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Please scroll down for more guidance on coughs, coldsores, dry itchy eyes, hangovers, sinusitus, snoring and more.
Coughs
Upper respiratory tract infections are often associated with poor immune function. In children, this might occur as part of a growth phase, as a result of poor sleep patterns caused by teething, or as a consequence of an immune challenge such as a vaccination.
The cough reflex is the respiratory tract’s first line of defence. It is the body’s way of helping extract any foreign material that accumulates in the airways.
Treatment options for infants and toddlers:
Treatment options for adults:
- Warm drinks will ease a sore throat and dry mouth.
- Paracetamol may be used if fever is present.
- Nasal drops or inhalers might ease a blocked nose.
- Zinc lozenges can help prevent the cold-causing virus from spreading.
- A cough expectorant like Prospan to help bring up mucus and relieve coughing spasms.
Coldsores
Coldsores are often embarrassing for the coldsore sufferer but there are many ways to reduce further outbreaks from appearing or significantly reduce the symptoms.
Preventative measures:
- Reduce stress and excessive exposure to the sun.
- Avoid all chocolate, peanuts and almonds. These foods have high arginine content. Arginine helps replicate the herpes virus. Lysine balances arginine. Use lysine as a supplement if these foods are eaten.
- Check that a particular food isn’t causing the problem. Improve bowel health by using a lactobacillus supplement.
Treatment options:
- Keep the infected area clean and dry to prevent secondary infections.
- Avoid touching the lesions and wash hands after any contact with the sores.
- Try a Lemon Balm coldsore cream such as LomaLips to relieve coldsores. LomaLips is gentle enough to be used as a daily lip moisturiser and may even prevent further outbreaks.
- Zinc sulphate capsules such as LipRevive 232 are also great for healing coldsore scabs quickly and effectively.
- For chronic coldsore sufferers, try an electronic heat device like Herpotherm. It works by using concentrated heat to disrupt the cold sore virus, so it does not have the chance to spread or grow. This is an excellent chemical/drug-free option for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Dry Eye
Although there is no cure for dry eye, the condition can be successfully managed.
Treatment options:
- Make a conscious effort to blink more often.
- Increase the humidity of the air in your home by placing bowls of water around the room to evaporate.
- Consult your doctor about the side effects of any medications you may be taking.
- Ensure your eyes are regularly checked by an eye specialist.
- In serious cases special plugs can be inserted into the tear ducts to prevent excessive loss of tears or surgery maybe considered.
- Use eye drops or a lipid spray such as Tears Again.
Hangovers
A hangover is a sign of over-indulgence. Your body is in a state of dehydration. It normally includes symptoms such as dry mouth, headache, nausea, queasy stomach and fatigue.
Treatment options to help alleviate those nasty 'morning-after' symptoms:
- Drink lots of fluids such as water and juices.
- If you drink coffee, always follow with water.
- Have a substantial meal but avoid greasy and fatty foods.
- Paracetamol may help headaches related to hangovers.
- Take 4 Hydrodol capsules to help relieve major hangover symptoms.
Minimising the effects of a hangover is probably the best strategy all round.
To reduce the risk of a hangover, try:
- Drinking on a full stomach or at least eat whilst drinking
- Selecting drinks that suit you and that you normally like to drink.
- Avoiding fast drinking or 'skolling'.
- Restricting the quantity of alcohol you drink by diluting your drinks.
- Having a non-alcoholic drink in-between alcoholic drinks.
- Beer drinkers, try 'light' beers.
- Avoiding or restricting smoking while you drink.
- Drinking 3 large glasses of water before going to bed.
- Taking 4 Hydrodol capsules.
Always drink in moderation. Do not drink and drive. If symptoms persist, please see your healthcare practitioner.
Sinusitis
Sinusitis means infection or inflammation of the sinuses. The sinuses are air-filled spaces within the bones of the face. They are located in the cheeks, forehead and around the eyes. One function of the sinuses is to warm and moisten inhaled air before it reaches the lungs. The sinuses are also lined with cells that help prevent infection by producing mucus to trap particles of dirt and other pollutants that are breathed in.
Sinusitis is caused by too much mucus, or a swelling of the lining of the sinuses and nose, which can block the narrow channels. This can occur during a cold, or may be due to allergy e.g. hayfever or irritation of the linings of the sinuses e.g. from chlorine in a swimming pool. Bacteria then grow inside the sinuses, causing pain, headache and sometimes fever.
Risk factors
Certain factors increase a person’s susceptibility to sinusitis, including:
- Frequent colds (especially for young children)
- Cigarette smoking (active or passive)
- Regular use of nasal decongestant sprays (for more than two to three days)
- Untreated hay fever or other allergies
- Structural abnormalities of the nose
- Nasal polyps (swellings in the linings of the nose or sinuses)
- Dental disease, such as untreated tooth abscess.
Some people are troubled by frequent sinus infections, or continuous infection. Chronic sinusitis can linger for weeks or even months at a time. People with chronic sinusitis may have other problems which affect the nose, throat and ears at the same time, including:
- Middle ear infection and temporary deafness
- Post-nasal drip (fluid from drips down the back of the throat), which can lead to constant coughing, a sore throat and bad breath.
Treatment options
Decongestants that help with symptoms of colds usually do not help with sinusitis. Some nasal sprays (for allergies) can even make the problem worse, if they are used for too long, because they can cause more swelling. Antibiotics are often prescribed for sinusitis. Other options to manage the symptoms of sinusitis include:
- Steam inhalation, perhaps including a few drops of eucalyptus oil.
- Comfortably hot compresses held against the face.
- Pain relief medication, such as paracetamol.
- Saline nasal sprays.
- Nasodren nasal spray once per day.
If you suffer from sinusitis, it’s important to see if there is any trigger which can be treated. For example, hayfever or dental disease may need to be treated, or you may want to avoid irritants by staying out of swimming pools. In some severe cases, surgery to drain the pus and improve the flow of mucus from the sinus may be recommended by a medical professional.
Snoring
Snoring is not harmful to one's health, however if a person is a loud snorer they may continually wake themselves and their bed-partner up during the night. This can lead to long-term sleep deprivation, stress and fatigue.
Treatment options which may assist snorers (and their bed partners!).
- Losing weight and cutting back on alcohol.
- Sleeping on one's side instead of on the back.
- Allow plenty of air to circulate through the bedroom.
- In serious cases surgery maybe considered.
- Use a nasal device such as Nozovent.
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