The AnswerBank Articles

Is there a risk of catching HIV from an insect bite when abroad

asks Sander: A. There doesn't appear to be. It's believed that, when you are bitten, the mosquito (or whatever biting insect it is) injects some of its own saliva into you, rather than the blood of a00:00 Mon 28th May 2001

My memory's awful - how can I improve it

asks Su smith: A. Your memory, like most things, will work better the more you use it. However, you don't have to go around trying to remember things, just exercise it and stretch it a little. Good00:00 Mon 28th May 2001

Is there a danger of children getting addicted to their mobile phones

asks Jayne b-t: A. Prepaid mobile phones are hugely popular with children in the UK, and 29 million text messages are sent each day. A Mori survey last year found that a third of 16 to 20-year-olds00:00 Mon 21st May 2001

Why are some types of TB infectious and others not

asks Will Smith: A. It depends on the age of the person with TB. In adults, it's usually the lungs which are infected, and that makes it contagious. Children, on the other hand, tend to get infected00:00 Mon 21st May 2001

Is there any successful treatment for irritable bowel syndrome

asks H Gray:A. Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, is the most common digestive disorder in the UK today. It affects one in five people, and twice as many women as men seek medical help for it. IBS00:00 Mon 21st May 2001

What causes ringing in the ears

asks DOUBRIS: A. It's called tinnitus, and it doesn't have to be ringing: it can be whistling, roaring, singing, buzzing or machine-type noises. Usually there's some hearing loss, too. Tinnitus is00:00 Mon 14th May 2001

I think I may have hay fever, even though it's quite early in the year. What can I do about it

asks johnjo: A. There are few things more miserable than hay fever (seasonal allergic rhinitis), which affects around 10% of people in the UK. It's the result of your immune system overreacting to00:00 Mon 14th May 2001

What's the best way to motivate a couch potato child who doesn't want to exercise

asks Tony B: A. The easiest way is to take some exercise yourself. If you usually spend all your spare time sitting on the sofa watching TV, you can't expect your children to do anything different.00:00 Mon 14th May 2001

What is glue ear

asks Atina Ellis:A. Glue ear is something children get after they've had a few middle ear infections (otitis media). It's when sticky fluid builds up behind the eardrum (otitis media with effusion). 00:00 Tue 08th May 2001

Is it possible to get rid of a sweet tooth

asks J Arnold: A. Probably not. New research shows that a predilection for puddings may be inherited. US scientists have found a gene which is responsible for the ability to taste sweet foods. Q.00:00 Tue 08th May 2001

How does Zero Balancing work

asks Archie Mac: A. Zero Balancing has been described as massage with your clothes on, therapy without the talk and meditation without the mantra. Q. Sounds like fun - how come I haven't heard of it00:00 Mon 07th May 2001

I'm 33 and I still have acne on my chin - is there a natural way to get rid of it

asks sporty:A. Acne affects seven out of ten adolescents, and occasionally lasts until adulthood. The areas most affected are the face, back, shoulders and chest. Q. What causes it A. The skin's00:00 Mon 30th Apr 2001

What does a naturopath do

asks Su Smith:A. The British Naturopathic Association describes naturopathy as a 'multi-disciplinary approach to health care that recognises the body's innate power to heal itself.' Q. Eh A. It00:00 Mon 30th Apr 2001

Why do I have a fear of empty swimming pools

asks Nelli:A. More than 16 million people in this country live with a phobia or an anxiety disorder that affects their everyday routine in some way. Phobias are normally divided into 'simple' phobias00:00 Mon 30th Apr 2001

How can I get rid of warts that have suddenly developed on my daughter's face and hands

asks jayne b-t:A. Warts are very common - especially in young children - and very easily spread. They are caused by the human papillomavirus HPV and there are at least 30 known types. Common warts are00:00 Mon 23rd Apr 2001

How can you tell if you've had salmonella poisoning

asks PDTV:A. Salmonella is a common cause of food poisoning: last year there were almost 15,000 reported cases, and many more that went unreported. Q. How do you get salmonella poisoning A. There00:00 Mon 23rd Apr 2001

How can I stop my son wetting the bed

asks H Gray:A. Bedwetting - or nocturnal enuresis - is very common. Half a million children between five and 11 in the UK wet their beds regularly. However, it's an embarrassing problem so most00:00 Mon 23rd Apr 2001

What is the Bach Rescue Remedy

asks Streetgang:A. It's one of the Bach (pronounced 'Batch') Flowers Remedies, which have been designed to treat emotional, rather than physical states. Q. Who was Bach A. Dr Edward Bach created the00:00 Mon 16th Apr 2001

What is the Bates method for eyesight

asks johnjo:A. The Bates method is based on the work of Dr William Bates, an New York ophthalmologist who died in 1931. He believed that our vision is affected by tension and bad habits, and that by00:00 Mon 16th Apr 2001

I'm confused by the different types of yoga - what are they

asks MissDon:A. Yoga, now the latest lifestyle essential in the West, originated in India more than 5,000 years ago. The word yoga means 'to bind' or 'union' in Sanskrit, and signifies the link00:00 Mon 16th Apr 2001