Posts Tagged ‘Nostrils’
Snoring: Why Do We Snore?
Most of us snore at one or another, if not all the time. Some snore loudly, some just purr. Surveys have produced different results, but it is probable that about half of us over the age of 30 snore. The probability of snoring increases with age and obesity and about 60% of men and 40% of women do it regularly, even more do it infrequently.
Snoring is caused when there is an obstruction to the free flow of air in the back of the throat and or nose. This area is ‘collapsible’, so the noise is usually produced by the flapping of the uvula against the soft (upper) palate. Therefore, weak throat muscles or a ‘fat neck’ can aggravate the condition. Consumption of alcohol in the late evening increases the chances of snoring because it relaxes the throat muscles and sleeping on one’s back allows the tongue to slip back and partially block the airway. Also, not everyone is built to exactly the same proportions - some have a longer, narrower palate, which is more collapsible and others have a longer uvula, which is more flappable.
Acupuncture
Some say wearing a ring on one of the little fingers helps because it puts pressure on a relevant acupuncture point. Others put a tennis ball in a sock and sew the sock to the back of their pyjamas. One doctor even suggested that playing the didgeridoo could cure snoring by tightening up and toning the throat muscles.
Consume Less Alcohol
Drinking less the evening, losing weight and sleeping on your side are the best ‘home’ remedies. However, there are also surgical appliances on the market and surgery is available too. The appliances vary, but they range from adhesive strips to hold the nostrils open to ‘mandibular advancement splints’, which, worn in the mouth, ’set the jaws to their optimum position’ [!].
The Social, Psychological, Physical and Medical Problems Cause By Snoring
Snoring can cause serious social, psychological, physical and medical problems and should not be taken too lightly. Socially, families may suffer from having a heavy snorer in the household. Friends and colleagues may not invite a heavy snorer to ’sleep over’ or go on holiday or on business trips together. Psychologically, a snorer may feel ostracised, embarrassed or even victimized for something that is really totally beyond his or her control. Physically, snorers suffer from lack of sleep and all that that entails; for example, daytime drowsiness and the inability to concentrate for log periods of time, which in turn can cause problems at work and in the car - a high proportion of road accidents is caused by the driver dozing at the wheel. Medically, a recent Australian survey reported that, after treatment, heavy snorers were 64% less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke, because heavy snoring, which can also be sleep apnoea, puts extra stress on the heart. Obstructive apnoea is the condition where a snorer stops breathing due to complete obstruction of the airway for up to ten seconds seven times an hour while sleeping. This can happen between 30 and 300 times a night. After years of apnoea, hypertension and an enlarged heart may result.
Light snoring is not really serious but even that means obstructed breathing, which is not a good thing. Heavy snoring can be a sign of a problem or a warning of problems to come. A doctor can help; snoring is neither funny nor hopeless.
By: Michael Russell
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How Cold Sores Spread
Cold sores also called as fever blisters. This infection spreads because of the herpes simplex viruses. These viruses are contagious and infection catches the body soon. Occurrence of the viruses can be observed through the tingling of lips, small and hard spots around the area of mouth and fingers. Herpes simplex viruses enter the body through mouth and then attack the nerve cells. From the nerve cells, they move towards the ganglia there, that lay in dormant state. When the suitable condition occur viruses gets activate and shows the presence through blisters.
Symptoms of the viruses include painful, small and fluid filled blisters come on red, raised and panic area of the skin. Symptoms of blisters may comprise paining and tingling of the skin. Tingling and paining of the skin called as the prodromes and precedes the blisters by one or two days. Duration of the blisters is about seven to ten days. Areas where blisters come frequently are lips, nostrils, fingers and chin. In rare cases, they may occur inside the mouth on gums and hard palate. All these symptoms can be observed after about 20 days of attack and when out breaks last for about seven to ten days. Usually the blisters forms, breaks after some time and then leaks stick fluid. After this process, a yellow crust forms and finally sloughs off to uncover pinkish skin.
Herpes simplex viruses of type I cause the cold sores. However, herpes simplex viruses of type II cause genital herpes. Person can infect either in the childhood or when comes in the contact with person having active lesion. Another reason of spreading viruses is the sharing of eating utensils, razors and towels. Once viruses infect the body, they appear and reappear on the skin depending upon the conditions. In the suitable condition, they appear and in unfavorable conditions, they lay dormant. Cold sores may come in the active state when the person exposes more in the sunlight.
Body with low immune also gets attack by the viruses. Frequently more stress also activates the viruses and blisters breakouts. Therefore, to avoid the triggering of the blisters you have to avoid the stress and try for proper rest. As the viruses is contagious person need to avoid kissing as well as skin contact with the peoples suffering with active lesions. Pricking and itching blisters spreads the infection and therefore person should not touch the blisters. In case of accidental touch, wash hands immediately. This will prevent the spreading of infection in other parts of the body.
Along with these precautionary measures person must try to avoid triggering of the blisters. If possible, try to avoid condition of cold and flue as these can trigger the viruses in the body. Besides the precautionary measures, one has to take care of themselves. Regular application of over the counter (OTC) crèmes can give comfort. To decrease the pain from the blisters person may consume OTC pain reliever. In suppress and healing blisters ice and warm tea bags are useful.
Dealing With Cold Sores Of The Nose
A cold sore will generally affect mouth and the nose. Cold sores are a viral infection and it causes small sores on the mouth nose and other parts of the body. The herpes simplex type 1 is responsible for the infection of the mouth and nose.
It infects the lower part of the nose or sometimes the infection also reaches in the nose. In the nose it affects generally the nostrils. In these disease sores are developed on the skin bellow nose and also inside the nose. These sores are small in size however they grow in the form of groups and therefore they can be painful. The skin where the infection occurs becomes red and appears as inflated. After some time of occurrence of the infection the sores grow in size and finally they burst i.e. they break open and dispose out a clear fluid. This may happen because of mechanical stress as touching with the finger etc. When this happens a curst is developed in the area of the infection.
However after this, the sores disappear themselves without doing anything. Therefore they may disappear even without the need to take medication.
As the sores appear in groups containing a large number of sores, the nose becomes very painful. They also cause itching. If they appear bellow the nose they are visible externally and therefore they cause embarrassment for the patient.
The infection occurs when the patient comes in to contact with the germs i.e. the herpes. They spread from the infected person to the other people. This happens when they sneeze or through the common use of things like towels, napkins, etc. it also occurs because of the touching the sores with the hand or other body parts.
Once the virus known as the herpes simplex enters the body of the patient it may remain inactive for sometime. However due to some stimulus as cold or some other chemical stimulus also it may give rise to the sores on the skin. Therefore they occur commonly during the cold season and so called cold sores.
They can occur to people of any age from children to adults. However, in some 20 to 40% people though the herpes enters their body it remains inactive. It is not able to grow and create the symptoms of cold sores in them.
The remaining ones show the symptoms of the infection externally.
The complete cure from the infection is not possible. The virus remains in the body for ever though it may become inactive for sometime because of the cure methods. Therefore the cold sores occur frequently throughout the life of the patients.
The sore disappear naturally after their occurrence. This takes a time of about two weeks. Many types of creams and antiviral medicines are available in the market. However these will only reduce the time of healing by about 3 to 4 days. However they give immediate from the pain that these sores cause.
Using the natural substances as the lysine, zinc vitamin c etc can help in reducing their occurrence. In addition to this it has been found that the amino acid Arginine is rerqired by the virus for their growth and therefore the patients should avoid eating foods containing Arginine.
Also it is important that though the sores may cause itching they should never be scratched or they will spread to the nearby region