DR ELLIE: When sweating can be a sign of cancer

I’m an 80-year-old man and I’ve begun getting hot flushes. 

These happen seemingly at random. It’s so bad that my face gets covered in sweat and my shirt becomes stuck to my back. I’ve had a blood test but it didn’t show anything abnormal. What could be the problem?

Dr Ellie Cannon replies: Sweats or flushing should always be checked out by a doctor. Menopausal women are expected to have hot flushes – due to a drop in the female hormone oestrogen – but for everyone else it can be a worrying sign.

One possible cause is the skin condition rosacea. This can cause an intense feeling of heat and redness usually over the face, but may also cause sweating.

Some people also sweat in response to certain foods, as well as alcohol and caffeine. Anyone who begins experiencing this symptom may want to keep a food diary to see if any particular item sets off the sweating.

Excessive sweating can also be a sign of thyroid disease – an issue in the butterfly-shaped gland in the neck that helps regulate the body’s metabolism.

Other symptoms may include tiredness, weight gain, depression and muscle aches.

In rare cases, sweating can be a sign of cancer. Certain blood cancers are linked to the symptom and are more common in people over the age of 80. A GP can arrange blood tests to look for signs of cancer and can also discuss the other possible causes of the uncomfortable issue.

I’m a woman in my late 70s and recently my bowel movements have changed. I now need to poo every time I pee and I also get some discharge. A colonoscopy shows that I have a mild case of diverticulitis but I haven’t had any advice on what to do. What would you recommend?

Dr Ellie replies: Firstly, anyone who experiences a change in bowel habit must consult a doctor.

This is because it can be a sign of colorectal cancer. A GP would normally carry out a stool sample test to look for this. However, one of the most common causes is diverticulosis, a condition where small pouches develop in the lining of the bowel. This can trap some of the waste inside the bowels leading to inflammation and even infections.

It typically occurs in older age and is linked with a low-fibre diet. Symptoms often also include stomach pain, constipation, diarrhoea, bloody poo and bloating.

Passing mucus – also known as discharge – is another symptom, but is usually a sign that the condition is severe – not mild.

Anyone who experiences this symptom should see their GP, even if they recently got a diagnosis, because it might suggest that the bowels have become inflamed, which would require medical treatment.

However, one of the most important measures diverticulosis patients can take is to increase the amount of fibre in their diet.

This softens and bulks out the waste, making it less likely to get trapped in pouches. Foods rich in fibre include pulses, wholemeal bread, brown rice, wholewheat pasta, potatoes with the skin on, as well as vegetables and fruit.

GPs can also prescribe laxatives to help with any constipation and diarrhoea, as well as painkillers for stomach cramps.

I recently returned from a seven-week cruise, and since then have experienced a sensation of rocking – it’s as though I’m still at sea. I’ve read that it’s called disembarkment syndrome, but most people apparently only get it for a week at most. How can I make it stop?

Dr Ellie replies: Disembarkment syndrome is a rare problem usually linked with spending a long period of time on a ship.

People experience sensations of rocking or swaying even while standing still.

It can lead to sufferers feeling unbalanced and even trigger falls or accidents.

It is thought to be caused by changes in the inner ear – which helps balance the body.

When people spend extended time on a boat the inner ear sends signals to the brain to help the body adjust to its irregular movement. After returning to dry land, the inner ear should then readjust.

However, for a small number of people, this does not happen, meaning the body still believes the ground is constantly moving.

Disembarkment syndrome is more common in women and those who suffer migraines.

For most suffers it should go within weeks, but it can also last for up to a year. Unfortunately, there is no proven treatment for it, and travel sickness tablets do not work.

There is some evidence that anti-depressants may help, which a GP can prescribe.

There are also special exercises, called vestibular rehabilitation, that can help retrain the inner ear.

These can be provided by a physiotherapist who specialises in dealing with neurological or balance problems.

Diet and exercise are better than fat jabs 

In the US there are massive advertising billboards for private firms selling fat-loss jabs

Last week I visited family in the US and I was shocked how widespread the use of weight-loss drugs is there.

Revolutionary injections like Wegovy and Mounjaro help patients lose up to 15 per cent of their body-weight.

However, I have long been sceptical that these medicines are a panacea against obesity. Patients have to keep taking the pricey injections to keep the weight off.

Good diet and exercise are a far more sustainable solution.

Wherever you go in the US, there are now massive advertising billboards for private firms selling the injections over the internet.

There is even a TV advert for the jabs that is so prevalent that all my family members could recite the jingle from memory.

It’s not too surprising given that research shows one in eight adults have tried one of these injections.

But, despite this, the majority of American still eat massive portions for every meal, regularly drink sugar-packed pop, and consume far too much red meat.

There’s an important lesson for the UK here. Yes, the NHS should be offering these drugs but it’s crucial the Government takes other measures to tackle obesity alongside this approach, like taxing fast food and ensuring children all take part in school sports.

It’s never too late for therapy 

Have you ever considered therapy? For many people, especially those later in life, talking to a stranger about your problems can be quite an off-putting thought.

However, I was struck by a recent conversation I had with an elderly patient who took up talking therapy.

The man had ended up in hospital with a severe illness and, for a time, it looked like he might not make it.

Recovering from a long-stint in the intensive ward, he was advised that therapy might help him get over the traumatic experience.

He’d never considered it as an option before and doubted it would be helpful. But he told me it changed his life.

Not only did it help alleviate the mental trauma of his illness, it also helped him come to terms with depression and anxiety he’d secretly been dealing with for decades.

It made me wonder whether many GPs wrongly believe there is no point suggesting older people take part in therapy.

Have you had therapy at an older age? Did it help? Write and let me know.

Do you have a question for Dr Ellie Cannon? Email DrEllie@mailonsunday.co.uk

Dr Cannon cannot enter into personal correspondence and her replies should be taken in a general context.