Strictly champion Joanne Clifton is diagnosed with osteoarthritis

She flew across the dancefloor, sliding down poles, jumping on drums and being thrown in the air to become the Strictly Come Dancing champion.

But Joanne Clifton can no longer dance like she used to following a diagnosis of osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis in the UK.

Although she is not in daily pain, Miss Clifton, 38, finds it difficult to walk downstairs or downhill. She uses a special support device she can grip to help her get out of a car.

And after rehearsing for her latest role as Morticia in upcoming touring musical The Addams Family, in which she takes part in a ‘massive tango’, she has spent evenings with her knees wrapped in a specially designed hot water bottle.

‘It’s my new best friend,’ she told the Daily Mail.

‘Coming out of rehearsals where it was full-on tango, and after lockdown, I’ve been aching. I had twinges so I wrap it around my knees.

'Touch wood, I’m not in too much pain for now. When I start touring again with Addams Family, if the stage sometimes isn’t flat, those are the shows when it’s going to hurt and my water bottle will come in very handy.

© Provided by Daily Mail MailOnline logo

‘I am still dancing but not as full-on as the competition world.

'I can’t really get up quickly off the floor any more so I either need someone to help me or I don’t go down on the floor and I stay up and do something.’

Miss Clifton won the 2016 series of Strictly with TV presenter Ore Oduba a year after she was diagnosed with the chronic condition.

She said she started to worry when she woke up one morning on the Strictly touring show to discover one knee was ‘so swollen and so stiff’.

‘The first time they told me, whether it’s osteo or rheumatoid, you just hear “arthritis” and I thought, “Oh my god I’m really old”,’ she said.

‘But that’s the message I want to get across. It does affect any age. There was a two-year-old who was diagnosed with it, it’s not just for old people.’

She now uses products such as the hot water bottle and the car device, both designed by Arthr, a company specialising in products for those with arthritis.

‘There is a thing you put in between a car door. It’s really discreet and you can fit it in your bag and you can lean on it and it’s really strong,’ she said.

‘It’s things like that that I didn’t know I needed in my life.’

The Addams Family tour begins in Nottingham on November 5.  

Reference: Emma Powell For The Daily Mail  

‘Can menopause affect your teeth?’ – and all your other questions answered

World Menopause Day last week caused a big spike in articles and awareness of the menopause; its symptoms, treatments and some practicalities, but naturally there were still some questions remaining. We asked you to submit your questions to Dr Louise Newson, a leading menopause specialist and founder of balance-app.com, and here you can find her answers across a range of topics...

Q. When does the menopause end? Does your body return to some sort of normal, or do these symptoms last the rest of your life? 

A. The menopause never “ends”: it’s a long term hormone deficiency with health risks. Many women find that their symptoms last several years; others for decades. But symptoms tend to change over time. For example, hot flushes and night sweats may improve but, on the other hand, you might then start to suffer from poor sleep, memory loss, urinary symptoms or headaches.

Q. I have stiff and aching joints, which I’m sure are menopause-related. But I’ve been on HRT for five months now, and it doesn’t seem to help. What should I do?

A. The female hormones oestrogen and testosterone affect every single cell in the body, and they work as anti-inflammatories in the muscles and joints. Many women find that symptoms of joint pain, stiffness and muscle aches really improve with the right dose and type of HRT. It could be that you need a different dose of oestrogen. You may also benefit from testosterone.

© Provided by The Telegraph Many women find that their symptoms last several years; others for decades. But symptoms tend to change over time

Q. I am now in my early 50s but experienced menopause in my late teens due to Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI). I’m pleased that people are finally talking about menopause, but inevitably ‘the conversation’ is going to be geared towards older women. Any advice?

A. Menopause under 40 affects around one in 100 women in the UK. It is really important that these women are given adequate advice, information and timely treatment: delay in starting treatment comes with health issues including an increased risk of heart disease and osteoporosis. For more on this, see my website.

Q. Can menopause affect your teeth? 

My teeth seem to crack and I have so many problems. Is there anything I can do to improve this? 

A. Yes menopause can affect your teeth. Oestrogen is important for dental health, and a shortage of it can lead to pain and inflammation in the gums. You might see your gums change in colour; they might become paler or, more often, a deeper red. Gums might bleed on brushing, or start to recede, and you might notice bad breath, pain on chewing, or bite problems. Taking HRT will help reduce these symptoms, as well as guard against a dry mouth, gum and bone problems.  

