Swimmer s ear is a condition, which is characterized by an infection in the outer ear. This infection usually stems from the water that remains in the ear after swimming, forming a moist environment that allows bacteria to grow and procreate. This condition can also develop if you happen to insert your finger or other foreign objects into the ears.

Symptoms

The symptoms of this disorder are usually mild in the beginning, but may worsen if left untreated. In its germinating stage, this condition exhibits symptoms such as itching in the ears and a watery discharge. If the disorder has progressed to an advanced stage, then the symptoms become slightly different. An intense pain on the particular side of the face, swelling in the ear and blockage of the ear canal are some of the common symptoms. In extreme cases, swelling of the lymph nodes and moderate to high fever can be indicative of this condition.

Causes

The causes of swimmer s ear are bacteria that are found in soil and water. Your ears have a natural defense system against infections; glands in the ear secrete an acidic substance called  cerumen  that kills the bacteria. The ear canal has a downward slope from the middle ear to the outer ear, thus allowing the water to drain out. Swimmer s ear occurs when these defenses fail to work. This happens when there is excessive moisture in the ear canal, creating an environment for the bacteria to grow. In addition, certain factors such as swimming in dirty water, a narrow ear canal and excessive cleaning of the ear canal can lead to this condition.

Treatment

The aim of the treatment is to prevent the infection from progressing and allow the ear to heal. The first step is to clean the ear canal so that the eardrops can reach the affected area. Once the ear is cleaned, eardrops are administered to get rid of the bacteria. The various medications that are used in the treatment of swimmer s ear are:

1. Antibiotics: They are used to combat the bacteria that cause the infection.

2. Acidic solutions: It is used to restore the normal environment in the ear.

3. Steroids: These help in reducing the inflammation.

You may also be prescribed pain medications to treat the pain resulting from this condition. Try to avoid swimming till the condition heals completely. Make sure you aren t inserting any foreign object in the ears as that may aggravate the situation further.

Swimmer's Ear - Symptoms That You Might Be Suffering from it

Vertigo is a medical condition where the affected person feels that the world or surrounding environment is spinning or moving. It is accompanied with nausea, vomiting, sweating and having problems in walking steadily. Moving your head worsens this condition. An illusion of movement is observed.

Vertigo arises from several conditions. There are mainly two types of Vertigo-

Peripheral Vertigo: This is the most common vertigo and is caused often due to a problem in the balance mechanism of the inner ear. The causes include:

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: Being one of the common causes of vertigo, BPPV occurs due to certain head movements when standing up or bending over. The attacks are short, powerful and recurrent in nature. Nausea is also accompanied. A feeling of lightheadedness and despaired balance is observed after the attack. Fragments of calcium carbonate crystals are broken off from the channel linings present in the inner ear. These fragments cause the problem by getting into the ear fluid canals, and certain head movement sweeps them across the canal causing vertigo.

Head Injury: Vertigo develops due to head injuries, and the symptoms are similar to that of dizziness.
Labyrinthitis: It is an infection in the inner ear, which causes the labyrinth of the ear to get inflamed. The labyrinth controls our hearing and balance. An inflammation causes it to send different information than the other, normal ear. This conflict causes vertigo. Such vertigo can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, loss of hearing and ear pain.

Vestibular Neuronitis: This is a condition pertaining to the inner ear, which causes inflammation of the nerve which connects the labyrinth to the brain. The condition arises from viral infections. Nausea and vomiting are observed, and this condition leads to vertigo.

Meniere's Disease: This rare condition in the inner ear causes severe vertigo along with hearing loss and aural fullness. Meniere's disease prompts sudden vertigo attacks with nausea and vomiting.
Central Vertigo: Central vertigo arises from problems in the cerebellum of the brain and brainstem. Causes include:

Migraines.
Sclerosis, a condition which affects the central nervous system.
Acoustic neuroma, a type of brain cancer growing on the acoustic nerve.
Brain tumors, stroke or transient ischemic attack.
Certain medications.
Treatment-
Treatment of vertigo depends on the cause and on the extent of symptoms. Labyrinthis and vestibular neuronitis are cured by vestibular rehabilitation and medication. BBVV is treated using a process called the Epley maneuver. Meniere's disease is cured by modes of dietary restriction, medication, treating tinnitus and treating hearing loss. Generally, curing the cause of vertigo helps in healing the disorder.

