TWO PAINFUL TROUBLES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 12, Issue 298, 9 March 1945, Page 17

TWO PAINFUL TROUBLES

(Written for "The Listener’ by DR.

H. B.

TURBOTT

Director of the Division of School Hygiene)

| RAMPS in the legs at night, when resting in bed, worry old people, mothers in the later stages of pregnancy, and sometimes young people. A muscle goes into spasm, and there is acute discomfort. In our cell-tissues, respiration goes on all the time, oxygen going into them, waste material like lactic acid coming out into the blood. This interchange can be hindered by poor circulation in any area. The muscle cells go into spasm if they do not get enough oxveen. and

pain is felt if they collect too much lactic acid. Disease. may be. responsible — for example, diabetes interferes with the blood sugar level, and a certain sugar (dextrose) is needed as a catalyst for tissue respiration, The level of calcium in the blood has a bearing, for it must be right. To unravel the reason for cramps means a very thorough medical examination. It may be due to impaired circulation from arterio-sclerosis, high blood pressure, or vascular disease — these are more likely from the middle age of life. It may be due to diabetes, or some not so serious interference with the blood sugar level. And it may be from improper calcium levels in the blood caused by insufficient calcium rich foods, So the circulatory system needs testing out-and this, before trial of any lay treatments if cramps are worrisome. A hot bottle usually fails to relieve cramps-it only increases the oxygen demands of the muscle. Coolness would be better, to reduce the call on the blood supply. But you can try drinking more milk-and if you cannot drink milk, take calcium by the mouth-to increase your blood calcium level-and if this fails let your doctor find the cause. And Now Backache Probably no other form’ of pain gives tise to more "imaginative troubles" than backache. It is a complex problem to find the right cause among so many possible causes. The doctor knows that this symptom may indicate one of a great many disorders or diseases, of |

which the following unpleasant collection are only a few-gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, dyspepsia, gall-stones, disease of the uterus or generative organs, disease of the bladder or the lower wel, fibrositis (of which one form is umbago), disease of the spinal cord itself, or arthritis. ‘ The -treatment of backache is the treatment of its cause, and the» discovery of its cause is a job for an experienced doctor. Various physical measures for

the relief of pain may -be followed, but if you suffer at all from backache, you may be sure there is a good reason’ for it. Let -your doctor find the reason. Ag with every other complaint, early diagnosis is half the battle. I have made no mention of kidneys in reference to backache, for the reason that it is comparatively rarely that pain in the back is caused by kidney disease, When pain does originate in the kide neys, it is more likely to be felt in some part of the abdomen, even in the groin, than in the back. If backache is severe and persistent it must have treatment based on an accure ate diagnosis-a job for your doctor, This may give him a headache, but if he can only find the cause you will get relief.