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 DR ROSEMARY LEONARD: GETTING TO THE HEART OF MEDICAL MATTERS
Eczema can be treated with cream Tuesday July 27,2010 Q: I AM travelling to Australia soon and would like your advice on how to avoid deep vein thrombosis (DVT). I am 71 years old, in good health and not on any medication except for amitriptyline. A: BLOOD is normally kept flowing in the deep veins of the leg by the action of the leg muscles which press against the veins. Sitting still for more than three hours can mean the blood flows more slowly and in some people this can lead to a clot forming. The best way to prevent a clot is to exercise leg muscles during the flight. Rotate your ankles and walk up and down the aisle at least once an hour. If you sleep during the flight exercise them again when you wake up. You should avoid becoming dehydrated as this can make the blood more prone to clotting. Drink plenty of water during the flight and avoid alcohol and coffee. Flight socks or stockings which apply graduated compression to the legs can also help prevent blood clots but to work they must fit correctly. Never guess your size. When you are buying them ask to be measured properly. You should avoid wearing anything tight around your legs such as ordinary knee-high socks or tight shoes. Anything that presses into your skin will put pressure on a vein and so increase the risk of a clot. Q: RECENTLY I have been suffering from night sweats. I am fit and keep myself active. Is there any treatment for this complaint? A: AROUND the age of 50 the most common cause of night sweats in women is a fall in hormone levels associated with the menopause. They can also be caused by an infection and although this may be something obvious such as a sore throat or bronchitis, a urinary tract infection could be to blame. In older people this often does not cause much in the way of symptoms except maybe needing to go to the toilet a little more often.
Night sweats can be due to an underlying medical condition that has either not been diagnosed or properly treated such as diabetes or an overactive thyroid. They can also be a side effect of some commonly-used medications such as antidepressants or treatments for heart problems. More rarely they can be a sign of a problem with blood cell production and a sign of lymphoma or leukaemia. See your GP who can organise tests to check whether there is an underlying cause. Q: MY DAUGHTER’S six-month-old baby has eczema. She puts oil on his skin and he wears mittens to stop him scratching but she is very distressed. Is eczema common in babies and will it get better? She has been unable to breastfeed him so could the eczema be caused by an allergy to formula? A: UP TO nine per cent of young children have eczema that starts in the first year of life. The exact cause isn’t known but it appears to be due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Babies who have a parent with an allergic disorder such as asthma, eczema or hay fever are more at risk and that risk is greater if both parents are affected. Formula milk is very rarely to blame. A much more common trigger is an allergy to house dust mites, the tiny insects that live in soft furnishings and toys, as well as irritation from soaps, detergents and perfumes in products used for washing clothes and the skin. It is important to keep the baby’s skin moist. This means frequent application of a cream or an ointment suitable for sensitive skin. For babies these are available free on prescription. Soaps and bubble baths, even those designed for infants are drying and should be avoided. Instead the skin should be washed with a cream or ointment and a small amount of moisturising oil added to the bath water. Again these are available on prescription. Clothes should be washed with non-biological detergents while those with added perfume and fabric conditioners are best avoided. Most youngsters do grow out of their eczema but often not for several years. You can get more information from the National Eczema Society on 0800 089 1122 or by visiting www.eczema.org l If you have a health question for Dr Rosemary please write to her in confidence at The Northern & Shell Building, 10 Lower Thames Street, London EC3R 6EN, or email health@express.co.uk Dr Rosemary’s reply will appear in this column. She regrets that she cannot enter into personal correspondence or reply to everyone. 
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