Q. I have suddenly started to get bad body odour. Nothing else has changed: might this be related to the menopause? 

Which deodorants are best if you’re going through the menopause? 

A. Yes, body odour is a common symptom of the menopause. It may just be due to increased sensitivity on your part: your sense of smell can really change as a consequence of low hormone levels, so women often report noticing smells that others don’t. HRT can really help with this. I also recommend Sure Maximum Impact, which I use myself.

Q. ‘Should I supplement my coil with oestrogen?’

I am 51, my periods have stopped and I’m feeling angry, flustered and hot, with dry skin. My doctor finally gave me a blood test, but it came back normal. I’m on the Mirena coil which gives me progesterone, and am wondering whether I should supplement with oestrogen. I am happy with the coil, which I’ve been told will last 10 years, but I don’t want to be experiencing other issues like bad skin and sore joints. Many of my friends are in the same situation.What are your thoughts?

A. As you are experiencing symptoms, then it is likely you will benefit from taking oestrogen and possibly also testosterone. Perimenopause or menopause itself can be diagnosed by symptoms alone: you don’t normally need a blood test. Visit my website to download a free health report, which you can take to your GP or healthcare professional. The Mirena coil will work as the progestogen part of HRT for five years and then can be replaced.

© Provided by The Telegraph Dr Louise Newson - Andrew Crowley

Q. Should you take HRT even if you’re not experiencing severe menopausal symptoms and a bone scan has shown you’re not suffering from osteoporosis either? 

A. There are many health benefits of taking HRT including a reduced risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, bowel cancer and dementia, as well as reducing the risk of osteoporosis. 

Q. What help is there for women who are unable to take HRT?

For example, if they are on tamoxifen or similar but are experiencing menopausal symptoms. Please don’t say exercise, diet and sleep!

A. Some women who have had breast cancer choose to take HRT for the benefits to their symptoms and also their future health – but you will need an individualised consultation with a menopause specialist. For more information on menopause and breast cancer, read my specialised booklet.

Q. How long should I take HRT for?

A. HRT is prescribed to replace missing hormones, but it also has significant health benefits. Women who take HRT have a lower future risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and dementia. In my view, it can be taken forever. 

The Telegraph: Miranda Levy

Bowel cancer symptoms: How to see early signs and screening explained after Adele Roberts announces diagnosis

Radio 1 ‘s Adele Roberts has been diagnosed with bowel cancer, and will undergo surgery to remove a tumour on Monday.

The DJ said she has been having issues with her digestion for a while, and went her GP “just in case”.

Here’s everything she’s said about her condition, and what you need to know about the disease.

What has Adele said?

Roberts, 42, said she was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the start of October and she is having surgery to remove a tumour on Monday.

She revealed the diagnosis in an Instagram post.

Roberts urged others who have the signs to get checked out as soon as possible, and described her outlook as “positive”.

“So far the outlook is positive and I feel so lucky I can be treated. It’s just the start of my journey but I’m going to give it everything,” she said.

She wrote: “It’s all happened so quickly and I’m so sorry to post something like this on here but I hope it helps anyone who might be worrying, or suffering in silence.

“As I’ve learned over the last few weeks, there’s no ‘normal’ with cancer. Sadly it can affect anyone, at any age, anytime. It doesn’t discriminate. Early detection can save your life.”

She added: “I’m going to have surgery [on Monday] to remove the tumour and then see if I need anymore treatment or if the cancer has spread.

“The hardest thing wasn’t even finding out I had cancer, it was telling my family. It broke my heart.

“If you know any of them please look after them for me until I can see them again. Especially my Katie (her girlfriend). I worry about her being on her own while I’m away.”

Who is Adele Roberts?

Roberts first rose to fame as a housemate on the third series of Big Brother in 2002. She entered the famous Elstree compound alongside the likes of Alison Hammond, Jade Goody, Kate Lawler, Alex Sibley and Jonny Regan.

She proved to be a popular housemate but she was evicted from the house on day 43, coming seventh place in the overall series which was won by Lawler.

Following her stint in the Big Brother house, Roberts embarked on a career with the BBC when she began presenting on BBC Radio 1. Roberts hosts Weekend Breakfast and she missed both her radio shows this weekend.

The Radio DJ has also achieved success as a TV presenter, fronting BBC One’s coverage of the FA People’s Cup and the London Marathon.

