q My wife fell down four steps. Now she has a swollen leg and cannot stand. A local practitioner bandaged it with cloth, leaves and egg whites. My mother’s leg healed with that treatment but my wife is in pain and crying.

Go to an orthopaedic surgeon as soon as possible. He will probably do an X-ray. If there is a fracture, you need either a reduction of the fracture and a plaster cast for the leg, or surgery.

High BPq My 63-year-old father’s blood pressure is 153/96. He was advised medication, but as he is asymptomatic, he doesn’t want any treatment.

High blood pressure is a silent killer. It creeps up like an unseen thief. He needs to take the medication to prevent complications like stroke, heart attack and kidney failure.

Sedentary jobq I exercise for an hour every day. I still am obese and have hypertension, diabetes and varicose veins.

If you have a sedentary job that involves sitting for up to eight hours a day, you are undoing the effects of diet and exercise. Try getting up every hour and joging in place for two minutes. If that is not possible, take a short walk every hour.

Hip replacementq My 80-year-old mother is scheduled to have a hip replacement. Is it safe?

Hip replacement can be partial or total, depending on the reasons for the procedure and the extent of damage. It is a fairly standard procedure that provides the recipient with a new lease of life. Full recovery can take up to a year. Your surgeon will give you a list of guidelines to be followed after the procedure, including:

n Not crossing your legs at the knees for at least six to eight weeks

n Not bringing your knee up higher than your hip

n Not leaning forward while sitting

n Not picking up something on the floor while sitting.

Remember to follow the instructions, and she should do well.

High triglycerides q I have high TGL and am on medication. Is there any way I can reduce the levels further?

A diet low in processed sugar, which focuses more on fibre, can help. Aerobic activity for 40 minutes a day also helps. Some people add omega-3 fatty acid supplements. Ask your doctor if they are right for you.

Morning sicknessq My wife is pregnant. She is nauseated and vomits.

Hormonal changes in pregnancy can cause nausea and vomiting. You need to check if there is any other reason for the vomiting, like carrying twins, urinary tract infection or diabetes. Remember, vomiting up to seven times can be normal. She can try:

n Walking in fresh air for 30 minutes a day

n Eating only what she feels like

n Not drinking glucose

n Doing acupressure on her wrists (check YouTube) to stop nausea.

Large stomachq My stomach appears very large. I went to a surgeon who said I had divarication of the rectus.

The rectus muscles on either side of the abdomen are joined in the middle. It is called divarication if they separate for a distance of 3cm or more.

Exercise that strengthens the abdominal muscles and the core can be tried; if that does not work, surgery can be done. The rectus abdominis muscles are brought together during surgery while shortening and reinforcing the midline. Surgical mesh may be used as part of the repair.

The writer has a family practice at Vellore and is the author of Staying Healthy in Modern India. If you have any questions on health issues please write to yourhealthgm@yahoo.co.in