How bad is dust? I ask because I have allergies and I think it’s just making things worse. I clean a lot and I still find myself sneezing. Is there anything I can do?
Allergies both indoor and outdoor, affect a huge number of people and can make you truly miserable. Dust is actually one of the most common indoor allergens.
Unfortunately, since it is indoor, it can affect people year-round. You are likely allergic to the dust itself, but could certainly also be allergic to other things that are made worse by dust. Allergy to dust is most commonly an allergy to dust mites, microscopic organisms that feed off house dust and the moisture in the air.
In addition to normal allergy symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, congestion, or itchy/watery eyes it can also trigger asthma or eczema.
Dust mite allergies can also be associated with allergies to mold, pet dander, pollen, and cockroaches. So what can you do to help tame the symptoms? The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology recommends steps like: removing wall to wall carpets and drapes, keeping pets out of the home (or at least the bedroom), minimizing home humidity, using “mite-proof”cases on mattresses and pillows and wash bed linens frequently in hot water, and wearing a mask when cleaning.
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You should also make sure to use a good furnace filter, and replace at least every three months.
For medications, the first step is to try a daily antihistamine like Claritin or Zyrtec. I generally recommend using it daily for at least several weeks before deciding it is not helping. There are also OTC nasal steroids such as fluticasone (Flonase), triamcinolone (Nasacort) or budesonide (Rhinocort) that can significantly help with symptoms. Dose for those are generally two sprays in each nostril once a day. If still no relief, go see your doctor. There are further medications that can be tried, or referral to an allergist.
A friend said her daughter went to school with mono. Aren’t you supposed to limit your contact with others if you’ve got that? How long should she stay away from others? What are the symptoms if my child gets it?
Infectious mononucleosis is usually caused by the Epstein-Barr Virus, or EBV. It is a common viral illness that will infect most of us at some point in our lives. Some people are infected and have no symptoms, others have severe symptoms. It is spread through bodily fluids, primarily saliva. The most common time to get symptomatic infection is during adolescence into early adulthood. Symptoms most commonly include: sore throat, fatigue, fever, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, tonsillar enlargement. Less commonly, adults present with jaundice (yellowing of the skin) or enlargement of the spleen. Rarely, it can cause neurologic complications or rupture of the spleen.
People can sometime develop profound fatigue from it, and symptoms can unfortunately last two weeks to a couple months. It is not the most contagious virus, but 90-95 percent of adults will have antibodies to it, meaning at some point in our life we came across it. If your doctor is concerned that you or your child has it, a blood test can be done.
In regard to limiting contact with others, like any other viral upper respiratory illness, kids should stay home from school while they have a fever and have significant symptoms. If they are starting to feel better and are afebrile they can go back to school. There is also a long incubation period, meaning you may not show symptoms for four to seven weeks after infection. Because of this, most people with mono cannot identify being around an infected person. Unfortunately, after you have had the acute illness, you can shed the virus intermittently in your saliva for up to 18 months. So really, beside good hygiene practices like hand washing and not sharing beverages with others, it is very difficult to prevent transmission most of the time.
Treatment of mono is largely symptomatic, you can use Tylenol or ibuprofen for pain and OTC remedies for sore throat. The main thing we worry about is participation in sports given the risk of enlargement of the spleen and liver with mono. If children play contact sports while they have mono, there is a small but real risk of rupturing the spleen. Because of this, we generally recommend at least three to four weeks without contact sports and potentially no PE during that time frame.
How do doctors determine if a cut needs stitches? Does the glue hold? Will you still get a scar?
There are several factors that must be considered before deciding which type of wound closure is appropriate for a cut. The most important are the length, location, depth and damage to any underlying structures. Depending on how deep or where it is located, sometimes nerves, tendons or blood vessels can also be damaged. Your physician will perform a bedside examination to evaluate for more significant injury that may require a specialist or special kind of closure. The deeper the wound, the more likely that stitches will be needed to repair it. The doctor may even decide to add deeper layers of sutures prior to closing the skin.
For the right location and cut, there are other methods that may be used. On the scalp, staples are often used. For certain cuts, skin glue is a great option. It will hold and it is waterproof. The glue eventually goes away on its own, and at that point the cut will be good as new! No matter which method is used, any cut will leave a scar, although usually quite small. This scar may even fade over time. One other thing about cuts, unless you are positive it is something small, I encourage you to have it examined. Most family practice offices and urgent cares are willing and equipped to take care of most lacerations without involving the emergency department. Obviously larger, deeper or more severe wounds should be seen immediately in the ER.
Are there exercises you should do before starting yard work in the spring? I always have an incredible backache after the first day. What would get you ready to clean gutters, clear branches and start planting flowers?
Someone is ready for spring! I applaud your drive to get out there and get those pesky chores done. It is very common to have various aches and pains following a day or two of strenuous yard work, especially if you have been fairly inactive all winter. It's no surprise.
Pushing a wheelbarrow of dirt, getting up and down off your knees, shoveling, weeding, bending, lifting, raking. I’m exhausted thinking about it. Actually, regular yard work is pretty good exercise itself. Exercises targeting your core (abdomen/lower back), shoulders and hips target the large muscles in your body and are likely to do the most good for you. Going through all the exercises one could do to target these areas would certainly take up more space and ink than the good editors of this publication are willing to give me.
Deadlifts and squats work your lower body and back. You can do them with or without weight. Proper form and weight is vital to prevent injury, so if you are not familiar with them, at least watch some videos online or speak with a trainer who can help make sure you don’t get hurt.
Lunges are great for lower body and core. Raking is a lot of pulling at the shoulders. If you have access to a rowing machine, this is essentially the same motion. Basic core exercises include the plank. To do this simple exercise, you support your body on your forearms and toes while holding your body in a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. Although I don’t usually encourage patients to look to the internet, in this case there are several great sites with exercises to do including video demonstrations of the techniques. And the beauty is most can be done at home! If all else fails, there is one another way to avoid aches and pains from outdoor chores. Find some kids to do it for you.
Dr. Chris Wolf
Dr. Destiny Miller
