Q What is the quickest and most effective way to help cuts and scratches heal?

JC from Rickmansworth

A There are no quick fixes – cuts and scratches will heal in their own time, usually within a few days. However, make sure they are cleaned under running water as soon as possible, and deep cuts should be treated with an antiseptic ointment.

A diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables will keep your vitamin C level high, which aids healing. If you bleed for several minutes after a simple scratch get this checked by your doctor to ensure your blood is clotting normally.

Q I have had occasional bouts of vertigo and although my doctor has prescribed some pills (a stronger version of a travel sickness pill) is there anything more you can recommend? Should the problem eventually disappear?

RL from Southampton

A Yes, the problem should go away, though the pills prescribed for you are probably the best course of action. Vertigo, which causes the sensation that our surroundings are spinning around us, is not simply a fear of heights. It is a symptom of a problem such as ear infection or neurological disease.

Your doctor should have checked for the cause in your case. Keep your pills available should another attack occur, but the likelihood of this remains low.

Q I’m the father of a baby girl, my first child, and would like some advice on cot death. There seems to be conflicting reports about what to do to try to prevent it.

ES from Hull

A No single cause has been identified for cot death, which kills 300 babies aged under one each year in the UK. It is likely to be a combination of factors.

To reduce the risk, place your daughter on her back to sleep, don’t smoke in the same room as her, don’t let her get too hot and keep her head uncovered when she’s asleep. Make sure her feet are at the foot of her cot, too, so she cannot wriggle down and cover herself completely under the bedclothes. For more information visit the website of the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (www.sids.org.uk).

All questions are answered by a practising doctor. To consult Dr Know, e-mail drknow@sunday-times.co.uk. E-mails cannot be replied to individually

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