Ask the Doctor: Prior broken bone pain, night sweats, bloating

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 Caleb): “I broke my leg 10 years ago playing football. I’m wondering why it still hurts occasionally?”

DR. BOB: Depending on how severe your break was and whether you needed surgery, it is very possible that significant damage occurred around the bone.

Certainly, you could have lingering symptoms for a very long time after such an injury. It is possible that there is a scar or nerve damage or maybe even an issue with a muscle.

However, if the pain is mild and comes and goes, it is probably not something you need to worry about.

Question #2 (from Audrey): “Lately I’ve been struggling with night sweats. Can this be hormone-related?”

DR. BOB: Night sweats can be due to many different things. Medicines and certain medical conditions can cause night sweats.

You are right though that hormones are a very common cause. Usually, this is going to affect women as they begin menopause and have a decrease in their estrogen levels.

For some women, night sweats and hot flashes can be extremely bothersome. It is worth a trip to your doctor to discuss your symptoms and decide if you can do anything to improve them.

Question #3 (from Gloria): “Could constant bloating be a sign of something serious?”

DR. BOB: As with the prior question, bloating can be due to several problems. Sometimes, it might be from something simple, like indigestion and excess gas.

As a doctor, I am going to approach the problem by understanding where in your abdomen the bloating is, what risks you have based on your age, and whether the bloating is related to meals.

That would help determine if it is something that you don’t need to worry about or whether it would be worth doing further testing.

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