Back pain is one of the commonest causes of time off work and of consultations with General Practitioners.  In particular patients with lower back pain, caused by abnormalities in the lumbar spine, are seen regularly in our clinics.  While most back pain is manageable and not serious, there are sometimes rare complications, for example cauda equina syndrome which can cause irreversible damage to nerve fibres.  We have also seen a few cases of the rare condition discitis which is caused by inflammation or infection of intervertebral discs.  Sciatica, where there is pressure on the long sciatic nerve, may cause pain radiating from the lumbar spine to the foot, usually unilaterally.

It is important to take a detailed medical history including looking for red flags indicating possible complications, and to perform a clinical examination looking for evidence of nerve damage.  We have open access to MRI scanning on a walk-in basis and these scans are invaluable in being able to view the structures in the spine with a high degree of accuracy, enabling us to treat and refer the patient as necessary.  Samedaydoctor Private walk in GP clinics are open up to 7 days per week and appointments can be made by phone or email or patients can walk in during our opening hours.

We have seen a patient who presented with a painless ulcer in an unusual place on their body.  Having referred them to see a dermatologist we then ran routine STD  tests and found a positive syphilis test which explains the origin of this ulcer.  The corollary of this is that often patients with symptoms of diabetes present to a private std clinic because their symptoms-including frequency of micturition- can easily be mistaken for a sexually transmitted illness when it is, in fact, due the the glycosuria of diabetes.

Having doctors who are trained both in general medicine and sexual health is helpful to keep an open mind while thinking about the patient’s presenting symptoms.  Our Full Sexual Health Screen includes same day results for HIV, Hepatitis B, Syphilis, Chlamydia, NSU and Gonorrhoea.  We have also found a number of positive cases of mycoplasma genetalium recently.

Samedaydoctor in Central London has considerable expertise in contraceptive services.  These include general contraceptive advice and standard progesterone-only and combined oral contraceptive medication.  In addition our doctors can insert and remove hormone implants as well as inject depot contraceptives.

Furthermore, we can insert and remove intrauterine devices (IUD’S) which include the Mirena coil and the new IUB (intrauterine ball) which is hormone free.

We can also offer sexual health screening (for all STD’s and HIV) and advice. Appointments for these specialist services can be made at our Central London Clinic by email or telephone.  STD/STI testing is available at all clinics on a walk in basis.

A report in the Guardian newspaper highlighted that the number of adults and older teens with diabetes in the UK has more than doubled over the past 20 years, with 3.7 million people aged 17 or older now known to be living with the disease.

A new analysis, compiled by a diabetes charity appears to show that the number of diagnoses has shot up since 1998, at which point it is estimated 1.8 million over 16s were diagnosed with diabetes

The analysis does not break down figures into the two main forms of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. But Nikki Joule, policy manager at Diabetes UK, said that other research had shown diagnoses of both have increased, but the rise has been greater for type 2. “[The] rise in obesity has driven that largely over recent years,” she said.

While both types of diabetes are linked to genetics, type 1 diabetes is not associated with weight but is an autoimmune condition where insulin is not produced. It normally begins in childhood and accounts for about 10% of diabetes cases. Type 2 diabetes – where there is insulin resistance – is linked to obesity and typically starts later in life, with about 60% of cases thought to be preventable.

Both types bring with them the risk of complications such as blindness, stroke, cardiovascular disease, kidney failure and amputations.  Samedaydoctor private doctor walk in clinics have the expertise to manage type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has published advice on vaccines which include the reminder that vaccines a rigorously tested before administration to humans.

They include the full list of vaccine preventable diseases named as follows;  Cervical cancer, Cholera, Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Influenza, Japanese encephalitis, Measles, Mumps, Pertussis, Pneumonia, Polio, Rabies,, Rotavirus, Rubella, Tetanus, Typhoid, Varicella, Yellow Fever.

These vaccines and antimalarials can be obtained from our Same Day Doctor walk in Private GP clinics in London and Manchester.

An article in the British Medical Journal has confirmed that the location of ticks responsible for transmitting Borrelia burgdorferi – which causes Lyme disease- has doubled in the years 2010 to 2016.  In Greater London 80% of the area has the Ixodes ricinus tick and UK cases of Lyme disease increased from 867 in 2016 to 1171 in 2017.

Lyme disease can have serious consequences if untreated.  We have successfully diagnosed and treated several cases of Lyme disease at Same Day Doctor private walk in clinics and we have the experience and expertise to deal with this condition.

There have been 35 confirmed human cases of yellow fever reported in Brazil within the past 9 months.  This has resulted in 20 deaths and 145 suspected cases who are under investigation. In recent weeks, the number of confirmed human cases of yellow fever has increased in Brazil, especially in the states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais.

Samedaydoctor private doctor clinics offer Yellow Fever vaccination and certificates in addition to all other travel vaccines and anti-malarials.  Yellow Fever vaccine gives life long protection against this insect borne infection.

Mycoplasma Genitalium (MGEN) is increasingly becoming recognised as a serious sexual health infection with growing antimicrobial resistance.

As a result samedaydoctor private doctor clinics are pleased to offer MGEN testing as an option to all sexual health patients along with full sexual health screening.

The cost of this has come down such that we can now offer it at £40 in addition to other sexual health tests and get results in 2 working days.  Samedaydoctor clinics can also offer full gynaecological and sexual health testing including tests for HIV, Hepatitis B and C, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, NSU, herpes simplex types 1 and 2, human papilloma virus (HPV) ureaplasma, trichomonas, candida, BV (bacterial vaginosis), molluscum and the full range of STD’s