Out of the many things that Covid-19 has taught us, taking care of our health is probably the most important. Rewind to 2020 and think about all the health guidelines and who were at a higher risk of contracting the disease. One of the groups was those who were prone to allergies, sinusitis and ear, nose and throat-related diseases.

It is often said that a healthy ear, nose and throat (ENT) leads to a healthier life. Diseases such as allergies, sinusitis, and throat infections harm our day-to-day activities, not to mention if ignored can lead to more serious conditions.

Most common ENT problems

Our ears, nose and throat are susceptible to various kinds of allergies, infections and diseases. ENT problems can happen to anyone. Some diseases are more difficult to cope with than others. Having an understanding of common ENT problems can help you identify your issue and seek medical help on time.

• Allergies: Allergens like pollen and dust can cause ENT issues. Millions of people around the world suffer from it. Allergies can increase during certain months of the year or due to certain conditions such as smog or increased levels of pollution.
• Ear infections: An ear infection can be caused due to cold and flu as well as if water enters the ear. Ear infections can cause severe pain and lead to fever. Sometimes, allergies can lead to ear pain as well.
• Vertigo: Vertigo is often caused by inner ear issues. Someone suffering from vertigo may feel like the world around them is spinning. Vertigo can increase if someone climbs a height.
• Ruptured eardrums: Severe middle ear infections or accidents may rupture eardrums, commonly known as ear perforation. In many cases, surgery may be required to treat ruptured eardrums.
• Hearing loss: A common problem related to the ear is hearing loss, loss of hearing happens usually when someone gets older. Excessive exposure to loud noises can age the ear faster.
• Tonsillitis: To put simply, the swelling of the tonsil in our throat causes tonsillitis. This could lead to throat pain and inflammation, which in turn, can prevent a person from gulping food or water or even talking. Bad cases of tonsillitis can lead to fever and bad breath too.
• Sleep apnea: Quite a serious condition, sleep apnea limits the amount of air that enters someone’s lungs when they are asleep. This can stop the person from breathing in sleep. It messes up one’s sleep schedule and prevents them from getting proper rest at night. The person may make a choking sound at night, wake up in the morning with a headache or snore at night.
• Sinusitis: A sinus infection can be caused due to bacteria and look like a common cold. The most common symptoms of sinusitis are headache, congestion, coughing, teeth pain, fever and discoloured nasal discharge.

Everyday tips to maintain your ENT health

So how do you protect yourself from such infections? You can maintain the health of your ear, nose and trunk, by following some basic habits every day:

Maintaining your ear health

Ear infections occur when germs enter our ears and get trapped there. You can protect your ear by:

• Staying clear of loud noises. Avoid listening to your earphones in high volume. Listening to loud music at a high volume can damage your ear. Try to avoid earbuds and choose over-the-ear headphones instead. The distance between the listening device and your ear can be useful.
• Have you ever visited a very loud noisy area such as a concert? When you come out of the place, don’t you feel like you cannot hear anything for some time? If you are required to stay in an area with such loud noises for a prolonged period, take frequent breaks. Go outside for five minutes into a quiet area and then come back.
• If your occupation requires you to be exposed to loud noises, you cannot avoid it. However, while entering an area with loud noises, try to wear hearing protection. Wearing hearing protection can maintain your ear’s health in the long term.
• Cleaning out earwax by visiting a physician can help prevent ear infections and temporary tinnitus. Avoid using cotton swabs. Cotton swabs push the earwax deeper into your ear canal, ultimately damaging the ear canal. This can lead to a series of ear issues including hearing problems. Visit a physician to clean your earwax. They use more scientific methods for cleaning.
• One of the principal causes of ear infections is the presence of water in your ear. Water can enter your ear canal during swimming or bathing. The presence of water in your ear canal can lead to bacterial growth. If water enters your ear in any way, tilt your head to the side to drain it out. You can also use a soft towel to soak the excess water. Specially designed earplugs are also available for swimmers.
• Hearing loss can be a side effect of certain medications. Such a kind of hearing loss is known as ototoxicity. People using high dosages of certain drugs for prolonged periods are susceptible to this. Following your doctor’s advice is essential to avoid such kinds of hearing loss. If you feel your health condition deteriorating, contact your physician immediately.

Last but not least, going for regular ear checkups can help you avoid several ear-related diseases, especially hearing loss. Hearing loss is a slow process. Regular checkups can help you identify it at the very beginning rather than when it is too late. Getting your ears checked regularly can also help you avoid ear infections, ear perforations and other ear-related issues.

Taking care of your nose

• Whether you are prone to sinusitis or not, flushing out your sinuses is a good habit. This also helps in flushing out pollen and dust to avoid sinus infections. You can do this simply at home using a neti pot, water dispenser or an irrigation bottle, found in any drugstore. Ensure that you use filtered water for flushing and not tap water.
• All nose infections are not allergy related. Hence, talk to your doctor and get a proper diagnosis for your nose-related issue. The right treatment can help you avoid major issues.
• If you are prone to allergies, avoid allergens such as dust, pollen and mould. Be careful during spring and autumn when the pollen in the atmosphere is high.
• Avoid smoking, passive smoking or exposure to smoke.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Keeping your home clean is very important, especially if you are prone to allergies or sinus infections. Wash the bed linens and curtains regularly.
• Be careful while removing nose hair. Avoid doing it often since nose hair filters dirt and debris from entering the nose.
• Use a humidifier to keep your surrounding humid. A dry nose can lead to infections.

Looking after your throat

• 40-50% of our body heat is lost from the surface of the head and neck. Hence, keeping your neck warm is important. Avoid exposure to extreme cold and wear a scarf around your neck to keep the throat area warm. Also, avoid extreme changes of temperature such as walking out into the sun from an extremely cold car.
• Dryness in the throat can lead to coughing and other kinds of discomfort. Drink water regularly to keep your throat and vocal cords moist.
• Do not use the same bottle, glass or cup being used by someone else to avoid cross-contamination. The same goes for utensils and napkins.
• A major source of throat infections is the toothbrush. Clean your toothbrush thoroughly before brushing your teeth in the morning. You can use warm salt water for cleaning as well. Replace your toothbrush every 3 months. If you use an automatic one, replace the head every 3 to 4 months. Avoid storing toothbrushes in closed containers to avoid the development of mould. Always store your toothbrush in a dry area as moist areas are conducive to microorganisms.
• Gargling with salt water during the cold and flu season can disinfect your mouth and throat and help you keep the flu away. Although most people gargle when they get a sore throat, starting early, especially if you’re prone to catching the flu, can be very useful.
• Avoid smoking or exposure to smoke to keep the general health of your throat healthy.
• Getting a good night’s sleep is crucial for the recovery of any organs, the throat included.

Common tips to manage your ENT symptoms

Sources:

1. https://www.harleystreetent.com/blog/The-most-common-ENT-problems
2. https://www.harleystreetent.com/blog/what-causes-ear-nose-and-throat-infections
3. https://www.lompocvmc.com/blogs/2021/september/11-easy-ways-to-protect-your-hearing-and-ear-hea/?locale=en
4. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21778-nose