It’s common knowledge that smoking affects your lungs, but you may not know it can also affect your sinuses. No matter if you smoke cigars, cigarettes, or vapes, the nicotine and toxins you inhale can mess with your nose’s natural function.
If you’re wondering how exactly smoking can affect your sinus health, keep reading from your Edinburg ENT team. Our experience in the ear, nose, and throat profession means we can help you!
Your nose has small hair-like particles called cilia that help protect your respiratory system from germs and move mucus along. Cigarettes and other smoking products can contain hydrogen cyanide and ammonia, damaging cilia. When you no longer have healthy cilia, you’re without protection against harmful pathogens and allergens.
Your nose is the first line of defense against sickness, and when the cilia in your nose aren’t functioning correctly, mucus begins to build up. The passages in your nose get clogged, and bacteria or viruses start attacking your sinuses, which can cause a frustrating and annoying sinus infection.
You don’t necessarily have to be a smoker yourself to be at risk for a sinus infection from inhaling smoke — sinus infections are also common among secondhand smokers. Sinus infections can be a result of just breathing in too much smoke.
Because damaged cilia cause mucus to build up in your nose, you may develop post-nasal drip. Post-nasal drip occurs when built-up mucus starts leaking into your throat, leading to coughing or clearing your throat more often as your body tries to clear the blockages. This is known as a smoker’s cough.
As we’ve already established, smoking causes mucus to build up in the nasal cavity. This build-up may make you feel more congested, especially in the mornings. Smoking also increases the risk of developing sleep apnea.
While smoking does affect your body in many different ways, it’s never too late to quit! When you stop smoking, you may notice an improvement in your smoker’s cough, runny nose, congestion, and watery eyes. While healing can take some time, it can do a world of good!
Keeping your sinuses healthy and happy is important since they can affect your sleep, breathing, and immune system! As you can see, smoking can damage so much of our nasal health. The smoke we breathe isn’t good and even affects our loved one’s health.
It’s hard to stop smoking, and we get that! If you’re finding it hard to quit, your doctor may be able to help you. Let our understanding and experienced ear, nose, and throat team at the Glatz Group help you get your sinuses back to protecting your body as they should!
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Sleep is incredibly important to our overall health, including our mental and emotional health. But if you’re experiencing sinus pressure, headaches, drainage, or infections, you’re probably not getting the rest you need!
It’s time to get your tossing, turning, and nose-blowing nights under control! Read on to learn how to sleep with sinus problems by adjusting your sleeping position and visiting your Edinburg ENT doctor!
Sinus headaches and pressure can make it impossible to get to sleep. You can get relief from some of these symptoms by adjusting your sleeping position:
If your sinus issues have escalated and you have severe drainage or an infection, your sleeping position is even more critical. Sleeping on your back with your head elevated also helps if you have a sinus infection. While you’ll need to visit a doctor to get treatment for an infection, sleeping with your head propped up can relieve some of the symptoms, including drainage.
Adjusting how you lay may be the answer you need to get a good night’s rest. While your sleeping position does matter and can help relieve sinus pain, there are a few extra things you can do to help you get an even better night’s sleep.
Sometimes you can do all the right things, sleep in the correct position, and still experience sinus pain. It’s time to take it to the next step and stop counting sheep each night by visiting an experienced and compassionate ear, nose, and throat doctor!
Sleep is important for keeping you in tip-top shape, but sinus issues can really get in the way of that. You deserve a great night’s sleep without feeling sinus pain, pressure, congestion, or a runny nose.
It’s time to reach out to the Glatz Group to get the sleep you need! Our team will find out what’s causing your sinus problems and help you get relief so you can sleep. Don’t let another day go by trying to sleep with sinus pain, call us today for an appointment with your ENT doctor and team in Edinburg, Texas!
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Winter weather in Texas isn’t as cold as in many of the northern states, but you may wonder if the cooler temperatures can improve your seasonal allergies. Since the sticky hot summer air has finally cooled off, you may hope that you’ll finally find some allergy relief.
Unfortunately, cold weather isn’t always a friend to your ears, nose, and throat. Keep reading to learn how a temperature change can trigger your allergies, and how you can get help from your Edinburg ENT doctor to fight off those pesky allergies!
