Q: I have had giddiness for the last year. I have been taking vertin tablets and have gradually increased the dose to one tablet three times a day. I am now afraid to stop the tablets. Should I switch to homeopathy?

A:You may need to be investigated for the giddiness. An ENT surgeon will do that for you. The balance centre is situated in the inner ear. If there is anything wrong with it, an ENT surgeon can advice you and correct it.

At the same time you need to do a neck X-ray to see if there is a weakness or an altered position in these bones. Wearing a neck brace for a few months and exercises will usually correct this.

Painful heels

Q: I have pain in both my heels, the right more than the left. I cannot walk because of that.

A:Heel pain tends to occur if a person has flat feet or high arches, is overweight, diabetic, wears poorly fitting or worn out shoes, runs or jogs on hard surfaces or has an abnormal gait. Perhaps you need to get an X-ray taken of your heel. Quite often the pain is due to a “spur” or extra bone growth.

Consult an orthopaedic surgeon. Treatment usually involves physiotherapy, stretching exercises, proper footwear and, sometimes, prosthetic shoe inserts. If all else fails, you might require injections in the heel or surgery to remove the spur.

Growing pains

Q: My daughter who is five years old complains of pain in both her legs every night. She makes us massage them till she sleeps.

A:She may have growing pains. These are felt in the calves or on the sides of the legs, but not in the joints. They are probably due to the intense physical activity of childhood. They may be present for some months and then disappear. X-rays are not required. Blood tests may be done to rule out anaemia. Soaking the legs in warm salted water for 10 minutes before sleeping usually helps. If the pain is very severe, paracetemol 10 mg/kg can be given.

Stiff fingers

Q: My fingers are stiff in the mornings. I am unable to start work for an hour or so. They tend to loosen up by afternoon.

A:Check if you are retaining fluid. Your weight will then increase and your feet will also be swollen. Also check your thyroid status. If both these are normal, you need to purchase two rubber balls. Soak your hands in warm salted water and press the balls repeatedly under water. Do this 20 times morning and evening.

Stents or not

Q: My mother, 65, has high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. She developed chest pain so we took her to a cardiologist, who did an angiogram. He found two blocks in the vessels of her heart. He wants to put in stents. My father is afraid and wants to maintain her on medications.

A:The blocked vessels can suddenly cause her to have a fatal heart attack. Medications can only help to a certain extent. It is better to put in the stents. The procedure is now very safe and effective. It will give her a long lease of life.

Cold feet

Q: My hands and feet become cold after exercising, even though the rest of my body is sweating!

A:The body automatically diverts blood away from hands and feet to vital organs when it feels a need. This may make your hands and feet feel cold. Wear socks and gloves while exercising and for some time afterwards.

Baby weight

Q: My baby was 2.5 kg at birth. He is now one. How much should he weigh?

A:A baby should triple his birth weight by the first year. This means he should be 7.5 kg. This is in contrast to a baby 3.5 kg at birth, who will be 10.5 kg at one year. He will look much bigger than your son, even though both are growing normally. Remember breast milk is the best for the first 4-6 months. After that he should be weaned on to home cooked foods, not commercially available packaged food. Don’t be misled by advertising or pressured into giving supplements.

Dr Gita Mathai is a paediatrician with a family practice at Vellore. Questions on health issues may be emailed to her at yourhealthgm@yahoo.co.in