PAIN is one of the most common things readers ask me about. We all experience it now and again, and some live with it daily. A new ache should be investigated if it does not go away after 12 weeks with standard care, such as painkillers.
There could be an underlying cause, such as arthritis or nerve damage . Chronic pain , which affects more than one in three of us, continues for longer than 12 weeks, either due to a health condition or despite treatment. Pain is also one of the most common symptoms of cancer.
READ MORE FROM DR ZOE Sir Chris Hoy , who recently revealed his terminal prostate cancer diagnosis, said last week that his only symptom was a pain in his shoulder. Meanwhile, an acute ache that comes on suddenly with no obvious cause, such as an injury, is often a warning. For example, in the chest – and spreading to the back, arm, neck and jaw – may indicate a heart attack, while abdominal pain could be the gallbladder or appendix.
For sudden, severe pain, call 999. Most read in Health Meanwhile, here is a selection of what readers have asked me..
. HARD ARTERY FEARS Q: About 18 months ago, I collapsed and then was given a CT scan to see if there were any blood clots in my lungs. There wasn’t, but a build-up of calcium in an artery to the heart was found.
I was fitted with a 24-hour monitor and the results were OK, but nothing else has been said. Is there anything I can do to help this? If I get some chest pain it feels like my heart is racing. A: I’m glad to h.