3* BENNETT BANNER ‘JANUARY 31, 1997'
• HEALTH & FITNESS • HEALTH & FITNESS • HEALTH & FITNESS •
Cold or allergy?
(NAPS)Your nose is stuffy and
it itches.
Something's wrong, but is it a
cold or an allergy?
Colds and nasal allergies have
similar symptoms, and both can
occur at any time of the year, says
Dr. Kathy Rickard, Director of U.S.
Respiratory Medical Affairs at
Glaxo Wellcome Inc..
So how do you tell the
difference? According to Dr.
Rickard, the following checklist
may help to identify your
symptoms.
Cold
> lasts 5-7 days,
sometimes 2 weeks
• causes fever, muscle
pains, and aches
• produces thick,
yellowish mucous
Allergy
• lasts much longer
• does not cause aches
and pains
• mucous is watery and thin
If your nose is stuffy, itchy and
sneezy, it usually means that you
have a nasal allergy, not a cold. To
be sure, ask your doctor. But it
helps to have enough facts in hand
to help the doctor make an accurate
diagnosis.
Pay attention to what your body
is telling you. Dr. Rickard says. An
accurate patient history is
extremely important in confirming
the diagnosis of nasal allergies.
Some questions to ask yourself:
Are your symptoms getting worse,
better or staying the same? When
do they occur?
How long is your discomfort?
What are you doing when you
sneeze or your nose itches?
Allergies occur when the body
reacts negatively to environmental
factors. When allergens like dust
or pollen enter the nose, the body
mistakes them for enemies and
attacks, causing the nose to swell
and become inflamed.
There are two types of allergies:
seasonal and perennial. Seasonal
allergies occur mostly in spring
from tree or grass pollen, or during
the fall when ragweed blooms.
Perennial or year-round allergies
don't go away and are usually
triggered from dust, mold and
animal hair.
If one of your parents has
allergies, you have a one-in-three
chance of getting them. Seasonal
allergies affect up to 10 percent of
school-age children, and 21-23
percent of adolescents. Each
section of the country has its own
allergy season, depending on
geography, vegetation and climate.
According to Dr. Rickard, the
best way to stay allergy-free is to
know the allergens that cause the
problem and avoid them. B ut when
that's not possible, a variety of
allergy treatments is available.
Medicines to combat nasal
allergies include antihistamines for
sneezing, itchy or runny nose;
decongestants to shrink nasal blood
vessels; shots to make the body
less sensitive to certain allergy-
causing agents; and anti
inflammatory nasal sprays that
work directly to reduce the
symptoms of a sneezing, itchy and
runny nose, according to Dr.
Rickard.
With the increased appreciation
that nasal allergies are due to an
inflammatory process, anti
inflammatory nasal sprays have
taken on a greater role in allergy
treatment.
Before taking any medication
to treat nasal allergies or the
symptoms of any other illness or
disease, consult your physician.
What do you know about
your hardworking skin?
G^APS) How much do you know
about your skin?
For a start, it's the largest organ
in the human body, covering up to
20 square feet.
These facts might make you
appreciate your skin
Skin works hard at protecting
the body, preventing bacteria and
chemicals from entering it and
keeping vital fluids in.
The epidermis, the skin's outer
layer which covers most parts of
the body, is about as thick as a
sheet of paper.
Dry skin is due to a lack of water
in the skins outer layer. Normally,
oils or lipids in the skin help trap
water in the skin and prevent it
from evaporating.
Causes of dry skin include low
relative humidity levels from
indoor heat, cold winter air or even
air conditioning, excessive sun or
wind exposure, excessive contact
with soaps and detergents, heredity,
aging, medically related conditions
such as eczema, psoriasis, diabetes
and contact dermatitis.
To avoid dry skin, shower and
bathe in warm not hot water. Use a
mild cleanser.
If you have dry skin, immediately
after showering or bathing,
dermatologists recommend that
you pat skin dry and apply a
moisturizer.
Other ways to help heal dry skin
include drinking several glasses of
water a day, using gloves or
protective clothing while doing
housework or household
improvements and applying a
moisturizing sun screen before you
spend any extensive time outdoors.
Oops
Here
It is! Corrections
In the Christmas Concert story, (Dec. 6)
Dr. David Pinnix’s name was misspelled.
The Bennett Banner wants to correct mistakes
appearing in the newspaper. If you believe that we
have made a factual error, please stop by the Banner
office in Shell Hall C-2 or send a note to Campus
Box 25.
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