Martyn Jones

By DR ELLIE CANNON, MAIL ON SUNDAY COLUMNIST AND GP

Published: 11:45 BST, 24 May 2026 | Updated: 11:48 BST, 24 May 2026

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I have suffered stressful dreams and nightmares for 20 years. How can I make them stop?

Dr Ellie replies: Disturbing dreams and nightmares over many years are likely to be linked to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

This is a response to trauma in which the brain continues to replay a distressing event long after it has passed. As well as nightmares, it may cause flashbacks, anger, low mood, relationship issues and feelings of worthlessness.

There is also a related condition called complex PTSD, which tends to arise from repeated traumatic events rather than a single incident. Both conditions can be serious and long-term, but they are treatable.

Disturbing dreams and nightmares over many years are likely to be linked to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), says Dr Ellie

A GP can begin treatment while a referral is being arranged, and medication is often the starting point, using antidepressants such as sertraline and venlafaxine.

In some cases a psychiatrist may also recommend taking an antipsychotic medication. Short-term sedatives can be used to help with sleep while longer-term treatment gets under way.

However, specialist talking therapy is the cornerstone of PTSD treatment.

Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is one option, but the approach most commonly used today is known as EMDR – eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing – a psychological therapy which is thought to help the brain process traumatic memories and reduce the intensity of flashbacks.

Trauma clinics are available on the NHS, and the UK Psychological Trauma Society lists specialist services across the country, but an appointment with your GP is always the best place to start.

I’ve developed an uncomfortable pain in my upper chest and stomach. My GP says it’s likely to be shingles but there is no rash. What do you think it could be?

I’ve developed an uncomfortable pain in my upper chest and stomach. My GP says it’s likely to be shingles but there is no rash. What do you think it could be?

Dr Ellie replies: It is entirely possible to have shingles without a rash.

Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus, which lies dormant in a nerve after the original childhood infection. It can remain there for decades before something triggers it back into activity – often older age, stress or another illness that temporarily weakens the immune system.

Did collagen work its magic on your skin?

The world has gone collagen mad. It has long been touted as an anti-wrinkle remedy that also boosts joint and muscle health, and now M&S has launched its Collagen Ball packed with mango, passionfruit, collagen and other vitamins.

But many of the trials claiming it boosts skin elasticity, hydration and moisture have been funded by the supplement industry, so I’m interested to hear what you think. Do you take a collagen supplement? Has it helped? Write and let me know. Email me at DrEllie@mailonsunday.co.uk

In a typical case, shingles produces a blistery, band-shaped rash. The pain is very specific – a burning or prickling sensation often described as small electric shocks or cigarette burns, with the skin becoming extremely sensitive to touch or clothing.

However, the virus can reactivate without producing any visible rash at all. For this reason, the GP’s diagnosis is entirely plausible.

Treatment remains the same. Antiviral medication can be prescribed early and, for nerve pain, specific nerve painkillers are the most effective approach. Amitriptyline is a particularly useful option as it is taken at night and can also improve sleep.

If a patient has not had the shingles vaccine – which is routinely offered to older people – then they might be given it. This will not help ease current symptoms but will, instead, reduce the severity of any future episodes.

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

Enough time has passed now for Matt Forde to offer a candid assessment of the scariest time of his life. 

‘I have to be honest, sometimes, I think, “f*****g hell, I had cancer,”‘ says the comedian, occupying the space somewhere between a joke and genuine disbelief. 

‘It’s not that I’ve fully forgotten, but I’m like, “oh s***, wow, that really happened.”‘

Forde had not long finished one of his usual exercise bike sessions in June 2023 when he began to feel what would later confront him with the thought of his own mortality: a rare spinal tumour affecting just one in 800,000.

For a man whose career has been built on finding humour in politics – he hosts the popular The Matt Forde Focus Group radio show on BBC Radio 4 – the pain was no laughing matter.

‘It was just horrendous,’ the 43-year-old, from Nottingham, recalls. ‘Anyone who’s ever felt their back go, you’ll know the feeling when you can’t move a millimetre. I was in cold sweats with this completely paralysing nerve pain.’ 

Initially, he thought it had stemmed from a ‘tweaked’ hamstring in his left leg. Later, he suspected sciatica – sharp, burning nerve pain that shoots down the back of the leg.

His GP had another explanation, telling him he had likely over-exerted himself and ‘slipped a disc’. And so, he was sent to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival the following month on a prescribed ‘cocktail of codeine and diazepam’.

