Healthy happy you.
Have you ever been on a flight and experienced pressure or pain in your ear where your ear felt full or sounds were kind of muffled? There is a name for this condition and it is fittingly called airplane ear. More scientifically, it's known as barotrauma or barotitis media, but however you call it, the pain can be really intense and can even cause ringing or bleeding in your ear, dizziness, or Read more
I have always blamed the dark circles under my eyes on my children, since my dear ones wake me up during the night and very early in the morning. Thanks to the Mayo Clinic, my girls are off the hook. It seems that those dark circles are most commonly caused by nasal congestion - who knew? When your nose is congested, veins that usually drain from your eyes into your nose become widened Read more
I lived for years in denial of my seasonal allergies and pretended that the runny nose was just a little cold. But that little cold went on forever. Needless to day, I have wised up and learned how to sort through symptoms to determine what is causing my runny nose — a virus or pollen. Here is the list comparing the symptoms of the common cold with those that accompany seasonal allergies that Read more
When suffering from the pain and pressure of a sinus infection, getting a prescription for antibiotics becomes priority number one. New research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association put this practice into question. Hold onto your tissues folks — scientists found antibiotics don't ease patients' symptoms any faster than placebo pills. The small study included 166 adults Read more
I started the New Year with a cold that has knocked me right off my feet. I was fine staying home for the midnight countdown, but what I'm not looking forward to is having to board a plane with this bad bug — traveling when you're sick is the worst! If you need to fly and are suffering from a cold, here are some survival tips to help alleviate the annoying symptoms associated with being Read more
Flushing your nasal passages with warm salt water can do wonders for congestion and sinus pain caused by colds and allergies, but use a neti pot improperly, and it could result in death. Louisiana's state health department has issued a warning for neti pots in response to two deaths thought to be linked to improper neti pot use. Both victims filled their neti pots with regular tap water instead Read more
Whether it's allergies or a nasty cold, being congested sucks. It's hard to breathe, the sinus pressure is painful, and it can even affect your hearing. Blowing your nose offers some relief, but in cases where you're really stuffed up, it can be pretty futile. OTC medicines help dry out mucus but leave users feeling loopy, sleepy, and spaced out. What's left to do? The next time you're feeling Read more
Whether it's a nasty cold or allergies causing your congestion, it may be time to give a neti pot a whirl. This teapot-looking device may seem a little odd at first glance, but it's recommended by ear, nose, and throat doctors to relieve nasal congestion and pain. To a newbie, using a neti pot may seem torturous, but with a few helpful hints, you'll be a neti-pot know-it-all in no time. Watch Read more
Modern technology makes it easier to transport our work to home, which can be a blessing when you wake up with a nasty cough but aren't sick enough to skip out on work. Here are a few tips to help you know when you should work from home or when you should take a sick day and rest. Work from home if you have: Nasal congestion, headaches, sneezing, coughing, or a runny nose: Nothing is worse Read more
If if you eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and wash your hands a bazillion times a day, you can still find yourself reaching for the tissues and cough drops. Luckily cold symptoms don't last too long, but here are some ways to get relief from your ails without popping pills or swallowing gross liquid. Heat and Water Before slipping into bed, take a hot shower. Make sure Read more
