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Jan 03, 2006
<b>My feet are always cold</b><br>Dear Doctor, Is having cold feet a disease? My feet are always cold. Am I normal? What can I do? Ms Dear Ms, Most of the heat in the body is made in the mass of the trunk (chest and abdomen).
My feet are always cold
Dear Doctor, Is having cold feet a disease? My feet are always cold. Am I normal? What can I do? Ms Dear Ms, Most of the heat in the body is made in the mass of the trunk (chest and abdomen). Our blood system distributes it throughout the body and the brain helps maintain a constant body temperature. Nevertheless, because some body parts are further away from the trunk than others, they will be at a slightly lower temperature than other parts. They lose heat faster. This is true of the feet. It is normal for them to be at a lower temperature than the rest of the body. Because of this, they will feel cool when you touch them. This can be made worse in some conditions restricting blood flow to the feet. This occurs in diseases of the arteries. Ms, visit your doctor to rule out any complication. If that is so, you can always cover your feet to keep them warm.
I have throat irritation
Dear Doctor, For a month, I have felt a sensation in my throat like I am going to get flu, but it is the lower part where food passes that is affected. It continued even after stopping lipstick as my doctor advised. I drink at least a litre of water everyday. What could be the problem? Happy Dear Happy, Has there been any change to your voice during this time? It could be an infection of the 'voice box' area. If it is, a course of antibiotics will help you but it must be recommended by your doctor. Do you talk a lot (a lecturer, teacher, radio presenter, singer etc)? When one uses the voice a lot, the throat gets dry. This leads to irritation in the lower throat, a hoarse voice and general discomfort or pain in the throat. Taking small sips of water regularly while you are talking (not a lot at the same time), can help moisten the throat and prevent it from drying. The best advice is to see your doctor again. If treatment fails, arrange for a consultation with an ENT specialist.
My penis hurts so much
Dear Doctor, I have a burning sensation in the penis that won't go even after treatment and it has become unbearable. I have spent much money on medication which has not helped and tests have revealed nothing. What could be wrong with me? Paul Dear Paul, This condition could be a urinary tract infection (UTI). Common symptoms are frequent urination, burning urination and lower abdominal pains. UTI is the commonest cause of the burning sensation you are talking about. UTIs usually respond well to treatment. Things that make them difficult to treat include abnormalities within the system and diseases like diabetes, HIV and Urinary Schistosomiasis. Prostate infections in the man are also hard to treat. These conditions need investigation and treatment of the underlying condition with treatment of the infection itself. Paul, you need to see a doctor. A urine culture is necessary - to find out the actual bacteria causing the infection and what drug will work on it. If it does not respond to that treatment, or if it comes back, your doctor will refer you to a specialist in problems of the urine tract (urologist) who will do further tests and solve any problems. Do not go from one doctor to another and do not take drugs without your doctor's advice. The problem can be solved, but it may take some time and patience. Dr Paul Semugoma semugoma@hotmail.com Write to Ask The Doctor, Box 9815, Kampala or health@newvision.co.ug
Dear Doctor, Is having cold feet a disease? My feet are always cold. Am I normal? What can I do? Ms Dear Ms, Most of the heat in the body is made in the mass of the trunk (chest and abdomen). Our blood system distributes it throughout the body and the brain helps maintain a constant body temperature. Nevertheless, because some body parts are further away from the trunk than others, they will be at a slightly lower temperature than other parts. They lose heat faster. This is true of the feet. It is normal for them to be at a lower temperature than the rest of the body. Because of this, they will feel cool when you touch them. This can be made worse in some conditions restricting blood flow to the feet. This occurs in diseases of the arteries. Ms, visit your doctor to rule out any complication. If that is so, you can always cover your feet to keep them warm.
I have throat irritation
Dear Doctor, For a month, I have felt a sensation in my throat like I am going to get flu, but it is the lower part where food passes that is affected. It continued even after stopping lipstick as my doctor advised. I drink at least a litre of water everyday. What could be the problem? Happy Dear Happy, Has there been any change to your voice during this time? It could be an infection of the 'voice box' area. If it is, a course of antibiotics will help you but it must be recommended by your doctor. Do you talk a lot (a lecturer, teacher, radio presenter, singer etc)? When one uses the voice a lot, the throat gets dry. This leads to irritation in the lower throat, a hoarse voice and general discomfort or pain in the throat. Taking small sips of water regularly while you are talking (not a lot at the same time), can help moisten the throat and prevent it from drying. The best advice is to see your doctor again. If treatment fails, arrange for a consultation with an ENT specialist.
My penis hurts so much
Dear Doctor, I have a burning sensation in the penis that won't go even after treatment and it has become unbearable. I have spent much money on medication which has not helped and tests have revealed nothing. What could be wrong with me? Paul Dear Paul, This condition could be a urinary tract infection (UTI). Common symptoms are frequent urination, burning urination and lower abdominal pains. UTI is the commonest cause of the burning sensation you are talking about. UTIs usually respond well to treatment. Things that make them difficult to treat include abnormalities within the system and diseases like diabetes, HIV and Urinary Schistosomiasis. Prostate infections in the man are also hard to treat. These conditions need investigation and treatment of the underlying condition with treatment of the infection itself. Paul, you need to see a doctor. A urine culture is necessary - to find out the actual bacteria causing the infection and what drug will work on it. If it does not respond to that treatment, or if it comes back, your doctor will refer you to a specialist in problems of the urine tract (urologist) who will do further tests and solve any problems. Do not go from one doctor to another and do not take drugs without your doctor's advice. The problem can be solved, but it may take some time and patience. Dr Paul Semugoma semugoma@hotmail.com Write to Ask The Doctor, Box 9815, Kampala or health@newvision.co.ug