When the outside temperature drops, the change can be hard on your lungs and lead to allergic reactions, including worsening congestion, runny nose, wheezing, and coughing fits.
But staying indoors all the time won’t help your allergies, either. Since it’s cooler outside, many people stay inside more often in the winter. You’re most likely keeping the windows closed and maybe turning the heat up a little higher. This creates a space with less fresh air and more dry heat. Staying indoors all the time in the winter can also make allergies to dust and pet dander worse.
Sometimes Texas winter days are really dry, which isn't the best for allergy sufferers. The cold, dry air can suck the moisture out of your nasal passages, lips, and skin, making it easier for allergens to settle into your lungs.
On the other hand, too much moisture in the air also isn’t good. If the Texas winter weather is too wet, it can encourage mold and dust mites to grow. The air moisture levels have to be just right to keep your allergies from reacting. However, that’s not always something we can control.
Being allergic to the cold is a real thing, and it’s called cold urticaria! The more common form causes itchy hives, swelling, and redness on the skin after exposure to cold temperatures. However, it needs to be under 39 degrees Fahrenheit for an allergic reaction to happen. Reactions usually pop up within a few minutes after warming the skin and only last a couple of hours.
Texas is great if you want to avoid having to deal with cold northern winters! However, you may not be able to completely escape your allergies just because the air is a bit warmer. But the Glatz Group has your back! There are a few things you can do to get winter allergy relief:
Knowing exactly what you’re allergic to can help you understand how you can protect your ears, nose, and throat. If you’re allergic to dust mites or pet dander, then you’ll know you need to dust often or bathe your furry friends more.
Reach out to our compassionate and experienced team at the Glatz Group to find out how you can fight off your allergy foes and still enjoy the cooler Texas weather!
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The new year is here! Many people are making resolutions for their health, finances, or business goals this time of year. But if you have allergies or asthma, how about working toward breathing better in 2023 by setting some allergy and asthma relief goals!
Breathing comfortably is important whether you’re staying indoors or enjoying the cooler temperatures. It will also make completing your other New Year’s resolutions easier! Keep reading to find out how you can resolve to breathe better in the new year!
The air in your home could be to blame for your allergy and asthma flare-ups. With all that Texas wind, dust and allergens are being blown into your home constantly. But there are ways to fix the air quality in your home!
Keeping your home clean and free of excess dust, as well as using fresh air filters, could be the key to finding relief. Sleep better and breathe easier, even with your furry friends close!
Having uncontrolled asthma and allergies can put you at a higher risk of respiratory infections. And it’s so easy to pick up germs anywhere you go – even in your own home. One of your New Year's resolutions could be to improve your hand hygiene habits.
You may already be doing the proper technique for hand washing. Good for you! But don’t forget to do it often throughout the day, especially after sneezing, blowing your nose, changing a diaper, using the restroom, or caring for a sick loved one.
Asthma and allergies don’t mix well with smoking — and this includes vaping! Smoking any kind of tobacco-related products can increase inflammation of the airway and decrease breathing. As you can imagine, smoking can trigger an asthma attack or allergy reaction. While a New Year’s resolution to quit smoking can be hard to keep, talk to your ENT doctor for help on how to quit smoking in 2023!
Amazingly, what you eat and how much water you drink can affect your respiratory health! Staying hydrated and keeping your body loaded with essential vitamins and minerals can help you breathe, fight off infections, and reduce inflammation.
It’s also equally as essential to avoid certain foods that can cause further irritations to your ear, nose, and throat health. These include foods or drinks with artificial ingredients, foods that cause gas, and anything with sulfites (a type of preservative).
If your current allergy and asthma treatment plan doesn’t seem to be working, visit your Edinburg ear, nose, and throat doctor in the new year! Medicine is always being discovered or improved, so your treatment may benefit from an update. After all, the new year could mean a new you – including your breathing!
Let us help you complete one of your New Year’s resolutions by allowing you to breathe better and easier in 2023! Take a deep breath and take on the world by finding asthma and allergy relief with our caring team at the Glatz Group.
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