DR. ELLIE CANNON: My hip surgery made my skin crawl – will this ever go away?

I had hip replacement surgery six months ago and have recovered well. But soon after the surgery I noticed pins and needles in one leg, which made it feel like something was crawling under my skin. My lower leg also felt numb and neither sensation has gone away. I have been prescribed amitriptyline, but it does not stop the symptoms completely. Will they stay there forever?

Hip replacement surgeries are often great for patients because they get a good quality of life and a solution to the pain.

But it is also a major operation and often causes nerve damage. This can happen during the surgery itself, which involves cutting the skin and muscle to reach the joint, or the nerves can become pinched due to postoperative swelling or bruising.

This can lead to the numbness and strange, crawling feelings you describe. These problems are sometimes short-lived as nerves heal – albeit slowly. However, it is important that patients know that there is a chance of long-term problems. If someone has been experiencing these symptoms for six months, this may indicate that they will persist.

This outcome should have been stated as part of the consent process for the surgery.

Visit your doctor, who can assess which nerves appear to be affected. We can also arrange tests called neurophysiology, which look at the electrical activity of the nerves to assess whether they are functioning. The test is usually performed in a specialized department of a hospital.

When dealing with each symptom, the risks and benefits of treatment must be weighed against each other.

If the discomfort is reduced with a medication – amytriptyline is an antidepressant that also relieves nerve pain – and life can continue better than before the surgery, acceptance of the new sensations may be the best way forward.

Many people say they get used to the feelings over time, although it can be difficult.

A referral for cognitive behavioral therapy can also help; it doesn’t solve the problem, but it does make it easier to deal with.

Since I had the Pfizer Covid shot, my periods have been intermittent for almost two weeks. It’s annoying and I’m worried. My doctor suggested that the birth control pill might help, but I really don’t want to take it. Is there a natural alternative I could take instead?

I am afraid not. That said, natural changes in the body such as stress, travel and weight change can affect your cycle.

To make your periods shorter, you should take a hormone medication. This could be a contraceptive pill or a hormone IUD. If you just want to reduce pain and bleeding, non-hormonal tablets are an option.

Periods change as people get older, but if you’ve had a fairly significant change in periods without an obvious cause, it may be worth looking into. This may include blood tests and a pelvic ultrasound to look at the ovaries and uterus.

Vaginal swabs may also be taken to rule out infection, as these can change the bleeding pattern. Also make sure your Pap smears are up to date as bleeding from the cervix can occur.

There were anecdotal reports that Covid vaccines caused changes in the menstrual cycle, but it was never clear whether this was a coincidence or not.

Stress and lifestyle changes during the pandemic, such as weight gain or a change in exercise habits, may have affected some people’s periods.

There is also evidence that the virus itself affected the menstrual cycle. It is important to note that while some vaccines contain inactivated viruses, the Covid jabs did not.

Long periods are tricky, and managing them really depends on how much it interferes with quality of life. Some women may choose the treatment because they find that they can handle menstruation better than a hormone medication.

My dentist told me that I grind my teeth. He made me a mouthguard, but I have trouble using it because it makes me gag. I’m afraid this could lead to long term problems. Is there anything else I can do to stop it?

Teeth grinding is also called bruxism. It can cause earaches, headaches, jaw pain, and even facial and neck pain. Dentists see a lot of evidence of teeth grinding, as it causes broken, sensitive and eroded teeth.

Mouthguards – plastic devices to cover your teeth, kind of like the ones boxers use – are the best treatment. They are worn at night to prevent damage to the teeth by reducing jaw movement.

We don’t always know what causes bruxism, but some believe it is related to stress and anxiety. This is why breathing exercises before bed and adopting a relaxing bedtime routine can help. Make sure the bedroom is dark, quiet and not too warm. Also avoid alcohol, caffeine and scrolling social media before bed.

For some, it is related to other sleep problems, such as snoring or sleep apnea. Treating this, which your GP can help with, can also help alleviate bruxism.

If bruxism does not cause problems, patients often opt for treatment, although this does carry risks of damage to the teeth.

Like all medicines, HRT carries risks

A study has suggested that women who use HRT are at greater risk of developing arthritis.

But I don’t think we should worry because the research simply shows a correlation and does not prove cause and effect.

Researchers focused on the less common form of the disease, rheumatoid arthritis, which is caused by the immune system going haywire and targeting the joints, leading to pain and inflammation.

It affects many more women than men, and the condition often worsens after childbirth and during menopause – when levels of sex hormones estrogen and progesterone fluctuate.

However, it is a reminder that, despite the heavy marketing of HRT, it is not a ‘natural safe option’ as is sometimes claimed. All medications, even very useful ones, carry risks and side effects.

All women deserve a safe and healthy pregnancy

The number of women dying during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth has risen to its highest level in two decades, according to grim data from campaign group MBRRACE-UK. The main cause is thromboembolism – blood clots that block arteries.

We are all too aware of recent baby deaths due to poor maternity care in some NHS hospitals, and unfortunately similar failures may be at play here.

Scientists have found that poor health and obesity are also linked to these tragic consequences.

But the key to the research is that women in deprived areas have a maternal mortality rate that is more than twice that of women in affluent areas, while black women are three times as likely to die before, during or after childbirth. die.

The number of women dying during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth has risen to its highest level in two decades, according to grim data from campaign group MBRRACE-UK. The main cause is thromboembolism – blood clots that block arteries

Healthcare should be doing better, but there is only so much doctors and nurses can solve what is essentially a life problem faced by the poorest people in society.

Healthy pregnancies start with the quality of housing and education – not just nutrition and weight.