How to help manage migraines
Approximately 10 million people suffer from migraines in the UK. But spring can cause havoc, with rapid shifts between sunny and rainy days, meaning they are more likely. Dr Ranj explains why feeling dizzy and getting pins and needles are a warning sign, and how a headache diary can help. He also busts some myths - including if chocolate and caffeine are culprits or cures.To watch with subtitles, go to iPlayer and search for Morning Live from 08/04/25.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
19-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Food poisoning alert as doctor says one meat has 'a lot' of bacteria
The common meal can easily lead to some uncomfortable health issues if people are not fully aware of these dos and don'ts A BBC doctor has issued a health alert to anyone cooking this summer to watch out for something 'really common' that could result in serious sickness. Speaking on BBC's Morning Live, Dr Punam Krishan shared some tips to make sure people are able to avoid food poisoning this season. It often spikes in the summer due to the warmer weather conditions, making it much easier for bacteria to spread. She said: "In warmer weather, bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli tend to multiply much faster, so it's really important to store [and cook] your food properly." The practising GP said that the simplest defence is knowing how the use your fridge, so Dr Punam provided a list of tips to keep your food safe, including: Keep your fridge set to between 0C and 5C: Some fridges have built-in thermometers, but you can buy and fit a separate one Don't overfill your fridge: It leaves little to no space for cold air to move about. Get food into the fridge as soon as possible: Avoid leaving your groceries in the car for long periods between shopping. Dr Punam issued some advice to anyone who eats chicken, turkey and duck. She said: "Raw poultry has a lot of bacteria, like salmonella and Campylobacter, that sit on the surface of your poultry. If it's not cooked properly, you can get really unwell." Leftovers might pile up if you cook for a crowd but don't have room for them on your plate. But even if you avoid all the food poisoning pitfalls, your leftovers might offer bacteria a second chance to infect. Dr Punam stressed the importance of letting cooked food cool completely before storing it in the fridge. If you know you won't eat the dish within the next couple of days, freeze it instead. She also warned that defrosting anything frozen could also lead to food poisoning and said the best thing to do is to transfer items from the freezer into the fridge to thaw gradually and safely. She said: "It might all sound like common sense, but [food poisoning] is one of the common culprits for why so many people get diarrhoea and vomiting." What are the signs of food poisoning? According to the NHS, food poisoning symptoms usually start within a few hours or a few days of eating food that caused the infection. Sometimes symptoms do not start for a few weeks - which could make it hard to pinpoint the meal that caused the issue - but this kind of delayed reaction is very rare. You can typically spot the signs of food poisoning in yourself or others by checking for the following red flags: feeling sick or being sick diarrhoea tummy pain a high temperature feeling generally unwell How to treat food poisoning? Any type of food can cause this poisoning, although it is rarely serious and usually gets better within a week. However, battling through the symptoms can be quite uncomfortable. You can normally treat yourself at home. The NHS says that "the most important thing is to have lots of fluids to avoid dehydration". Speak to a pharmacist if you have signs of dehydration (such as dark, smelly urine or peeing less than usual). People who are older, have a weakened immune system, or have other health conditions that increase their risk of dehydration should also get additional help from a pharmacist, who may recommend some oral rehydration powder that you mix with water to make a drink. The experts add that people should try to eat when they feel able to, and it may help to avoid foods that are fatty or spicy. Taking paracetamol if you're in discomfort should also help.
Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
BBC's Dr Xand issues 'three myths' alert over pneumonia after Pope's death
Dr Xand van Tulleken appeared on BBC's Morning Live to address common myths around pneumonia - including the idea that it is just a winter illness A BBC doctor has issued three warnings over pneumonia. One in five of us will experience problems with our lungs at some point - with one of the more serious conditions being pneumonia. The infection was recently prominent in the press due to the death of Pope Francis, who died following a five-week stay in hospital for double pneumonia. The infection contributed towards the multiple problems that ultimately caused his death. However, there are a few common myths surrounding the infection. Now BBC Morning Live's Dr Xand van Tulleken has tried to clear up the confusion in an appearance on BBC Morning Live this week. Myth 1 - Pneumonia is just a problem during winter Dr Xand was quick to crack down on this misconception, explaining: "You've got to be alert to it even in summer, it's not just a winter problem". He continued: "In the winter, the NHS might expect two to four thousand cases a week but in the summer you could be getting anywhere from 700 to 1500 cases." "It is a year-round thing", the GP warned. Myth 2 - Pneumonia is contagious The second myth is about how you might contract pneumonia, with Dr Xand saying that it's "not very contagious like Covid or a cold are contagious" but rather that pneumonia are an inflammation of your lungs that are "almost always caused by an infection". He continued: "Think of a pneumonia as an opportunity that bacteria have seized to start infecting your lungs because of some other problem. "Frequently, people get an upper respiratory tract infection, something like Covid or a cold or a cough, bit of bronchitis . . . that changes