary care but are on an ever-increasing waiting list.
So while we might be able to improve or manage symptoms, we cannot always treat the underlying cause.
In the case of generalised arthritis, this is a disease of ageing and wear and tear.
Once the cartilage that sits in between our joints disappears, the bone rubs against bone, causing pain, swelling and a decreased range of motion.
We all get osteoarthritis if we live long enough, but the principles of management are the same for everyone – try to keep active, as movement and muscle strength relieves pressure on the joint, and use anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen or naproxen (if safe for you to do so).
Regular paracetamol can also help with background pain, and your doctor may be able to offer stronger medication to help dull the pain when it is at its worst.
Q) I HAVE had pain in my foot for four years and have been walking on my toes for that long.
An MRI showed a split in my peroneus brevis tendon.
I was discharged in pain from the consultant and from physiotherapy because they can’t work with patients in pain.
I still can’t walk so I emailed the hospital but had no reply.
What should I do next?
Elizabeth Ryan, Dagenham, East London
A) Even pre-pandemic, the NHS had to deal with a combination of rising life expectancy, a cut in real-terms funding, greater patient expectation and a declining number of GPs and quality social care.
As such, many patients now feel frustrated and lost in a system where they have little autonomy.
Successive political parties have failed to tackle these core problems in the NHS.
I mention this as, sadly, your case is not unique.
Call the secretary of the consultant you saw and ask if you are due a follow-up soon.
They may be able to advise you.
If all else fails, talk to the hospital’s Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), the patients’ advocate for concerns within the hospital system.