Ask Dr Mel: Erection problems and nut allergies

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Every week we bring you expert advice from Woman's Weekly's health expert Dr Melanie Wynne-Jones, a GP from Stockport with 26 years' experience. This week she answers questions on erection problems and nut allergies.

Q. My husband and I are both saddened that he has problems getting an erection these days. Do impotence pills work?

A. Yes, many men find them really helpful, and there's now a range of drugs with slightly different side effects (such as less likelihood of headaches) and duration of action, so most men can find one that suits their relationship.

The latest addition is a smaller, everyday dose of tadalafil (Cialis), for couples who'd like more spontaneous lovemaking.

I suggest that your husband sees his GP; she'll check that it's safe for him to take them. She'll also want to find out whether his erectile dysfunction (ED) is due to any medical conditions, such as diabetes or circulation problems.

ED sometimes affects men long before they develop symptoms of heart disease, so this is a real opportunity for a preventive health check, including his blood pressure and blood tests for cholesterol levels, diabetes and/or the PSA (prostate-specific antigen test). This screening aims to spot prostate cancer in its early stages; your husband could discuss this with his GP, or call the Prostate Cancer Charity's confidential helpline on 0800 074 8383, or visit its website for more information.

Q. My grandson was sick after I gave him peanut-butter sandwiches - should he be tested for nut allergy?

A. Nut allergies have received a lot of scary publicity in the last few years, so you're right to be concerned, and I would certainly make sure that he avoids all nut products until he's seen his own GP.

Vomiting has many causes, but this could be nut allergy, which can also lead to an itchy rash or (very rarely) wheezing and dangerous swelling of the mouth, tongue and throat.

However, British and Swedish researchers have discovered that many children with suspected peanut allergy, including four-fifths of those with positive skin or blood tests for the condition, aren't actually allergic to peanuts, after all. And they've developed a new blood test which they say is 95 per cent accurate in detecting true peanut allergy.

This is good news as nut allergy can be very worrying; a member of my family has it, and I've been shocked by the number and range of commercial foods that should be nut-free, yet state that they "may contain nut traces". But this research doesn't mean that anyone who seems to react to nuts can now eat them safely - they should still avoid suspect foods until an allergy specialist gives them the all-clear.