QI do a fair bit of running and I'm training for a 10k in June.

I took quite a bad cramp two weeks ago in my right leg and haven't been able to run since as it keeps coming back.

Is there anything I can do to help this go away?

A I assume you are otherwise healthy. Excessive sweating can lead to a loss of sodium (salt), which causes cramp. Most leg cramps don't last long. This means painkillers are unlikely to help as the cramp will probably have passed before they take effect. However, if a severe cramp leaves your muscle feeling tender afterwards, you could take paracetamol. Also drink plenty of water before, during and after running sessions.

Stretching exercises can help reduce the likelihood of leg cramps. Do them three times a day, including just before bed. If the cramp is in your calf, straighten your leg and bend your ankle backwards and walk on tiptoes for a few minutes. Lean forward against a wall with your arms outstretched, about a metre from the wall. Keep your feet flat on the floor for five seconds – repeat several times.

Vertigo is the sensation that you or the environment around you is moving or spinning, even when you are still. It has nothing to do with a fear of heights, and is often caused by a problem with the balance mechanisms in the inner ear.

Mild vertigo is very common, but recurrent vertigo may be due to an underlying condition, such as Meniere's disease (a rare disorder of the inner ear).

Symptoms: The sensation of moving or spinning; loss of balance; nausea; vomiting; light-headedness.

Diagnosis: Your GP will ask you to describe your symptoms in detail.

Treatment: Lying in a quiet, dark room may ease the symptoms. Avoid stress, as anxiety can make vertigo worse.

WHAT IS...

VERTIGO?

QI have been having pains in my abdomen, back and under my ribs for some time. It's a sudden, severe pain that comes and goes. Occasionally I am sick but it's more like a raw pain than a pain from nausea. What it could be?

AA common cause of central upper abdominal pain moving to the back, particularly if it comes on 3-4 hours after eating or wakes you in the night, is an ulcer. The stomach lining and duodenum (the first part of the small bowel) are designed to resist stomach acid, but there can sometimes be a small area of inflammation. I assume your doctor has tried medicines to attempt to cut the amount of acid your stomach produces.

Similar pain can be caused by irritable bowel syndrome and other inflammatory conditions – involving the pancreas for example – and it would seem appropriate to return to the doctor.

The simplest way to confirm or exclude an ulcer is by an endoscopy – where a specialist views the stomach lining and duodenum by passing a very thin fibre optic telescope down your throat. See your GP.