Dr James Le Fanu: 19 July
Benjamin Franklin turned his mind to many things: inventing the lightning conductor, drafting the declaration of independence and founding the American Philosophical Society, and much else besides. But he was thwarted in his lifelong ambition to find a drug that would ‘render the natural discharges of wind from our bodies not only inoffensive but agreeable as perfumes’.
Alas, no such agent has been discovered, although Australian scientists report a breakthrough in combating another hazard of intestinal gas (albeit in cattle): its contribution to methane, the greenhouse gas allegedly responsible for global warming. They claim that a jab targeting bacteria in cows’ rumens ‘signicantly reduces’ the quantity of gas expelled.
This may not be of much help to us humans, but we can at least be grateful to the US space programme, which sponsored much of the scientic research into this subject, as NASA was concerned that a build-up of hydrogen inside the spacecraft might trigger an accidental explosion. Thus the quantity, composition and source of the several intestinal gases are now well documented. They are, for the most part, quite innocent, though a large volume in the lower bowel can cause it to form small pouches, or diverticula. This has prompted public health programmes in several countries, encouraging people to break wind at least 15 times a day in order to prevent this potential hazard.
Nonetheless, the main source of embarrassment is not the volume but the odour caused by tiny amounts of sulphur-containing gases. Most will know the need to avoid culprit foods such as beans and artichokes, though perhaps less recognised is the contribution of apples, fruit juices and slimming foods.
Two recent developments are the ‘flatulence filter’ GasBGon (a charcoal-filled cushion, available on the internet) and Beano, a nutritional supplement that improves the digestibility of gassy carbohydrates.
This week’s medical query comes courtesy of a lady from Surrey who, while living abroad two years ago, fell from her bike on to concrete and ended up in the local hospital having a fractured hip competently replaced.
Regrettably she was still in constant pain several months later and returned to Britain, where surgeons removed the articial hip and inserted a new one. Now, nearly 18 months later, she is still in considerable pain, despite taking strong painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. Scans and X-rays reveal nothing untoward and she has been discharged back to the care of her family doctor.
This is a most difficult problem. There are plenty of possible causes for this ‘painful total hip replacement syndrome’, include groin pain from the muscle that raises the hip, in ammation of the outer part of the thigh bone, sciatica and muscle spasm in the lower back. The only option is to consult an orthopaedic surgeon with a special interest in the issue.
Email drjames@lady.co.uk
Alas, no such agent has been discovered, although Australian scientists report a breakthrough in combating another hazard of intestinal gas (albeit in cattle): its contribution to methane, the greenhouse gas allegedly responsible for global warming. They claim that a jab targeting bacteria in cows’ rumens ‘signicantly reduces’ the quantity of gas expelled.
This may not be of much help to us humans, but we can at least be grateful to the US space programme, which sponsored much of the scientic research into this subject, as NASA was concerned that a build-up of hydrogen inside the spacecraft might trigger an accidental explosion. Thus the quantity, composition and source of the several intestinal gases are now well documented. They are, for the most part, quite innocent, though a large volume in the lower bowel can cause it to form small pouches, or diverticula. This has prompted public health programmes in several countries, encouraging people to break wind at least 15 times a day in order to prevent this potential hazard.
Nonetheless, the main source of embarrassment is not the volume but the odour caused by tiny amounts of sulphur-containing gases. Most will know the need to avoid culprit foods such as beans and artichokes, though perhaps less recognised is the contribution of apples, fruit juices and slimming foods.
Two recent developments are the ‘flatulence filter’ GasBGon (a charcoal-filled cushion, available on the internet) and Beano, a nutritional supplement that improves the digestibility of gassy carbohydrates.
This week’s medical query comes courtesy of a lady from Surrey who, while living abroad two years ago, fell from her bike on to concrete and ended up in the local hospital having a fractured hip competently replaced.
Regrettably she was still in constant pain several months later and returned to Britain, where surgeons removed the articial hip and inserted a new one. Now, nearly 18 months later, she is still in considerable pain, despite taking strong painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. Scans and X-rays reveal nothing untoward and she has been discharged back to the care of her family doctor.
This is a most difficult problem. There are plenty of possible causes for this ‘painful total hip replacement syndrome’, include groin pain from the muscle that raises the hip, in ammation of the outer part of the thigh bone, sciatica and muscle spasm in the lower back. The only option is to consult an orthopaedic surgeon with a special interest in the issue.
Email drjames@lady.co.uk