I have been struggling with very watery eyes recently which I put down to the cold weather. The corner of my eye is now very red and the situation does not seem to be improving.

You may have a blocked tear duct. It is more common in babies than adults but it is perfectly possible for older people to suffer from this complaint.

It is often treatable without surgery so do see your GP who will look for the underlying cause, make a diagnosis and recommend treatment.

I was involved in a car accident recently and have been suffering with whiplash. How long until I get better?

Most whiplash injuries are resolved within three months. In rare cases it can take up to six months, remember everyone heals at different rates and your age and other factors will all play a part.

Have a look at the Musculoskeletal (MSK) Zone on the NHS inform website (http://www.nhsinform.co.uk/msk) as there are exercises on there to help get you moving quickly and safely.

What is Hyperacusis?

'Hyperacusis' is an extreme aversion and hypersensitivity to sounds that are generally not an issue to others.

Electrical and machine noises, as well as sudden high-pitched noises, are usually hard to tolerate for people with hyperacusis. However, any sound can potentially trigger a reaction in someone with hyperacusis – even the sound of their own voice.

It's very different from the reduced tolerance for noise that most of us have when we're tired or stressed, or reacting to an obviously unpleasant noise, such as chalk scratching a blackboard.

Symptoms

Hyperacusis can be just a minor nuisance for some, with people feeling uneasy or uncomfortable when they hear the noise. For others, it can have a major impact on life. Low-level noises may be perceived as intrusively loud and may trigger anxiety.

Noise can be painful for people with severe hyperacusis. High-pitched sounds can be felt as 'a nail being driven into the head' and low-pitched thrumming 'like sandpaper moving across the brain'.

Some react by covering their ears or leaving the room. Crying, anger and panic reactions are not uncommon.

As a result, people with hyperacusis may avoid noisy situations and become socially isolated. People with severe hyperacusis may feel suicidal.

Children with hyperacusis may struggle at school, where background noise can make it difficult for them to concentrate, thereby affecting their achievement. Some will need professional help in this critical period of their lives, but they may grow out of the problem over time.

Diagnosis

Hyperacusis is a difficult problem to study and diagnose because it is a subjective experience that is hard to measure.

Anyone who has a severe sound intolerance should see their GP. They may be referred to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) consultant or a hearing disorders specialist (audiologist) to have a hearing test.

This test involves listening through headphones to sounds of increasing intensity, and pressing a button when the sound becomes uncomfortably loud. Self-reporting questionnaires can also be used to measure how much hyperacusis affects the person's life.

Treatment

Doctors will want to rule out any medical condition that may be causing hyperacusis. Treating the former may cure the latter.

If the underlying cause isn't certain or there's no obvious treatment, a referral may be needed for retraining counselling and sound therapy.

This therapy is widely available privately, and may be available on the NHS for people with very severe or persistent hyperacusis. It should only be carried out by someone specially trained in the technique.

It teaches patients how emotions and the nervous system may play a role in hyperacusis, and encourages them to reclassify troublesome noises as neutral signals. Sound therapy helps this process by temporarily desensitising the hearing system so that the individual can go to noisy places without being constantly affected by them. "Desensitising" means listening to and gradually getting used to the sound, which is achieved through the use of noise generators.

These are small devices worn like hearing aids for around six hours each day. Gradually the noise level they produce is increased until the person is able to tolerate normal sound exposure. The noise produced is steady and gentle and does not prevent the person from hearing other sounds normally.

Some people may also be advised to have cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) especially if they have anxiety or depression as a result of their condition.