I'M in training for a charity run early next year. A couple of weeks ago I got very bad cramp in my leg and every time I go training it comes back, what should I do?

Muscles use salts and oxygen in a different way when they are working harder, such as during exercise. Most leg cramps come on suddenly and do not last very long. Painkillers are unlikely to help because the cramp will probably have passed before the drugs take effect; however, if a severe leg cramp leaves your muscle feeling tender afterwards, you could take a painkiller such as paracetamol. Make sure you drink plenty water before, during and after your running sessions.

Stretching exercises can also help to reduce how often you get leg cramps. Try doing the exercises three times a day, including just before you go to bed. Straighten your leg, bend your ankle backwards, and try walking around on tiptoes for a few minutes. Lean forward against a wall with your arms outstretched, about a metre from the wall. Keep the soles of your feet flat on the floor for five seconds - repeat this exercise several times, for about five minutes. If these exercises improve your cramps and reduce how often they occur, you may be able to do the exercises just once or twice a day. Warming and cooling down with stretches when exercising can also help.

I WENT for my first smear last week and the nurse told me to go to the gynaecologist, as she could not find my cervix. Now I'm really worried.

The most likely scenario is that your uterus is tilted backwards, this is a normal finding and it not uncommon, it means that the cervix is tucked high up on the vaginal wall and can be very difficult to locate. Do not worry as the nurse has done the right thing and it is most likely you will be reassured and advised of the situation when you attend the clinic.

WHAT is Whooping Cough?

Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airways, which results in a dry, persistent, irritable cough that can last for around three months. It used to know as the 'one hundred days cough' for this reason. Vaccinations in childhood include those for whooping cough.

The symptoms of whooping cough usually appear around a week after infection, and the incubation period can last up to 21 days. Whooping cough tends to develop in stages, beginning with mild symptoms that become more severe before improvement begins.

Earlier symptoms are similar to that of a cold, which include dry cough, sore throat, watering eyes and a slightly raised temperature. The second phase of symptoms are normally more severe, these include intense bouts of coughing that bring up phlegm, vomiting after coughing, tiredness and redness in the face from coughing, a 'whoop' sound with each sharp intake of breath after coughing.

Whooping cough can normally be diagnosed by your GP by asking about your symptoms.

Whooping cough is usually treated with antibiotics at home. Young babies (less than a year old) with whooping cough may need hospital treatment to avoid developing complications.