Recent research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that antibiotics have little effect on ear infections, and for those who do take antibiotics, they are at a slight risk for developing rashes or diarrhea. It was also found that older and less expensive antibiotics, such as amoxicillin, work just as well as the more expensive and newer antibiotics.
This research is important - overuse of antibiotics is now considered one of the public’s most pressing health concerns. Increasingly, we’re seeing that bacteria have built up resistance to antibiotics - rendering some of the most common antibiotics useless in some cases.
It’s important to remember that antibiotics do not kill viruses - only bacteria. There are three different types of ear infections. Acute otitis media is often caused by bacteria, in which case antibiotics are useful. However, it can also be caused by a virus in which case an antibiotic will not work. Buildup of fluid in the middle ear (otitis media with effusion) is caused by a virus and thus antibiotics should not be used. On the other hand, Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa) can be treated with antibiotics.
Ear infections are caused by germs, bacteria or viruses that enter your middle ear via the Eustachian tube connecting your throat and ears. This tube can become swollen and cause fluid to collect within the ear.
And, yes, ear infections can be quite painful - particularly for children. The best course of action is to visit your doctor to check on the severity of the infection. Your doctor can also provide you with ear drops that can numb the ear and relieve the pain. Pain relievers can be given to the child to reduce a fever and relieve any discomfort. But remember, never give a child aspirin. A warm washcloth applied to the ear can also help alleviate some discomfort. Yellow fluid leaking from the ear may indicate a burst eardrum. Don’t fear, the eardrum usually heals within two weeks.
For more information on the importance of limiting antibiotic treatment, visit www.cdc.gov/getsmart/.
This year, there’s been an increase in cases of persistent coughing and sinusitis. Are the two related? They can be. Coughing is a defense mechanism - it’s how your body removes irritants such as bacteria, viruses, pollutants, mucus or postnasal drip, from your lungs and upper respiratory tract.
Just what happens when you cough? A recent article in the Washington post provides a great interactive diagram of the anatomy of a cough. Basically, irritants in your throat or mucus in your lungs stimulate your nerves and send a message to your brain indicating the need to cough. Your body reacts with an intake of breath, the glottis above your voice box temporarily closes, your chest muscles contract and you forcibly cough - expelling air through the open glottis and out your mouth.
Thirsty? Don’t ignore the urge. Take a big drink of water - not soda, juice, tea or coffee. These drinks are loaded with sugars, calories and some even have caffeine, a diuretic that makes you expel water and does the opposite of why you’re hoping to do: hydrate.
People continually underestimate the importance of water but it is essential to good health. I am constantly amazed when I see children attending sports practices and games without a water bottle - it’s important that both parents and children understand how important it is to keep your body hydrated. To start with, 70% of your body is water. Your bones are 25% water, your brain is 75% water and your blood is 83% water. Now consider this, water is a primary component of every single cell in your body and involved in every bodily function - making repairs, increasing immunity, helping your muscles contract, eliminating waste, regulating body temperature, lubricating joints, metabolizing fats and carrying oxygen and nutrients to your cells. When you’re dehydrated you’re depriving yourself of the ability to perform at your best.
And it’s not just sweating that causes you to lose water - you lose water when exhaling or going to the bathroom and when you have a fever, vomit or have diarrhea.
Dehydration means you’re losing more water than you’re taking in. Common signs of dehydration include feeling thirsty, dizzy or weak; dark-colored urine; dry mouth; confusion; heart palpitations; feeling sluggish; having swollen hands or feet; or being unable to sweat. If you do not drink enough water on a daily basis (whether you’re exercising or not) you may
- feel groggy
- not maintain its muscle tone
- have kidneys that underperform
- be more likely to get kidney stones or bladder infections
- become constipated
- have more frequent bladder infections
- suffer more headaches
- have dry and itchy skin
- not metabolize fats as well
- have trouble regulating your body temperature.
If you become severely dehydrated your blood pressure can fall, you can suffer seizures, coma or swelling of the brain.
Just how much water do you need? A good way to estimate is take your weight in pounds and divide it by two. That indicates how many ounces of water you should shoot for each day. If you want 120 pounds, that’s 60 ounces.
Finally, consider hydrating before exercise and outdoor activity. Your body has a bit of a delayed reaction - you don’t get thirsty when your body first needs water. That means by the time you’re feeling thirsty, your body is already suffering.
To parents — get your kids of the couch at an early age and promote a lifestyle that includes some sort of exercise every day (be it biking, a walk around the block, hitting baseballs, swimming, gardening…). To kids — get active, get outdoors.
Why? Well, besides the long-established benefits — cardiovascular health, lower rates of obesity and diabetes, healthier proportions of muscle mass — a new study shows a connection between exercise and GPA. According to the study, “Twenty minutes of daily vigorous physical activity among college students may lead them to have grade point averages about .4 higher, on a scale of 4.0, compared with students who do not exercise.”
Now think of what 40 minutes of exercise could do! I’m kidding, of course, but the study did indicate that while daily exercise is not necessary — the research did indicate that more exercise is better.
The latest research indicates the link between tanning beds and melanoma may be greater than previously suspected. While only 4 percent of skin cancers are melanomas, 75 percent of skin cancer deaths are from melanoma. According to this article, the more time you spend in the tanning bed, the greater the risk. The World Health Organization has labeled tanning beds as carcinogenic and recommends banning them for children under the age of 18.
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