Doctor Dawn Harper answers all your questions
DAWN HARPER
HELP! HIS NAIL HAS TURNED BLACK
Q My husband hit his finger at the weekend while doing some DIY. The nail went black and was causing a lot of pain, so we went to A&E and they drilled a hole in the nail to release a collection of blood under the nail. It immediately eased the pain, but today it’s worse than ever. Should we go back?
A The procedure your husband had is called trephination and it is only done one or two days following an injury. After that the blood under the nail will have clotted, so trephination is not effective. But he should make an appointment to see his GP as the increase in pain could be due to infection.
WILL I GET A BREAST CHECK?
Q Four years ago, I moved from Surrey to Yorkshire to be closer to my daughter and my grandchildren. I used to be invited every three years for a mammogram and have just realised that I would have been due by now, but I haven’t been called. How do I book myself into the system up here and ensure that
I get those appointments every three years? As long as you are registered with an NHS GP, you will automatically be called every three years between the ages of 50 and 71. The local authority works its way around GP surgeries calling all eligible women in each practice in turn. Your local breast screening service should be able to tell you when your practice is due and therefore when you are likely to be called.
Afraid to ask?
PAIN AFTER SEX
Q After being single for many years, I have recently met someone online. We live a long way from each other so don’t get to see each other very often. When we do, every time we have sex I get cystitis. How can I stop this?
A This is known as