the microbiome in your lungs, which is an opportunity for 'bad' bacteria to overgrow and cause problems much deeper in your lungs and that interferes with the oxygen getting in and the carbon dioxide getting out." Myth 3 - Pneumonia is a disease that only affects older people Dr Xand clarified the third myth, stating that pneumonia "can be life threatening at any age". He explained: "Your lungs are like sponges - imagine a sponge that's been left by the sink and you never squeeze it out and let it dry, it gets a bit 'rotty' and smelly - that's essentially what's happening in a pneumonia - the fluid has got into the air spaces in the lungs, reducing air flow and blood flow, [allowing] 'bugs' to grow in the lungs, and that's what causes the problems." The NHS warns that "babies, older people, and people with heart or lung conditions are at risk of getting seriously ill and may need treatment in hospital". Pneumonia symptoms Responding to presenter Michelle's question about first symptoms to look for, Dr Xand was clear to express that pneumonia needed to be ultimately diagnosed with a chest x-ray. However, the following symptoms should be a sign to contact your GP: According to the doctor, these symptoms may be present, but in his personal experience, they may not be - and "so it can be an easy thing to miss". Speaking from experience, the medical professional explained that his mother had pneumonia a few years ago, but both he and his brother - who is also a doctor - nearly missed it as she wasn't displaying any of the regular symptoms. She just "looked grey and went to bed". Ways to protect yourself from pneumonia Vaccination The NHS advises that: "The pneumococcal vaccine helps protect against serious illnesses like pneumonia and meningitis. It's recommended for people at higher risk of these illnesses, such as babies and adults aged 65 and over. Your GP surgery will usually contact you if you or your child are eligible for the pneumococcal vaccine. This will usually be by letter, text, phone call or email." The NHS also advises that the flu, Covid and RSV vaccinations can help protect you or your child from infections that can cause pneumonia. Cut down or quit smoking Really important, says Dr Xand, "because it stops your body from shifting mucus out of your lungs". Avoid cough syrup and "keep the air flow in your lungs" According to Dr Xand, cough syrups will help you stop coughing, but "you want to cough, and you want to get mucus out of your lungs". To this point, he showed Gethin and Michelle a deep breathing exercise that many clinical practitioners suggest people with lung complaints do before and after surgery. He explained: "Put a hand on your tummy. . . take a deep breath in and puff your tummy out so that your really open up the bottoms of your lungs - hold that for 2-3 secs and then you can let it out with a bit of a 'huff'. "That may give you a bit of a cough but that's good - repeat that 3 or 4 times and what you're doing there is keeping your lungs ventilated", said the GP. Keeping your chest open gets air in, keeps the blood flowing and it doesn't give those bugs an opportunity to settle in your lungs." Good hygiene Hand washing and avoiding people that are obviously ill will prevent your risk of opening yourself up to infection. If you have had a cough for more than 3 weeks, or are coughing up blood, have chest pain or are short of breath at all, call your GP or ring 111.
Telegraph
05-05-2025
- Telegraph
I'm a GP. These are the six most commonly asked questions
For years I worked as a hospital doctor but found I never actually knew the answers to those simple, practical and often rather important questions that family members, friends, patients and just about everyone I meet chucks your way as soon as they realise they've got time with a doctor. In the pub, or at a dinner party, I would desperately try to recall what you were meant to do if you'd missed a dose of your contraceptive pill. Medical school seemed a distant memory. I could sort out your non-invasive ventilation and decide whether your kidneys were failing, but was your nephew's rash actually chickenpox? I wasn't sure either. So I decided to retrain as a GP. A colleague likened being a GP to the role of a secular priest. My parish, it seems though, is eternal WhatsApp queries, photos that need deleting and a small queue of camera operators wanting 'just a minute of your time' as I come off set from recording BBC1's Morning Live. As I write, my phone vibrates with a chasing message from my brother wanting thoughts on his latest medical conundrum. Do I mind? Absolutely not. I live and breathe this stuff. Come one, come all. 1. Why won't my cough go away? 'Don't be a GP', some said, 'it's just coughs and colds'. But as any discerning Dr Googler knows, it is far more complicated than that. The cough, poses a challenge for patient and doctor alike. Your search may have planted seeds of concern about TB or cancer, but this list of rarer causes is never far from your doctor's mind either. The skill, the chase, and the ultimate satisfaction lies in balancing the patient's clinical history on the scales of medically trained probability. A viral illness that will eventually self-resolve, far outruns the pack of most-likely bothersome cough causers, but the extensive options from search results will make you grateful to live in an era of high-speed broadband. Coughs lasting a few days? These are sadly a thing of the past. Many will take you into three or four weeks of misery. If a virus is to blame no antibiotic will help, but we are encouraged to consider self-care whilst the virus burns itself out. Even the national guidelines from NICE take us through options such as honey and over-the-counter cough remedies as potential soothers. Evidence to suggest these shorten symptom duration or improve quality of life is limited but whether it's placebo, distraction or just allowing time to tick by, most will settle. And if they don't, further investigation is required. 