Vertigo is caused by different reasons and factors and rectification of these factors helps in the treatment of vertigo.

Vertigo: Causes and Treatment

Virus is the most common cause of pain in the throat or sore throat and it is often accompanied by cold symptoms like running nose, red watery eyes, cough and sneezing. Smoking, irritants in the air and pollution are the main causes of sore throat. It becomes very difficult to swallow food in such a condition when an individual experiences pain, itchiness or irritation in their throat.

Causes
The main causes of occurrence of sore throat include:
-leukemia in exceptional cases
-measles
-sinusitis
-diphtheria
-mumps
-bacterial as well as viral infection as in common cold
-influenza
-smoking

Symptoms of sore throat
The nasal passages get blocked
-inability to gulp down food
-severe pain in the throat which is followed by coughing
-lymph glands get swollen
-fever is followed by chills

When to visit the doctor
It is very important to visit your doctor, if the pain in the throat lasts for longer time and it is accompanied by symptoms like joint pain, difficulty in breathing and fever. The primary symptom of sore throat is pain in the throat and other symptoms like hoarseness and white patches on the tonsils also occur under this condition. People of all age groups can get affected with this condition, but it affects mostly children and smokers. People with weak immune system and suffering from allergies are also prone to pain in the throat.

Main Reasons of Throat Pain and How Can It Be Healed

Sinuses are cavities in our skull behind the nose which spread out in a pattern. These cavities are lined with tissues and mucosal membranes and are essential for our breathing process. Sinusitis is a condition where the tissues within the cavities become inflamed which results in the sinus cavities being blocked due to a buildup of fluid.

What are the conditions that can lead to sinusitis?
Some of the conditions that can cause nasal polyps are explained as follows:

Nasal polyps are small growths of tissue within the lining of the nose which may block the sinuses, resulting in sinusitis.
Common cold is also a culprit which may result in sinusitis
If your septum or the bridge between the holes of the nose is deviated (this condition is referred to as a deviated septum), you may be prone to developing sinusitis.
The lining of the nose may swell in a condition known as allergic rhinitis and cause sinusitis as well.
Types of sinusitis
There are multiple types of sinusitis which may affect people and also on how long they last. The various types of sinusitis are explained below:

Acute sinusitis: This is the most common form of sinusitis that lasts usually between 2 to 4 weeks. It starts with a cold, blocked nose and turns into facial pain that usually starts very suddenly.
Chronic sinusitis: This is a form of sinus infection which can have a debilitating effect on your life and may last for 12 weeks or longer.
Sub-acute sinusitis: This is somewhere between acute and chronic sinusitis and may last from anywhere between 4 to 12 weeks.
Recurrent sinusitis: This form of sinus infections tend to be a variation of acute or sub-acute sinusitis which tends to occur multiple times a year.
Symptoms of sinusitis
The manifestation of the symptoms of sinusitis may be different from person to person and also on the type of sinusitis you are suffering from. However, there are some generic symptoms that are common to all forms which are mentioned as follows:

Smelling senses may be dulled
Facial pain
Congestion accompanied by a cough
Nose may be blocked, stuffy and may also be runny
Other symptoms may also include bad breath, fatigue, or even dental pain
Nasal cavity may have pus and it may drain from time to time
It is best to consult a doctor quickly, if you have been having any of these symptoms. The doctor can prescribe nasal decongestants and antibiotics which can help. If you have chronic or recurrent sinusitis, then more aggressive and advanced treatments may be required.

Sinusitis - Conditions That Lead to It!

