Dr. Anita

The onset of winter brings with it chilly and dry winds. For some, it’s the time to enjoy the chill weather with hot water baths and soothing drinks, and for others it’s time to brave the long persistent cold and flu like symptoms which cause sickness and discomfort.

People who are allergic to the winter season can catch a cold on the slightest exposure to cold air. Sometimes, it’s difficult to ascertain whether it is cold or an external allergen. In people prone to winter allergies, the allergies are mainly caused due to the allergens present in the environment. Mostly, winter allergies are also caused by the same allergens that are triggered in the summer season.

Thus, people who have some or the other form of seasonal allergy is likely to suffer from allergies as the season changes.

1. Pet dander (flakes of skin in an animal's fur or hair) allergies are believed to escalate in winter since pets are mostly indoors during this season. The best way to deal with this is keeping the pet’s area clean and dry, washing and changing of the bedding regularly, and avoiding physical contact as much as possible.
2. Dampness of clothes, blankets and shoes at home can be an allergy trigger for many people. The best way to control this type of allergy is to keep damp clothes and shoes in sun for some time. However, this may not work in many countries with extreme cold climates, which lack sunshine in their environment.
3. Decaying leaves and other yard waste can cause allergies due to mould and mildew. Mopping and sweeping the floors and garden can help alleviate the problem to some extent.
4. Dry climate can cause irritation in the nose and throat. It’s important to replenish the body with adequate liquids and water rich fruits and veggies. It’s important to choose your drinks wisely. Too much tea or coffee can also dehydrate the body. Go for ginger lemon honey infused in warm water for best results.
5. Allergy symptoms can also be caused due to too much moisture in the environment. It can give rise to a stuffy or runny nose, sneezing and coughing. Thus it’s best to avoid sitting in a moist environment for long.
6. Sinus congestions are also common during the winter season. Steam inhalation and hot showers can help relieve the symptoms and provide relief.

Whether you are allergic to pets, moisture, dampness, dry weather or chilled winds, the thumb rule is twofold—to understand what triggers your allergies and to avoid your exposure to those allergens. As we all know, allergies have no cure and they need to be managed. Drugs also help in controlling the allergy symptoms to some extent. However, it’s best to prevent them as far as possible. If you are confused about what triggers your allergy, make sure to consult your doctor.

Some Medications May Cause a Bent Penis

Men tend to be very proud of their penises, and why not? A good looking penis, especially when the result of careful attention to proper penis care, deserves a little applause. That's why some men with a bent penis may feel a little self-conscious. It can seem unfair when a man's member causes him anxiety or embarrassment. Preventing an extreme curvature from occurring can help him avoid these feelings, so it's important to know about one possible cause of an excessively bent penis: medications. Not all medications, of course - but some fairly common ones can be at fault.

It's important to note, of course, that there's nothing wrong with a little curvature to the penis. Millions of penises have some curving, and millions of women find a little curve to be their cup of tea. But when the curvature is so extreme as to cause pain and/or difficulty in performing sexually, then a bent penis does become a concern.

Peyronie's disease

Typically, a bent penis of such extreme curvature is diagnoses as Peyronie's disease, named after the doctor credited with first describing the condition. Most of the time, Peyronie's is caused by a genetic condition or to trauma to the penis, causing plaque to build up in an area which interferes with the penis skin's ability to extend and stretch. When the skin on one side won't stretch any further, it causes the penis to curve to that side during an erection.

In some instances, however, this plaque build-up appears to have a different cause - as mentioned, certain medications. At this point, there appear to be three main culprits:

- Beta blockers. Many people with high blood pressure use a class of medications known as beta blockers to stabilize and control it. Also called beta-andrenergic blocking agents, beta blockers operate by slowing down the adrenaline. But they also can cause fibrotic tissue to develop, and when that happens in the penis, a bent penis can result.

- Interferon. Many people with multiple sclerosis or who are being treated for hepatitis C use a drug called interferon. Doctors have noticed a link between multiple sclerosis and Peyronie's disease, and many believe that the link may be interferon, rather than multiple sclerosis itself.

- Anticonvulsants. People with epilepsy use anticonvulsants to help manage their condition. Anticonvulsants may also be used to treat other conditions such as bipolar disorder and neuropathic pain. There is some evidence that one anticonvulsant, phenytoin, may contribute to Peyronie's.

If a man experiences a severely bent penis and thinks that his medications may be at least partially responsible, he should contact his doctor. Before stopping the medication, he needs to talk with his physician and see what alternative options may be available. There may be other medications which can be tried. He may also want to explore what can be done to address the curvature. In some cases, halting medication does the trick; in others, further treatment may be advised.

A severely bent penis, whether due to medications or other causes, is not necessarily a sign of poor penis health - but sometimes paying attention to penis health can help alleviate some of the pain associated with the bending. Using a top drawer penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) is strongly advised. Take time to look for a crème that contains vitamin C. Why? Because this vitamin is a key component in collagen, which helps give penis skin tone and elasticity, which can be beneficial when excess curvature is present. The crème should also include L-carnitine, a neuroprotectiuve ingredient which can help maintain penis sensation which may diminish due to plaque build-up.