‘Sometimes, I think, “f*****g hell, I had cancer”,’ comedian Matt Forde tells the Daily Mail

‘It was great fun performing like that,’ he laughs. ‘If you get the chance I recommend it.

‘It felt phenomenal. I think that was the most physically comfortable I was the whole time because just that extra bit of adrenaline was basically a painkiller, so I was slightly wired from the drugs but the adrenaline meant that on stage I was totally fine.

‘It was only when I would come off and the adrenaline would ebb away that the pain would then start to really peak.’

It quickly transpired that Forde and his GP were wrong. This was more than an injury from exercise.

As his pain went from ‘feeling like a pulled muscle to red hot’ agony that stopped him from sleeping and moving, he persisted with medical appointments.

After weeks of investigations, a spinal tumour was discovered and Forde was diagnosed with chordoma – a rare type of bone cancer which affects just eight in a million people in the UK.

According to Chordoma UK, patients can experience different symptoms depending on where their tumour develops. 

Tumours at the base of the skull can trigger headaches, neck pain and blurred vision, while spinal chordomas – like Forde’s – can cause back pain, weakness in the arms or legs, and bowel or bladder problems.

Studies show the cancer is most common in their 50s and 60s, though it can affect younger patients too. 

Experts say that, in most cases, chordoma tumours are not fatal – but can lead to lasting medical problems, such as chronic pain. 

Forde was just 40 when he received the diagnosis, only three months after marrying his wife Laura, who was with him in the room when doctors broke the news.  

Thankfully, however, he got the news that his tumour was slow-growing. Forde’s oncologist believes he may have been living with his for as long as five years. 

That meant it was operable – but only through a gruelling 13-hour operation at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, followed by a lengthy recovery that left him with a colostomy bag, a stoma and lasting nerve pain. 

He says: ‘I just remember thinking, I will do everything I can to live. 

‘It was almost like my body was thinking, not just my brain. It felt like my legs were talking to me, saying, ‘carve us off if you have to live, just live at all costs.

‘It was a real drive to survive, and that was a really powerful feeling. It was almost like this was a conclusion handed down from somewhere else – just total clarity.

‘I’m really grateful for that, and even though the further you get away from it, the more you kind of get back to normal, I think that’s always there.’

Forde, from Nottingham, made the King laugh with a Donald Trump impression in November 2024

Now, three years later, Forde is preparing to return to this year’s Fringe, where he will perform his stand up show Project Holy Moly as well as a live recording of his podcast, The Political Party.

Much of his life has now changed. He now takes painkillers such as gabapentin, a nerve pain drug, every day and can no longer walk on hard floors due to the nerve pain in his legs and feet.

But some symptoms – which he now believes may have been worsening as a result of his chordoma – are gone.

For one, the ‘appalling’ eczema that he had suffered with all his life – which meant he had to bandage his hands to stop getting infections – has now been ‘completely transformed’.

And peculiarly, his hangovers – which had become particularly bad, bringing strange bouts of vomiting even after just a couple of beers – in the years running up to his diagnosis, are now far better.

Furthermore, Forde has been able to lose weight – which he believes is as a result of the anxiety of not wanting to continuously empty his stoma, particularly on stage.

He is generally more health-conscious than ever, because, in his words, he is ‘quite keen not to get cancer again’.

What’s more, Forde takes pleasure in the smaller things in life.

‘I definitely feel like I’ll know how I feel when my final day comes and that’s quite a nice feeling,’ he says. 

‘When I wasn’t sure if the cancer was going to be life-shortening, I really wanted to be ok with however much time I was going to have, and I think having to reckon with your mortality and just think, “right, if I’m off, how do I feel?” 

‘And I didn’t want to go.

‘But I also just thought, “man, what an amazing thing to have lived on this planet at this time”. Life itself is really magical, and I always believed that, but I hadn’t felt it as deeply as I did then.

‘I’ve always been an optimist, but there was just a real appreciation for whatever it is that has given us life – and I obviously don’t know the answer – but it was just grateful for having been around.

‘I began looking at things like trees, birds and grass more appreciatively than I did before and just thought, “oh, what a wonderful experience this has been, and I’m glad I had a go at it, and I’m glad I followed my passions, I’m glad I met the people that I did”.

‘It just reaffirmed everything that I already thought.’

Forde is also championing the British Standards Institution (BSI) – the body which ensures quality and safety at every stage of patient care – on their 125th anniversary.