A surgical procedure that is done to alter a deviated septum is called Septoplasty. When the cartilage in the middle of your nose is deviated and is out of position, it can create problems like pain in the nose, problems in breathing and nosebleeds. Septoplasty aims to correct the alignment of the septum so as to improve the airflow and rectify any breathing problem. This surgery is generally an outpatient procedure and can be done with general or local anaesthesia.

The septum is the cartilage that causes the division between the two nostrils. When the alignment of the septum falters, it is called a deviated septum. If the septum shifts to one side, then the size of one of the nostrils reduces and causes breathing troubles. Some people are born with a deviation in the septum, but often times it can be caused by an injury to the nose as well. Surgery is the only means to correct this deformity.

What are the risks associated with septoplasty?
Septoplasty is a major surgery, and just like any other surgery, it has its risks. The risks may include heavy bleeding, adverse reaction to anaesthetics used or infection of the site of surgery. The other risks that are associated with septoplasty include

Profuse bleeding
Decrease in olfactory senses
Change in the shape of your nose
A perforation in the septum
Temporary sensation of numbness of facial area due to the effects of anaesthetics
Collection of blood in the nasal space, which needs special medical attention to be drained out
Sometimes the symptoms such as blocked nose, bleeding etc. may persist even after undergoing the surgery.
How to recover from the surgery?
After the surgical procedure, your doctor may ask you to take precautions in order to reduce the chances of swelling and bleeding. Depending upon the severity of the surgery, your doctor may advice you to abide by all of the restrictions such as:

Curbing on activities such as aerobics and jogging which can put strain on your body. This precaution is practiced to maintain normal blood pressure in order to avoid nosebleeds
Do not blow your nose
Avoid wearing clothes that you have to take off by pulling over your nose to avoid brushing against it
Put your head on an elevated platform when sleeping

Septoplasty - Procedure and Recovery!

Nosebleed is a condition wherein blood vessels burst in the nasal lining. Nosebleeds are fairly common and it is rarely a serious condition.
I. Anterior nosebleed:It is caused by the eruption of a blood vessel at the tip of the nose. Anterior nosebleeds are generally easy to control by yourself or by a doctor.
II. Posterior nosebleed: It is a rare type of nosebleed. Posterior nosebleed mostly occurs in older people. It occurs when an artery bursts behind the nose, which causes the blood to flow down the throat. Posterior nosebleeds are, thus, dangerous, and they need immediate medical attention.

Causes
1. There are numerous causes of nosebleeds. The most common cause of nosebleeds is dry air. Dry climates dehydrate the nasal membranes (internal nasal tissues). This dryness leads to crusting which can cause irritation or itching.
2. Also, if you pick or scratch your nose too much, it can start to bleed.
3. Decongestants for allergies, sinus infection or cold and antihistamines can make the nasal membranes dry and cause nosebleeds as well.

Some other causes of nosebleeds include
1. Some sort of foreign object stuck in the nasal cavity
2. Allergic reactions
3. Repeated sneezing
4. Nose injuries (For example, car accidents, a punch to the face, etc.)
5. Chemical irritants
6. Cold air
7. Respiratory infection
8. Consuming high doses of aspirin-high dosage thins the blood down, thus triggering nosebleeds

There are other rarer causes as well, such as:
1. High blood pressure
2. Bleeding disorder
3. Blood clotting problems
4. Cancer

Treatment
A nosebleed can easily be treated at home. While in a sitting position, close your nostril by squeezing the soft part of your nose. Hold your nose for ten minutes, then lean slightly forward. Inhale and exhale slowly using your mouth.
Never lie down when you are trying to stop a nosebleed, as you will end up swallowing the blood which can upset your stomach. Remove your hand from your nose after 10 minutes and check if the bleeding has stopped. If it has not, repeat the steps all over again.
However, consult a doctor if the bleeding does not stop or if there is a foreign object stuck in your nose.

All About Nosebleeds

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