BLog

Winter activities such as skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, hockey and sledding are great ways to stay active, but they can also lead to injury. Reduce your risk during your favorite winter activity by taking these precautions: 1. Stay active; while winter’s chill encourages hibernation, staying active and keeping muscles in condition is important for safely participating in winter activities. 2. …

Asthma is a condition in which airways narrow and swell and may produce extra mucus. Asthma can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing and wheezing along with shortness of breath. Asthma sufferers experience it in varying degrees; for some it is a minor nuisance, for others, it interferes with regular activities and sometimes leads to a severe, even to a …

Bronchitis, an inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes, can be acute or chronic. Acute bronchitis, also called a chest cold, usually improves within a week to 10 days, and often develops from a cold or other respiratory infection. Chronic bronchitis, a more serious condition, is a constant irritation or inflammation of the bronchial tube lining and is often …

Infectious mononucleosis, or “mono,” is caused by the Epstein–Barr virus and is contagious. Mono is spread from person to person through contact with saliva. It’s nicknamed “the kissing disease” because it can be spread through a quick peck on the lips. It also spreads through coughing, sneezing, or when people share something with spit on it (like a straw, drinking …

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is more common in winter and early spring months, and can affect people of all ages, but has a greater impact on the very young and very old. RSV is not a “one and done” virus; rather it can reoccur again anytime throughout one’s life after an initial infection. RSV is a leading cause of respiratory …

Replacing Myths with the Facts can help. According to Harvard Health Publishing, here are 10 common myths about the flu, and the facts: Myth: You can catch the flu from the vaccine. The flu shot is made from an inactivated virus that can’t transmit infection. So, people who get sick after receiving a flu vaccination were going to get sick …

In most cases, a person who suffers a concussion will not lose consciousness. Symptoms may not be noticed right after the injury, sometimes not for hours or even days later. Combat the effects of a concussion by: Taking over the counter pain relievers. Eating a light diet Resting until you feel normal. Have someone monitor you, checking on you every …

Minor sports injuries can be managed at home and should get better in a few days. The best home care is to use the R.I.C.E. treatment plan: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Rest Immediately stop using the injured area. Sometimes 24 to 48 hours of rest will make a big difference in overall recovery. It could be that the area you injured will need …

To protect yourself from mosquito-borne illnesses such as Zika virus disease and West Nile virus infection, use insect repellent that contains one of these active ingredients: DEET, picaridin (KBR 3023), oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE—only for people older than 3 years old), para-menthane-diol (PMD), 2-undecanone, and IR3535. Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months of age. …

(and with it, heat exhaustion and heatstroke) Hot weather and exercise are the main causes of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. The heat index is not the same as the temperature—the index measures the air temperature plus the effects of humidity. A heat index of 90°F or higher is dangerous. Don’t go outside when the temperature and heat index are high. …