Search Results for: blog sinus infections

Ear Yeast Infections in Dogs

Two weeks ago my dog alarmed me by revealing, when she was in the process of scratching one of her ears, a series of both large and small scabs inside that ear. I immediately checked both, but only the right ear sported any scabs. Neither ear looked too dirty, nor displayed any immediately obvious signs of mites. Unfortunately, I was visiting friends for the weekend and thus out of town, so because it wasn’t an emergency, I could not seek any veterinary care right away. I used antibiotic ointment on her ears whenever she scratched a scab open (which happened … Continue reading →

Confessions of a Fitness Blogger

Some days, I just don’t want to get out of bed. Some days, I just don’t know what to sit down and write when I pull up the screen. I have a confession to make, for someone who writes about fitness, enjoys fitness and works out regularly; I’ve been struggling for months to maintain my motivation, stay alert and just stay focused. It’s hard. Tell Me Something I Don’t Know Life is hard. I’ve always known this and I think hard work encourages a person to persevere beyond what they could do normally. That being said, I think that after … Continue reading →

More Natural Remedies for a Sinus Infection

You may have noticed my ongoing fight against sinus infections. Whenever I get one, I start up my “sinus experiment”. The key component in my big plan is shooting salt water up my nose with a sinus rinse kit. It’s gross, but it really does work! I definitely wouldn’t have started doing it if an ear/nose/throat specialist hadn’t said it was that or another sinus surgery — the right motivation is everything. Now that I’ve seen it successfully fight off multiple sinus infections, I’ve been trying to get other people onto the sinus rinse bandwagon. If you can’t stomach the … Continue reading →

Score Another Victory For The Great Sinus Experiment

A few days ago, I woke up with a sore throat. It must be allergies, I told myself. Post nasal drip, because I have a certain brown dog who hogs all the pillows and I end up sleeping flat on my back. But the sore throat stuck around. Yesterday it was joined by a stuffy nose. And a headache. My nose and sinuses got more and more congested as the day went on, and I finally had to conclude that it wasn’t allergies. It was the beginnings of a sinus infection. I pulled out the Echinacea and goldenseal and took … Continue reading →

The Sinus Experiment: Day One

Over the last few days, I’ve been feeling the rumbles of an impending sinus infection. I’ve got the headache, with pain in the forehead and in the cheeks (below my eyes). I’ve started the nasal congestion, though so far my mucus has been clear. And I’ve got a general feeling of blah… my body is kind of achy, I have less energy than usual, and my appetite is funny. My usual method is to just live with the discomfort until it either goes away or gets bad enough that I go to the doctor. But not this time, sinus infection! … Continue reading →

Toddlers and the Flu Vaccine

Every parent, who has children under the age of five, quickly discovers that little kids are “germ spreaders.” One cannot be too surprised by this revelation. Toddlers, for example, tend to put things into their mouths, to pick their noses, and to strongly resists all parental attempts to wash their little faces and hands. As such, it is recommended that toddlers receive the flu vaccine. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that the LAIV (live attenuated influenza vaccine) be given to children ages 2 through 8 years old. In addition, they recommend that kids between age 2 … Continue reading →

The Flu Shot for Baby-Is it Necessary?

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In our house, we have always been big proponents of the flu shot. We all get them every year. And, it is that time of year again. My husband works in the medical field, and in past years, he has had to be in contact with flu patients regularly. Since our children are young, we have always been cautious. In his current job, he is not in close contact with patients infected with the flu, although he does still work in a hospital. So, I found myself asking him if it was really necessary. I had never really questioned it … Continue reading →

Don’t Ignore Allergies

Allergy season has officially hit at the Williams’ house and it is definitely not very fun! Our days are filled with runny noses, sore throats, and itchy eyes. Tissues are in short supply and it tends to make us both a little grumpy. It can be easy to mistake your child’s sniffles for the common cold, but if the symptoms persist for more than a couple weeks you may want to talk to your pediatrician about the possibility of testing for allergies. If left untreated allergies can make children more susceptible to ear and sinus infections and can even cause … Continue reading →

FDA Approves Kalydeco to Treat Cystic Fibrosis

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug called Kalydeco. This is the first drug that has been approved in the United States to treat the cause of cystic fibrosis (in some patients). Kalydeco is extremely expensive. Despite the cost, it holds hope for parents of children who have cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetically heritable disease. It occurs when a child receives two abnormal copies of a specific gene. In other words, the child ended up with one abnormal copy of the gene from his mother, and also received one abnormal copy of the gene from … Continue reading →

It’s Hard to Find Health Care Without Health Insurance

My experiences today are a good example of what millions of uninsured Americans are dealing with. I believe I have a sinus infection, and wanted to be seen by a doctor. I don’t have health insurance. As a result, I ended up calling several places before I could get an appointment, (and no one would tell me what the visit to the doctor will cost me). I am someone who has severe, chronic, allergies, (to food, to environmental allergens, to animals, and to a variety of substances that can make my skin break out in hives). Many of the people … Continue reading →