‘All the things that had helped me: the MRI machine, even the way blood’s taken – they were all adhering to standards developed by the BSI, which I just think is miraculous.

‘When you’re a patient I think you have to believe that you’re in the very best hands, and a lot of that is believing that the surgeon and the hospital are excellent, and have your best interests at heart.

‘But you also realise that there’s been a whole load of work done by other people elsewhere that ensures that things are done to a particular standard.

‘I think it’s amazing that people have dedicated their lives to ensuring that things work well and work properly, and they’ve shared that intelligence and that expertise across the country.’

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Nestled deep into the Dolomites, Cyprianerhof feels less like a traditional spa and more like an Alpine reset button. 

After months of cortisol-spiking alarms, busy mornings fuelled by little more than black coffee and sleepless nights tormented by looming deadlines, I arrived craving the kind of reset modern wellness promises in abundance but rarely delivers: lower stress levels, deeper sleep, restoration and a chance to properly switch off.

The goal was simple – escape the relentless pace of London life long enough to reset my nervous system, spend less time doom scrolling and more time outdoors, and perhaps coax my permanently elevated cortisol levels back down. 

And if there is anywhere designed to make you forget the pressures of modern life, it is here. 

Tucked away in the tranquil village of Tires, located in northern Italy’s South Tyrol region, the hotel is just a 40-minute drive from Bolzano – the nearest city – with the hotel offering a convenient shuttle transfer directly from the airport. 

Jagged limestone cuts into impossibly blue skies, making it all too easy to forget the harsh office lighting and constant hum of industrial air conditioning. 

At 1,200 metres above sea level, the air is crisp, clean and noticeably cooler, and the pace of life intentionally slower.

The tranquil surroundings calm the mind and nourish the soul – but a personalised approach to wellness is also a prime focus. 

And if there is anywhere designed to make you forget the pressures of modern life, it’s here 

‘That’s the compass guiding our holistic approach to wellbeing: your movement, your stillness, your food, your rhythm – everything matters’, the team explains. 

Within hours, the usual low-level hum of stress that accompanies London life already felt noticeably quieter. 

Guests drift between heated indoor and outdoor pools filled with spring water, panoramic saunas, cold plunges and relaxation rooms scented with pine and alpine herbs.

Boosting your energy and immunity: From sauna to cold plunge

Much of the wellness offering centres around recovery — from cold plunges and saunas to treatments designed to improve circulation and reduce stress. 

Cold-water therapy, once reserved for elite athletes and hearty Scandinavians, has become one of the world’s biggest wellness trends – and for good reason.

Proponents of the trend claim plunging into icy waters has numerous health benefits – from reducing inflammation to boosting circulation and strengthening the immune system. 

It is, of course, possible to just fill your bathtub up with ice or turn the shower to cold, but plunging into icy waters is definitely easier when you have a sauna just metres away.

Combined with sauna sessions, it creates a deeply invigorating rhythm: intense heat, freezing cold, then complete calm – as oxygen-rich blood floods the body releasing tension. 

Wild ponds filter water through growing plants to promote relaxation and detoxification without harsh chemicals 

Any aches I was feeling from skiing, hiking and Pilates melted away, with the contrast of hot and cold. 

And the spa’s sauna culture is particularly impressive. There are five in total – ranging from a rustic hay barn boxes to a glass-fronted sauna with breathtaking mountain views. 

Like cold plunges, saunas also put your body under a form of stress – forcing your circulatory system to work harder. But this kind of stress feels worlds away from looming deadlines and inboxes full of ‘circling backs’ and Teams meetings. 

Research suggests regular sauna bathing may also have tangible health benefits. A major Finnish study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found frequent sauna use was associated with a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Other studies suggest saunas may help improve sleep quality, reduce stress hormones and ease muscle soreness by increasing blood flow and promoting relaxation.

And with just one sauna a week thought to be enough to provide the benefits of muscle and mental relaxation and better sleep, and regular sessions akin to the benefits of aerobic training, it’s no wonder I came back feeling re-energised. 

Forest bathing  

The setting itself does a lot of the heavy lifting. Studies have repeatedly shown that spending time in nature can reduce blood pressure, lower stress and improve heart health. 

From the spa’s numerous pools and saunas, trees peep into view. But many hikes start from the doorstep of the hotel – encouraging people to spend as much time outdoors as possible.

 As the last patches of snow melt away, the Dolomites come alive again. Walking through wild landscapes at altitude definitely gets your blood pumping and heart rate up – releasing endorphins – but it also offers me some much needed perspective. 

