DEAR DR. GOTT: You have repeatedly indicated that a primary care doctor can remove wax from the ears. NO WAY! Only a trained ENT doctor should do that. It does not take much to create serious problems.

I go every three months to my ENT for ear cleaning. I am deaf in one ear and have an over 75 percent hearing loss in the other. I will not take a chance on just anyone doing any more than looking in my ears. The same thing goes with my eyes.

I have a story about how a primary care doctor could not help with an ear problem. A little girl we knew had a problem with one ear where she would get real bad pain. Her parents took her to the pediatrician, who just gave her antibiotics, which did nothing. They finally took her to an ENT. He took one look, got his tools out, reached in and removed a watermelon seed. That is why we need specially trained doctors when it comes to our ears and eyes.

DEAR READER: Your story doesn’t convince me. A watermelon seed is a fairly large object to be wedged into the ear. Had the pediatrician done a thorough examination, including looking into the girl’s ear, he would have no doubt found the cause of her pain. Your story simply leads me to believe that he prescribed antibiotics without actually looking to see if she had an ear infection.I stand by my statement that a primary care physician can safely remove wax from the ear. If other problems are suspected or present, then a referral to an ENT (ear-nose-and-throat) physician is definitely in order.As for the eyes, simple problems such as pink eye can also be safely handled by a primary care physician. For more complicated matters, such as shingles or herpes of the eye or poor vision, referral to a ophthalmologist is appropriate.Readers who are interested in learning more can order my Health Report “Ear Infections and Disorders” by sending a self-addressed, stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 U.S. check or money order to Dr. Peter Gott, P.O. Box 433, Lakeville, CT 06039. Be sure to mention the title, or print an order form from my website’s direct link: www.AskDrGottMD.com/order—form.pdf.———————DEAR DR. GOTT: In the past you suggested eating pickles or drinking pickle juice for muscle cramps. Why? I often crave pickles and will consume an entire jar in one sitting. I take a diuretic (HCTZ) that is not potassium sparing. Does this have anything to do with it?

DEAR READER: To the best of my knowledge, pickles do have a fair amount of potassium, particularly the dill variety. They are also a good source of vitamins A and K, calcium, iron and manganese. The downside is that they are very high in sodium, which can cause water retention and high blood pressure.HCTZ (hydrochlorothiazide) is a common medication used to treat high blood pressure, so you should likely be on a low-sodium diet. Pickles are definitely out. Your craving may be due to the HCTZ’s potassium-depleting effects, so speak with your physician regarding adding a supplement to your diet, or increase your intake of high- potassium foods such as baked potatoes, bananas, papaya, prune juice, raisins, cantaloupe, pears, oranges/orange juice, peaches, strawberries and apples/apple juice. Reserve pickles for a rare treat and don’t eat the whole jar in one sitting.——————

To contact the doctor, address letters to Dr. Gott c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., 4th fl., New York, NY 10016.