Cold & Flu Center

Everyday Tips

A Cold or Worse? 11 Signs of Sinusitis

Though sinusitis simply means your sinuses are infected or inflamed, the term gives little indication of the misery and pain this condition can cause. Health experts estimate that 37 million Americans are affected by sinusitis every year. Here are 11 ways to know whether you're one of them:

• Headache when you wake in the morning
• Pain when touching your forehead over the frontal sinuses
• Achiness in the upper jaw and teeth; your cheeks also become tender to the touch
• Swelling of the eyelids and tissues around your eyes, and pain between your eyes
• Earaches, neck pain, and deep aching at the top of your head
• Fever
• Weakness
• Tiredness
• A cough that may be more severe at night
• Nasal congestion
• A sore throat caused by postnasal drip down the back of your throat

After diagnosing sinusitis and identifying a possible cause, your health care provider will probably suggest treatments such as decongestants, antibiotics, and pain relievers to reduce the inflammation and relieve your symptoms.

Last updated: April 2007

Spring and Pollen Are in the Air

Published: 04/12/08

SATURDAY, April 12 (HealthDay News) -- Spring is here, and so is allergy season for millions of Americans.

With a bit of planning, effort and common sense, many people can limit their suffering or perhaps even avoid it altogether, according to Dr. Mark Dykewicz, professor of internal medicine and chief of allergy and clinical immunology at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine.

For the most part, seasonal allergies are caused by airborne pollens -- very fine powder released by trees, grasses and weeds as they pollinate and fertilize other plants of the same kind. Molds in outdoor air can also contribute to seasonal allergies.

Although outdoor allergens can be present year-round in warmer climates, allergy season generally begins in late winter or early spring and runs through late summer or early fall. As the season progresses, different types of pollens are present to trigger allergic reactions, Dykewicz said.

Dykewicz cited five important steps that help anyone prevent or relieve symptoms when pollen or mold counts are peaking:

• Use over-the-counter antihistamines for relief. For some people, these drugs are very effective at reducing the classic symptoms of seasonal allergies, including sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes and scratchy throat. Be aware that some older-generation antihistamines, such as Benadryl, can cause sleepiness and the impairment of thinking and driving. More recent formulations tend to cause no drowsiness (Claritin, for example) or less drowsiness (Zyrtec), Dykewicz said.
• Keep your home's doors and windows closed. You can't completely seal off your home, but keeping doors and windows closed can help prevent pollens and outdoor molds from entering. As the weather turns nicer, use the air conditioner rather than opening a window to bring in "fresh" air.
• Limit outdoor activity, particularly in the morning. Avoid being outdoors, especially to exercise, when pollen counts are high, or on windy days when pollen and molds are being blown about. In general, pollen counts are highest from about 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.
• When traveling by car, keep the windows up. Again, this helps keep out pollens, dust and mold.
• Take a shower and change clothes. Pollen can collect on clothes and in your hair, so when you've been outside for any significant amount of time, shower and change into fresh clothes as soon as you get home.

If you've followed those steps and you're still suffering, then it is time to see a doctor, Dykewicz said.

A variety of prescription medications can help reduce or block seasonal allergy symptoms, he said. These include other oral antihistamines and several classes of nasal sprays. Nasal sprays tend to be the most effective at relieving symptoms by helping reduce inflammation and counteracting the allergic response.

For harder-to-treat cases, Dykewicz said many patients benefit from allergy immunotherapy -- a long-term series of shots to desensitize a patient from specific allergens.

The good news is there's a lot you and your doctor can do to help relieve or prevent suffering caused by allergies, Dykewicz said in a prepared statement.

Avoiding Pollen Exposure

Here are some ways to minimize your pollen exposure:  

·        Stay indoors when the pollen count is high, especially on dry, windy days.

• Stay indoors between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m., when airborne pollen is likely to be at its highest each day.
• Keep home windows closed at night, and turn on the air conditioner.
• Keep car windows closed when driving.
• Vacation at the coast during high pollen season.
• Don’t cut your grass; have someone else do it.
• Don’t hang clothing and bedding out to dry.

People who are very bothered by airborne allergens may wonder if moving to another part of the country would make a difference. The answer is yes and no. In the short term, you can outrun your allergens and find temporary relief in the company of other pollens. But this relief is usually short-lived. Eventually, you are likely to develop a hypersensitivity to the pollens in your new locale and become subject to allergic attacks once more. You can run but you can’t hide! Relocation isn’t ultimately a solution. An exception is to go up in the world. Higher altitudes, where there is less pollen of any sort, can be beneficial. Interestingly, some former tuberculosis sanatoriums, built high up, are now asthma centers.

Unfortunately, Sometimes when we have a cold or sinusitis we blow our nose too hard and rupture an eardrum here are some tips to cure that problem:

Health Tip: Caring for a Ruptured Eardrum

(HealthDay News) -- A ruptured eardrum typically is caused by an ear infection, an injury to the ear, or sudden changes in air pressure.

Here are suggestions to help heal a ruptured eardrum, courtesy of the University of Michigan Health System:

• Follow all instructions from your doctor, and don't put anything inside your ear unless your doctor says it's OK.
• Keep water out of your ear when you take a bath or shower.
• Take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
• Be gentle when blowing your nose until your ear has healed.
• Don't go swimming or submerge your ear in water until your doctor approves.

Be sure to drink plenty of fluids especially water! Hope all your family, friends and relatives stay healthy. Gager &Associates