Ask the Doctor: Binge eating disorder, arm pain, adult acne

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - Dr. Bob Cassady from the South Bend Clinic joins us every Tuesday on 16 News Now at Noon to answer your medical questions.

Question #1 (from Lori): “Is there any special treatment for binge eating disorder?

DR. BOB: Binge eating disorder is a problem where people experience episodes of losing control of how much they eat. They will often eat large amounts of food quickly despite not being hungry or feeling uncomfortably full.

Often, binge eating disorders are related to mood problems, such as anxiety or depression. It is important to make sure there are no other problems going on, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

The mainstay of treatment is counseling. If this is not effective, patients can try a weight loss program.

Ultimately if needed, certain medicines such as anti-depressants or seizure medicines can be helpful.

Question #2 (from Shelly): “Every day, I wake up with arm pain that affects only one arm inside my triceps, and it’s warm to the touch. what could it be?”

DR. BOB: In medicine, we talk about five signs of inflammation: warmth, redness, swelling, pain, loss of function.

Hearing that you have warmth and pain makes me worried that there could be an inflammatory process going on. This would include the possibility of an infection.

Therefore, I would recommend that you be seen by a doctor soon to make sure there is not an inflammatory process.

Question #3 (from Sam): “I’m in my 30s and I am struggling with acne. I haven’t had this since I was a teen. What could be the reason for this?”

DR. BOB: Many things can contribute to acne, and a visit with a doctor to review all of this is probably your best bet.

We always want to review your medicines to see if any such as hormonal contraceptives could be contributing.

There are certain hormone problems, especially in women that can contribute to acne. Diets high in milk or sugar can increase acne. Finally, being overweight or having insulin resistance can worsen acne.

There is really a lot to think about for this problem, and you should seek care.

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