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Dr Mary Lowth

Dr Mary Elisabeth Lowth, FRCGP

MA (Cantab), MB, BChir, DFFP, DRCOG, PG Cert, Med Ed, FRCGP, MA (London)

Dr Mary Lowth was a Suffolk GP for 20 years, specialising in paediatrics and child protection, and later in documentation of torture.

A medical writer and journalist since 1992, she has written for numerous publications and websites, including Patient and Private Eye.

She qualified in Cambridge in 1988 and, after initially specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology, moved to general practice, becoming a GP trainer, GP Training Programme Director and MRCGP Examiner. She has a Masters in Medical Law and Ethics, and is currently working on a PhD on medical law, focussed on Transplantation. She has also written several novels under the names Mary Selby and Joanna Bell.

Mary’s web presence

Recently contributed to:

Foot blisters
Info leaflet

Blisters are small pockets of fluid that develop most often on the feet and are normally caused by a mixture of friction and pressure. They are very common and can be painful.

Ageing feet
Info leaflet

As feet get older they lose some of their strength and springiness due to changes in the skin and joints. Feet tend to spread and lose the fatty pads that cushion them. This does not mean that feet should necessarily become painful as they get older. However, it does mean that they are not able to sustain the same levels of activity that they could when younger. For that reason older people need to take good care of their feet.

Broken toe
Info leaflet

A broken (fractured) toe is a fairly common injury which usually needs no specific treatment. It is most often caused by dropping a heavy object on to your foot or badly stubbing your toe.

Sweaty feet
Info leaflet

Many people experience sweaty feet occasionally. However, for some people excessive foot sweating is a persisting problem which can be both difficult to manage and embarrassing. It may lead to smelly feet, and nobody likes stinky feet. This leaflet explains why feet sweat (which is normal) and how to stop your feet from being sweaty or smelly.

Flat feet and fallen arches
Info leaflet

Flat feet are just as they sound - feet that are flatter on the undersurface (or plantar surface) than they should be, because the arches (insteps) have dropped. This can (but does not always) lead to pain and tiredness in the feet. It can also cause problems in the ankles, legs or back.