From prostate concerns to long Covid – Dr Jeff answers your health questions

DR JEFF FOSTER is The Sun on Sunday’s new resident doctor and is here to help YOU.

Dr Jeff, 43, splits his time between working as a GP in Leamington Spa, Warks, and running his clinic, H3 Health, which is the first of its kind in the UK to look at hormonal issues for both men and women. See h3health.co.uk.

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Q) MY husband is 72 and sometimes struggles to pass urine.

He refuses to go to the doctor about it but I’m very worried about him. What could be the cause of this?

Bryony Roberts, Plymouth

A) Difficulty in passing urine is a very common problem that almost every man is likely to get if they live long enough.

While there are various causes, the most common is prostate disease – but not necessarily prostate cancer.

The prostate gland is usually about the size of a walnut and sits in a man’s pelvis below his bladder and in front of his rectum. It helps men produce semen and is involved in sexual function. The tube we pee out of also runs right through it.

Virtually every man’s prostate gets bigger as they age and that means that eventually the tube we pee out of is going to narrow and make it harder to go.

Classic signs of a benign large prostate are poor urinary flow, difficulty starting, dribbling afterwards, going more often or feeling like you have not emptied properly. Sometimes prostate cancer can present in a similar way, but may also involve pain, blood or feeling generally unwell.

Overall, the vast majority of urinary flow problems in men are straightforward to fix, but the key is not to put off seeing a doctor – as even if not cancerous, prostate disease can lead to other problems such as kidney damage.

Q) I’M a 55 year old nursery manager and have had long Covid for six months.

My symptoms are fatigue, breathlessness and brain fog.

I’ve tried to go back to work but can’t manage a nursery full of children feeling like this. What can I do?

Hayley Roberts, Liverpool

A) Long Covid is proving to be one of the most devastating legacies of the pandemic.

There are now designated long Covid clinics, run by respiratory consultants at hospitals who will try and support patients.

But there is currently no specific treatment. People who are vaccinated and boostered are far less likely to suffer with long Covid and this has something to do with a degree of protective immunity against the virus.

Also, make sure that nothing else could be making your symptoms worse.

It can take more than six months for long Covid to resolve and anyone suffering with symptoms for more than six weeks after the illness should see their doctor.