My 50 year old son has suffered from large and painful cancerous growths all his life and no over the counter drugs seem to work. He also suffers from ankylosing spondylitis since childhood and has a stressful job. What is the best way to get rid of these sores?
Ruth Harris, Frimley, Surrey.
It sounds like recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), a common but somewhat mysterious condition that causes recurrent mouth ulcers.
At any given time, up to a fifth of the population suffers from RAS. The various possible causes are vitamin deficiencies and trauma, for example from ill-fitting dentures.
Another recent theory is that it is due to a problem with the immune cells that protect the lining of the mouth.
In fact, recent ground-breaking research among the 500,000 participants in the UK Biobank Study (a database of genetic and general health information) found a strong link between RAS and ankylosing spondylitis, your son’s immune disorder (which affects the spine and other parts of the spine to become inflamed body due to a faulty immune system response).
At any given time, up to a fifth of the population suffers from RAS. The various possible causes are vitamin deficiencies and trauma, for example from ill-fitting dentures
As described in your long letter, your son has the typical pattern of a RAS patient, with episodes free of ulcers interspersed with episodes when he has several painful ulcers at the same time.
There are a number of recommended treatments available on prescription.
An antibacterial mouthwash containing tetracycline dissolved in water is effective in treating mouth ulcers even when a bacterial infection is not present (how it helps is not clear). There is also dexamethasone mouthwash, which is only available by prescription and contains a steroid agent to suppress painful sores in the mouth.
Or there’s Orabase, an over-the-counter or online gel that contains another steroid, triamcinolone. It is applied twice a day on each boil. Finally, a topical anesthetic sealant with 2 percent lidocaine can at least make meals less uncomfortable.
Six months ago, an insect bite left me with a painful and swollen right foot and ankle. Antibiotics didn’t make it better, and despite X-rays and CT and MRI scans, doctors are baffled as to why it remains inflamed.
I am 80 and hobbling around in constant pain. It’s like walking on broken glass.
Terry Talbot, Lytham, Lancashire.
I understand your frustration at not having a clear diagnosis for your condition. I suspect the problem may be lymphedema due to the bite itself and damaged part of the lymphatic system.
It is the system that removes waste, bacteria and other unwanted substances from tissues via the lymphatic fluid. This waste is then returned to the bloodstream through tubes called lymphatic vessels.
It is possible that the insect bite has damaged the lymphatic channels in your leg. This, in turn, can lead to a buildup of lymphatic fluid in the tissues, a condition known as lymphedema. Bacterial organisms that flourished as a result of the bite may have been resistant to the antibiotics used to treat it, possibly exacerbating the damage.
But the x-rays and scans wouldn’t necessarily have picked it up, since a specialized form of imaging is needed to delineate the bone’s lymphatics.
If lymphedema is confirmed, wearing a compression stocking up to the knee helps with the symptoms. In some cases, special massage techniques are also used to disperse the fluid and reduce inflammation.
I would recommend that you talk to your doctor about further testing.
Write to Dr. scramble
Write to Dr. Scurr to Good Health, Daily Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY or email: drmartin@dailymail.co.uk – add contact details. DR Scurr cannot respond to personal correspondence. Answers should be taken in a general context. If you have health problems, contact your GP.
In my opinion… Stay away from artificial sweeteners
I am concerned about the amount of chemicals and additives in our food. For example, high fructose corn syrup, a sweetener, has been linked to fatty liver disease when consumed in excess.
There are also all sorts of preservatives, colorings and flavorings that some experts fear have a cocktail effect and are bad for our health.
And now I read that according to the World Health Organization (WHO) draft guidelines, artificial sweeteners should not be used as part of a diabetes management program or as a way to treat obesity.
Why? Because according to the WHO, they tend to lead to weight gain in the long term. Artificial sweeteners have always been advertised as inert and therefore harmless.
However, recent studies are increasingly showing that some of these chemicals can affect the gut microbiome (the billions of bacteria and other microbes that play a key role in our health) and can also increase blood sugar levels.
We’ve all been rightfully berated about the negative effects of too much sugar in our diet. It’s all too easy to fall into the world of zero-calorie colas, slimline tonics, and other chemically sweetened foods and products and trust that they’re better for us.
But based on this emerging evidence, I think it’s best to try to avoid foods and drinks containing artificial sweeteners whenever possible.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
