DEAR DR. GOTT: My wife has had a crick in her neck for about four months. It isn’t a persistent pain, but there is not a day that goes by when it doesn’t bother her. It is on the right side, and if she makes a sudden move, it really hurts.

She endures it and does not seem too concerned about going to a doctor. However, I have begun to worry a bit about it not healing. I feel she may need medical help from a physician. Am I an alarmist?

DEAR READER:<$> I assume your wife’s symptom does not reflect the possibility that you are a pain in the neck. I won’t go down that path!

Any persistent or recurring symptom should be investigated. Neck pain is no exception. The pain could be caused by a simple muscle spasm. But it also might reflect osteoarthritis of the cervical spine or, worse yet, disc disease in the neck. I strongly encourage your wife to meet with her primary care physician to resolve this issue.

You are not an alarmist. Rather, you seem to be a concerned and caring husband who probably doesn’t want to promote unnecessary medical attention. In your wife’s case, however, professional help is appropriate. Let me know what the doctor concludes.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my updated Health Report “Managing Chronic Pain.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

DEAR DR. GOTT> Does the acidity in grapefruit contribute to bladder infections? I enjoy eating half a grapefruit every day, but I sometimes experience urges to urinate with burning sensations. My husband says this is probably due to the grapefruit. I have asked my doctor, and she says no.

DEAR READE$> During digestion, your half grapefruit loses most of its acidity. Therefore, I do not believe that it is the cause of your symptoms.

Because low-grade urinary infections can lead to burning, I suggest that you have a simple urinary culture to identify the presence of bacteria. Meanwhile, continue to enjoy your grapefruit.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Bladder and Urinary Tract Infections.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

DEAR DR. GOTT: You asked readers about their experiences with ginger. Here’s mine. I stopped my use of hormone-replacement therapy two years ago. I found eating two or three slices of crystallised ginger a day has reduced my hot flashes from a dozen a day to maybe one or two. Some days I have none at al

DEAR READER:<$> I have received several letters from readers who recommended ginger therapy for hot flashes. This therapy is simple, safe and cheap, so it meets my criteria as an effective alternative for hot flashes and, as I have written before, motion sickness.