And there’s research to back it up. One study published in the Journal of Environmental Health and Perspective Medicine found that ‘forest bathing’ can increase immune cell activity. 

After spending three days in the forest, participants showed a 50 per cent increase in natural ‘killer cells’, which fight inflammation and infection.    

Treatments 

The treatment menu leans heavily into the surrounding landscape, with mineral-rich salts and mountain botanicals featuring throughout.

I opted for a full-body ritual designed to stimulate circulation and encourage deep relaxation – and it quickly became clear this was far removed from a standard spa massage.

The belief that nature is the best medicine shapes the spa 

The treatment combined feather-light touch with mineral-rich salts to exfoliate the skin and encourage lymphatic drainage, while warm herbal compresses were pressed into my tight muscles to boost blood flow and metabolic function.

While the word ‘detox’ is often overused in the wellness world, studies suggest massage and heat therapy can help support circulation, ease muscle tension and lower levels of the so-called stress hormone, cortisol.

The focus throughout was on activating the parasympathetic nervous system — the body’s ‘rest and digest’ mode — through slow movements and pressure.

Whether it was the massage itself, the warmth of the compresses or simply being forced to properly slow down for an hour, I left feeling noticeably calmer. 

Sleep 

Even sleep seems deeper here. When we hear about people wanting to improve their health, the answer that’s put forward is usually to eat better and exercise more. 

But sleep is just as important – and something most of us seem to struggle with, 

Perhaps it’s the altitude, the absence of digital overload, or simply the rhythm of days spent outdoors followed by long spa afternoons and bed by 10pm. 

Studies show that early morning exposure to sunlight is among the most underrated and overlooked hacks for a better night’s sleep – with no supplements, red light therapy or high-tech sleep trackers in sight.  

Perched in the dramatic Dolomites, the Cyprianerhof seamlessly blends high-alpine adventure with restorative wellness

Early light signals the brain to stop producing melatonin – the sleep hormone – and triggers the production of cortisol to support daytime energy levels, mood and metabolism. 

Essentially, having your morning coffee in the can help keep your brain and body on the same schedule – a feat that is near impossible in day to day life.  

A recent study of adults in Brazil even found that every 30 minutes of sun before 10am was associated with improved sleep quality. 

Either way, by the second morning, I woke with that elusive feeling of genuine restoration –  with absolutely no desire at all to reach for my phone.  

Our verdict

Perched in the dramatic Dolomites, the Cyprianerhof seamlessly blends high-alpine adventure with restorative wellness

Perched in the dramatic Dolomites, the Cyprianerhof seamlessly blends high-alpine adventure with restorative wellness. Cyprianerhof blends high-alpine adventure with a more grounded approach to wellness.

While the world of wellness often leans heavily into restriction, Cyprianerhof takes a more gentle, sustainable approach. 

There are no punishing juice cleanses or military-style boot camps here. Instead, movement comes in the form of guided hikes, yoga, climbing and forest bathing, while meal times champion seasonal ingredients. 

Rather than attempting to overhaul your life in a weekend, Cyprianerhof simply reminds you what feeling well is supposed to feel like. 

Britons spend an average of three hours each day glued to their phones – swiping, scrolling and texting.

Now experts warn the habit may be fuelling a painful nerve condition that can leave sufferers struggling to grip objects, carry out basic daily tasks or even sleep.

More than 340,000 people in the UK are thought to have carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), which occurs when tissue inside the wrist swells and compresses a major nerve.

The condition can cause debilitating symptoms including pain, pins and needles, weakness, numbness and difficulty gripping.

Research suggests cases are rising, with some studies indicating rates may have climbed by as much as 25 per cent over the past two decades.

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when tissue inside the wrist swells and compresses a major nerve, causing pain, pins and needles and numbness

And experts increasingly believe smartphones and tablets may be partly to blame.

Professor Adam Taylor, an anatomy expert at Lancaster University, says: ‘Carpal tunnel is incredibly common, and it used to be that someone’s occupation was the key trigger, but we know that mobile phones and devices may be a key trigger for many people.

‘This is because the way we hold our phones can put an unnatural strain on the tendons in our wrist. We believe that over four hours of phone use a day puts people at risk.’

Last week GP and Mail on Sunday columnist Dr Ellie Cannon said the condition was among the most common she sees in clinic, and questioned ‘whether our ever-increasing obsession with tapping away on our phones could be, in part, to blame’.