2. What do the blood pressure numbers mean? The Covid pandemic gave us a taste for home monitoring, with finger-tip oxygen meters flying off shelves. Many bathroom cabinets now resemble a well-stocked cubicle from the local Emergency Department. Whether you're checking it at home or being requested to pop by your local pharmacy or GP practice to give a reading, knowing your blood pressure is one of the single best things you can do to monitor your health. The brain and other vital organs must receive blood. When we're standing, it takes considerable pressure to pump blood up to those lofty heights. As the heart muscle squeezes, the highest pressure is created – known as the systolic blood pressure – and when the heart relaxes, a lower pressure – diastolic – is recorded. It is vital that even during the relaxation phase some pressure is maintained to keep blood flowing to our vital organs. Much like central heating systems, a total drop in pressure can have equally chilling results. Extremely high pressures can cause the pipes to burst, but for most with mild or moderate elevations in their blood pressure, this isn't the major concern. Modestly elevated pressures, left unattended over time, wear away at the walls of our blood vessels, roughening the inner surface lining of the pipes and allowing fats such as cholesterol to deposit, fur up, and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke. Should you check it? Yes. But more importantly, act to reduce it when required. 3. Surely I don't need a statin? By reputation these cholesterol-lowering drugs are ranked beneath most politicians. Often the mere suggestion of starting one will result in facial contortion of the patient sitting opposite me. I recently interviewed a cardiologist and asked him why statins had received such bad press? His response was that – as far as your heart was concerned – he had never seen a bad news story for statins. Of course, all drugs have potential side effects. Top of the disgust list for patients are stories of muscle pain and weakness. Reassuringly, a meta-analysis study in The Lancet, showed that over 90 per cent of muscle pain blamed on statins had nothing to do with the statin at all. The benefits of statins in reducing the rate of cardiovascular diseases have been shown repeatedly. Not only do these drugs reduce the artery-clogging bad cholesterol, known as LDL, but they are also thought to have a separate anti-inflammatory effect on the blood vessels themselves. If stroke and heart disease prevention aren't enticing enough, a recent study following more than 571,000 patients over 34 years showed a 26 per cent reduction in dementia in patients with low levels of bad cholesterol. This risk was shown to drop by a further 13 per cent in those on a statin. Rethink the grimace. I certainly am. 4. What can I do about my back pain? That sudden twang after a bend or unplanned heavy lift, so often followed by a spine-clutching waddle into the consulting room. Back pain is a nightmare when it strikes, not just for the individual patient, but for society as a whole. Estimates vary, but the cost of treating back pain and the indirect costs associated with work absence, run into many billions of pounds of UK GDP each year. Modern lifestyle does little to help. Our spines – hardly evolved from the days of active hunter-gatherer humans – simply disagree with sofa culture and desk time. The good news for the vast majority, is that our ancestors also offer a cure. The days of medical advice being to take yourself to bed with strong painkillers are long gone. Patients will often offer their own solution. The pain is better when standing or walking and worsens when sitting or lying down. There then lies the answer. Walking, moving and back pain exercises will settle things for most – but it can take time. Red flags that need urgent medical review are weakness, numbness, unintentional weight loss and problems controlling your bladder or bowels. Loyal friends and fellow sufferers may well-meaningly advocate an MRI scan. Whilst these certainly have their place, there's perhaps caution here against an overly-hasty trip to the scanner. For low-risk back pain, without red flags, scanning within the first 4-6 weeks has been shown in some studies to actually increase the length of duration of symptoms. Exactly why this happens is uncertain. Perhaps overly medicalising the problem has an impact on our speed of recovery. Not every bit of wear and tear seen on a scan is responsible for the symptoms we feel. 5. Should I go for screening? Screening offered by the NHS is carefully analysed to ensure that each program offers high yield – cost-effective – early detection. Yet the number of us not taking up invitations for cervical, breast and bowel cancer screening is extraordinarily high. Recent data from NHS England showed that up to 5 million women were not up to date with their cervical cancer screening. For many, the intention is there. So often though, its added to the to-do list, well below arranging MOTs and switching electricity suppliers. The reality is that early cancer detection really can save lives. Fear of testing and fear of results all play their part, but my greatest fear is you forgetting. If you've got a 'poo-in-the-post' packet sat on your kitchen table, follow the instructions. If there's a letter – it may seem Dickensian – open it. Elevate screening on your list. It should be up there with checking the smoke detectors. Get to it before the chirping beep starts annoying you. 6. Is this chickenpox? Here come the picture messages and anxious family members in the waiting room. Childhood rashes bring fear thanks to the well-publicised, but fortunately rare, rash associated with severe infections like bacterial meningitis. Have you pressed a glass onto it to see if it disappears? A rash that remains – or doesn't blanch – needs urgent attention. The most important question here though is, how is the child? Many simple viral illnesses in childhood bring rashes that can safely be managed at home with medical advice. But is it chickenpox? Characteristic fluid-filled itchy blisters? Surely it should be easy. Can I finally answer with certainty and be the doctor that the world around me appears to need? Sometimes.