She has also appeared on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!

What are the symptoms of bowel cancer?

The NHS says: “More than 90% of people with bowel cancer have 1 of the following combinations of symptoms:

• a persistent change in bowel habit – pooing more often, with looser, runnier poos and sometimes tummy (abdominal) pain
• blood in the poo without other symptoms of piles (haemorrhoids) – this makes it unlikely the cause is haemorrhoids
• abdominal pain, discomfort or bloating always brought on by eating – sometimes resulting in a reduction in the amount of food eaten and weight loss

“Constipation, where you pass harder stools less often, is rarely caused by serious bowel conditions.

“Most people with these symptoms do not have bowel cancer.”

What is bowel cancer screening?

NHS bowel cancer screening checks if you could have bowel cancer. It’s available to everyone aged 60 or over, with the programme expanding to include 56 year olds in 2021.

You use a home test kit, called a faecal immunochemical test (FIT), to collect a small sample of poo and send it to a lab. This is checked for tiny amounts of blood.

Regular NHS bowel cancer screening reduces the risk of dying from the disease.

Bowel cancer is the 4th most common type of cancer and screening can help find it at an early stage, when it’s easier to treat.

How to get a home test kit

Everyone aged 60 to 74 who is registered with a GP and lives in England is automatically sent a bowel cancer screening kit every 2 years.

All you need to do is make sure your GP practice has your correct address so your kit is posted to the right place.

If you’re 75 or over, you can ask for a kit every 2 years by phoning the free bowel cancer screening helpline on 0800 707 60 60.

If you’re worried about a family history of bowel cancer or have any symptoms, speak to a GP for advice. 

'Awful' infection rising in England that causes 'irreversible' symptoms warns doctor

A doctor has spoken out about an emerging bacterial infection in England. Cases of Donovanosis - a bacterial infection transmitted by contact that can cause skin to be destroyed, unless treated - are rising. The STI, also known as klebsiella granulomatis, creates lesions around the groin and genital regions which can turn into foul-smelling ulcers if infected.

It's more normally found in tropical parts of the world such as Southern Africa and the Americas.

But the latest statistics from Public Health England (PHE) show that cases were on the rise before the outbreak of COVID-19.

Total reported instances across the country swelled from 19 in 2016 to 30 in 2019.

Even during the pandemic and related lockdowns, there were still 18 cases in England.

© Getty Images Donovanosis STI causes irreversible swelling

Doctor Shree Datta, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the leading London MyHealthcare Clinic, said: "These figures suggest that Donovanosis - which was previously thought to be restricted to places including India, Brazil and New Guinea - is becoming more common on these shores.

"As well as the awful symptoms, it's important people are aware that it's a known risk factor for the transmission of HIV.

"The early signs are lumps around the genitals or anus that increase in size and take on a beefy-red appearance.

"These can develop into ulcers that, without treatment, can become infected, which can result in pain and an unpleasant smell. It's more likely to affect men."

According to doctor Datta, Donovanosis symptoms normally emerge within a month of sexual contact with an infected person, although a small number of people can become infected just by skin-to-skin contact.

She added: "Using contraception significantly reduces the risk of contracting the disease, while it can be treated with antibiotics.

© Getty Images Lumps around the genitals are an early sign

"But severe cases can lead to permanent scarring and damage to the genitals, as well as discolouration and even irreversible swelling, so this is definitely one to watch."

PHE data shows that London had the highest number of cases, with 42 recorded in both males and females over the past five years. That included a spike of 19 cases in 2019.

Meanwhile, the North West was second in the rankings with 21 cases over the same time period, followed by Yorkshire and Humber (14) and the South East (11).

The overall figure for cases across England from 2016-2020 was 114 - in contrast to more than a million cases of Chlamydia and 266,000 of Gonorrhoea.

In 2018, a Freedom of Information request revealed that a female between the ages of 15 and 25 from Southport, Merseyside, had contracted Donovanosis within the previous 12 months.

How to treat Donovanosis

Multiple antimicrobial regimens have been effective; however, as the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) note, only a limited number of controlled trials have been published.

"Treatment has been reported to halt progression of lesions, and healing typically proceeds inward from the ulcer margins," explains the CDC.

The health body continues: "Prolonged therapy is usually required to permit granulation and reepithelialization of the ulcers.

"Relapse can occur six to 18 months after apparently effective therapy."

It is treated with a longer (three-week) course of antibiotics.