In response, dozens of readers got in touch suggesting their symptoms began after long periods using phones or tablets.

Christine Poles, 86, from Newport, said: ‘It started when I became addicted to a game on my iPad and phone. While playing I distinctly felt a snap and that was that. It was too painful to play any more and I have suffered ever since.’

Another woman blamed her ‘addiction’ to the puzzle game Candy Crush.

A recent review of studies published in March supported the theory. Researchers analysed data from 42 studies involving more than 67,000 people and found increased mobile phone use was linked to a greater likelihood of developing CTS. One study included in the review found people who regularly used their phones for texting were four times more likely to develop CTS, while using a phone with both hands was linked to a sevenfold increase in risk.

‘This does not mean developing carpal tunnel is inevitable with excessive phone use. Small changes, such as ensuring you hold the phone straight rather than bending the wrist, can relieve pressure,’ says Professor Taylor. But phone use is far from the only risk factor – others include obesity, diabetes and previous wrist injuries, as well as occupation.

CTS symptoms typically develop between the ages of 40 and 65, with women three times more likely to be diagnosed than men.

‘Women have smaller carpal tunnel passages in the wrist, which means they are more prone to the syndrome. But also the connective tissue is prone to swelling during menstruation, which increases risk,’ adds Professor Taylor.

‘We know that a patient’s occupation is also an important factor, whether that is manual labour, which means the wrist is repeatedly put under pressure, or whether it is a desk job where typing with poor posture is common.’

Simple exercises done at home can ease symptoms. Research by the University of Oxford found that so-called ‘gliding’ exercises prevented surgery in one in five patients.

‘The sooner a patient starts these exercises after symptoms develop the better,’ says Professor Annina Schmid, a carpal tunnel and pain expert at the University of Oxford. ‘We have really strong evidence now that physiotherapy can reduce pain and prevent surgery in cases of mild to moderate carpal tunnel.’

Professor Schmid also recommends wearing a wrist splint.

She adds: ‘Research shows the best time to wear it is at night. There is no additional benefit from wearing it all the time – in fact we actually want people to be using their hand as normal.

‘It does not have to be expensive – one from a pharmacy will be fine – but make sure it covers the thumb and has metal support at the back.’

But experts warn people should seek medical help if symptoms persist despite exercises, disturb sleep, or interfere with daily life.

Left untreated, the condition can lead to permanent nerve damage and wasting of the muscles in the hand through lack of use. Patients with more severe CTS are often offered steroid injections to relieve inflammation and pain, while some may require surgery.

Professor Schmid says: ‘As well as being a more severe form of carpal tunnel, the typical symptoms such as tingling or loss of feeling can also be a sign of serious health conditions such as diabetic neuropathy or spinal issues. So if the pain is preventing day-to-day life or persists for six weeks, you should see a GP.’

By LUKE CHAFER, HEALTH REPORTER

Published: 22:16 BST, 23 May 2026 | Updated: 22:22 BST, 23 May 2026

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Getting patients to sleep on their side could be the most effective form of treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea – a severe snoring condition that can have deadly complications.

The condition occurs when the walls of the throat relax during sleep, blocking the airways.

The majority of patients – about 75 per cent – have positional sleep apnoea, which is triggered by sleeping on their back. 

Now researchers have found that using a positional therapy device, which ensures patients sleep on their side, is an effective long-term treatment for the condition, which can trigger a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.

The findings were presented at the 2026 American Thoracic Society International Conference last week. 

Researchers found that the treatment leads to long-term improvement for patients, even after active treatment is stopped.

After six months of using a positional device, more than two-thirds of patients continued to sleep on their sides and were able to control their sleep apnoea without treatment. This effect remained even a year later.

There are positional devices available for sale already – for example, a belt that vibrates when the user rolls on to their back, prompting them to switch position, or a vest with a ball sewn into the back.

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a severe snoring condition that can have deadly complications. The condition occurs when the walls of the throat relax during sleep, blocking the airways. (Stock image)

Currently there is no drug licensed for sleep apnoea, and patients are often prescribed continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) – a machine that delivers air through a mask, worn at night, to keep the airways open. 

But as many as half of patients struggle to stick to using CPAP masks due to discomfort.

Experts say the latest findings could provide a simple solution for those patients.

‘We observed that positional therapy was not only effective – comparable to CPAP – but also better tolerated,’ said Dr Irene Cano-Pumarega, head of the sleep unit at Madrid’s Ramon y Cajal Hospital and one of the scientists behind the research.