DR ELLIE CANNON: I was hit hard by a shocking pain in my face – will it return? 

Last month I experienced a terrible pain on one side of my face – like an electric shock that travels from my upper lip to my hairline. It lasted a few seconds, but stopped me in my tracks. I saw my GP who suggested it was trigeminal neuralgia, prescribed pregabalin and arranged an appointment with a neurologist. I’m afraid the pain will come back. Will it?

Trigeminal neuralgia is a sudden and severe facial pain. Attacks can last from seconds to several minutes and can occur hundreds of times a day.

It is related to problems with one of the trigeminal nerves, which run on either side of the face and branch from just in front of the ear, around the eyes and across the forehead and also the jaw. Usually only one is affected, so pain is only felt on one side of the face.

Trigeminal nerves transmit sensations of touch and pain, but they can become compressed—often by nearby blood vessels, for reasons not always clear—leading to episodic pain.

The attacks can be triggered by activities involving touching the face, eating, and brushing teeth. But also a light breeze or air conditioning, or movement of the face or head can cause it.

We usually don’t diagnose it until there is consistent or recurring pain, but a GP may choose to prescribe something as a preventative measure.

The most commonly used drug for trigeminal neuralgia is carbamazepine, which relieves nerve pain. Pregabalin is also a medication for nerve pain, but is usually not given in these cases.

Looking for causes is an important next step – for example, dental problems can be linked. Patients should expect a referral to a specialist pain clinic – with waiting lists as they currently are, getting the appointment can entail persistence with the GP. In some severe cases, surgery is required.

A few years ago I started on statins because my cholesterol was very high – 7.7. My levels didn’t drop enough so I was switched to another statin, but this seemed to cause intense anxiety. A third type caused the same problem. I can only tolerate a low dose of the original statin, but this does not control my cholesterol. I have a family history of heart attacks so I’m wondering if I have other options?

Very high cholesterol combined with a family history of heart attacks is a high-risk situation.

Lowering cholesterol levels would reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke. But other things will also be important, such as treating diabetes or elevated blood sugar and high blood pressure. Regular exercise and making sure you’re at a healthy weight — with a waist size of less than 37 inches for men and 31 inches for women — are key to this.

Statins are common medications, but there are side effects for some people. Anxiety isn’t the typical anxiety we hear about, but if it’s something you suffer from, doctors should provide alternatives. If only a lower dose of statins is tolerable, there is the option of adding another type of cholesterol-lowering drug called ezetimibe. Together, they can help control cholesterol without the side effects.

Lowering cholesterol levels would reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke

In many hospitals, there are specialized lipid clinics that focus on people with very high cholesterol levels that are difficult to treat. by a general practitioner.

The Heart UK charity can provide advice (heartuk.org.uk).

My six month old grandson has an inflamed rash all over his body. Our doctor prescribed an antihistamine, which only reduced the redness. He can’t sleep, which means mom and dad can’t either. Can you give any advice?

The first thing I would think of is eczema. This causes inflamed, dry, and red skin with episodes that flare up and then subside.

It’s common in babies and we have pretty standard treatment regimens that we would offer parents. A word of warning: sticking to this can be exhausting and boring. It can certainly help a lot, but only if it is consistent.

The first step is to avoid all irritants, such as bath products and shampoos and things that can affect the skin, including fabric softener. Talk to pharmacists about a suitable soap substitute – usually a cream or oil that is rubbed onto the skin.

An emollient cream should be used at least three or four times a day (often when changing a diaper) – these are medically formulated moisturizers that hydrate and soften the skin.

There are a number of options on pharmacy shelves and it may take some trial and error to find one that fits.

In addition, if eczema flares up particularly, a mild steroid cream can be used for a few days in the worst areas.

This worries some patients, but these are extremely safe and definitely a better option than leaving a baby in pain with the rash.

Antihistamines generally do not help eczema.

It is worth considering cow’s milk protein allergy. This can cause a serious eczema-like problem on the skin, as well as digestive issues, and often babies with very inflamed skin have this, not eczema.

Weather warnings are not that crazy

I rolled my eyes when I read about the government’s plan to introduce a new system of color-coded alerts to let us know when it gets very hot or very cold.

I’m sure you thought, as I did, “Well, I can figure that out myself, thank you very much.” But we Brits are not very good in the heat. I know this because every summer I see sunburned children and the elderly with heatstroke in my clinic. And every year thousands of people die from the heat in the UK. It is a serious problem, especially among the over-65s. Health problems are also a problem in winter, when the temperature drops.

So I will sign up for the emails. You can register via the website of the Dutch government (gov.uk). The easiest is to Google ‘Weather-Health Alerting System’ and it should show up as the top hit.

Which women’s health problems do YOU ​​want to address now?

In August last year, the government launched its Women’s Health Strategy for England, after a year of collecting reports from women about their medical experiences.

There was a myriad of responses, with many telling stories of being ignored, fired, and mistreated. The Mail on Sunday is passionate about changing this – that’s why we’re putting together a Women’s Health Panel to address the biggest health issues facing 51 per cent of the population.

In the coming weeks, we’ll be dedicating an entire issue of Health to answering in depth the most pressing issues you face. You can email me at DrEllie@mailonsunday.co.uk or write to: The Mail on Sunday, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY

It will feature the UK’s leading experts in a wide range of medical specialties from gynecology and mental health to fitness and dermatology. Today we have one question: What do YOU ​​want us to talk about?

In the coming weeks, we’ll be dedicating an entire issue of Health to answering in depth the most pressing issues you face.

You can email me at DrEllie@mailonsunday.co.uk or write to: The Mail on Sunday, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY.