I am a 69-year-old woman whose snoring has got worse over the years. I’ve tried oral strips, which my husband says help a lot, but I’d love a permanent solution. Could surgery cure me?

Dr Ellie Cannon replies: Snoring is as much a problem for your partner as for you – so you may already have your solution.

Oral strips dissolve on the roof of the mouth or tongue, and release ingredients that reduce airway inflammation or dryness to minimise snoring.

Snoring is often related to excess fat around the throat putting pressure on the airways and causing them to narrow. This causes a noise when air is forced through with each inhale and exhale, so in terms of more permanent solutions, even small amounts of weight loss can help.

Anyone who snores should sleep on their side – either by using a special pillow to keep you in place, or the old-fashioned trick of sticking a tennis ball down the back of your pyjamas.

It’s known that smoking and alcohol worsen snoring, so a basic step is to avoid these. Likewise sleeping pills, if possible. For some, snoring is worse with nasal and sinus congestion, so it’s worth trying decongestants such as saline nasal spray or sinus rinse.

Snoring is often related to excess fat around the throat putting pressure on the airways and causing them to narrow

Also try a nasal dilator, which keeps the nostrils open.

Dentists offer mouth shields and guards for snoring, if the problem is specifically mouth breathing-related. These have to be fitted and can be expensive, but are worth it if they make a big impact.

In extreme cases, when there is a specific issue in the nose or mouth, surgery would be offered under an ENT clinic – but this is a very significant undertaking and not always guaranteed to help.

I had my right knee replaced in 2014 and can walk without discomfort. But my knees ache when I’m in bed, impacting my sleep. What can I do?

Dr Ellie replies: Knees can ache for a number of reasons, but in older age it tends to be from wear and tear, known as osteoarthritis. This is usually the reason why people have their knees replaced.

Pain like this can impact your movement, sleep and mood, which in turn makes it even harder to drop off at night. It can be exhausting and draining.

The best way to set about addressing the issue will be to trial various painkiller products to see what helps. Even with severe pain, I recommend starting with just paracetamol.

This can be taken four times a day and is a good way to begin pain relief. If you’re able to, the next step would be to try over-the-counter anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen. These can be taken at bedtime alongside paracetamol and last a few hours – enough to get you through the night.

Doctors can also prescribe other painkillers, such as amitriptyline. A nerve pain painkiller, it is particularly good for night-time pain as it also makes people drowsy.

This can be a problem for those who need it throughout the day, but in this case it may actually help you get to sleep.

A good painkiller regime is necessary to help you to sleep pain-free, which will also mean you feel better during the day and are more able to exercise.

The GP or clinical pharmacist in your surgery are well placed to help set you on the right path.

I have an outbreak of warts on my face and neck that are now spreading on to my nose. I recently spent £600 to have some lasered off, but I can’t keep paying out each time they come back. How can I get rid of them for good?

Dr Ellie replies: Warts may be harmless, but they’re also visible and unsightly and, like a number of skin conditions, can come with emotional baggage.

They are usually little rough growths on the skin caused by an infection with one of the wart viruses, and mostly tend to affect hands and feet. Warts on the face and neck are called filiform warts, and often come in clusters on a small stalk.

Do you have a question for Dr Ellie Cannon? Email DrEllie@mailonsunday.co.uk

Unfortunately, these can persist for years. They are very contagious, and can spread if they are picked or irritated too much. Even attempts to treat them can backfire if the virus is unintentionally spread.

Freezing treatments, where the wart is exposed to extremely cold temperatures in order to kill the virus cells, can take multiple goes before the growth drops off, and risk causing scarring and infection.

Topical products that you apply yourself, meanwhile, contain salicylic acid and can take three months to work. These are also not safe for the face, as the acid can cause skin irritation.

For facial warts, see a dermatologist rather than a GP – this should be available on the NHS. As well as laser treatment, they can offer topical treatment called podophyllin, or retinoids, similar to that used to treat acne.

They can also inject warts with anti-viral substances and offer a type of topical chemotherapy.

A dermatologist will be able to help you weigh up potentially serious side effects, such as skin damage, with the possible benefits from the treatments working long term.

Are you under 50 with high blood pressure?

For a condition that affects a quarter of adults in the UK, there are many misconceptions around high blood pressure.

Dr Ellie has noticed an influx of younger patients in their 40s, 30s and even 20s who have high blood pressure – despite the condition being associated with older adults

Often labelled the ‘silent killer’, it has no symptoms – but is the leading cause of strokes and heart attacks.

There are a plethora of drugs, other treatment and lifestyle changes to control the problem, also known as hypertension, and conflicting advice on the best time to take medication.

I’m worried by research that shows half of patients quit their pills within a year, which will put their health in jeopardy. I’ve also noticed an influx of younger patients in their 40s, 30s and even 20s who have high blood pressure – despite the condition being associated with older adults.

Have you been diagnosed with high blood pressure under the age of 50? Do you have unanswered questions about treatment? Please use the email below to let me know.

Back pain overlooked in women 

Last week, The Mail on Sunday’s health editor Ethan Ennals wrote about enduring excruciating back pain for three years before finally receiving a diagnosis.

His condition, axial spondyloarthritis, affects more than 220,000 people in the UK.

Symptoms usually appear before the age of 45 and, if left untreated, can become disabling. But patients often face long delays.

On average, it takes seven years to receive a diagnosis – even longer than Ethan had to wait. The condition has been thought of as a predominantly male disease, but it is often overlooked in women. Studies suggest this is due to a lack of research, symptoms appearing differently in women, and women’s pain not being believed by doctors.

Please use the email below to let me know if you are a woman who has been diagnosed with the condition.

• Do you have a question for Dr Ellie Cannon? Email DrEllie@mailonsunday.co.uk