What's Your Ailment?

[Scepticalscribe]

What do you call a massive nosebleed while taking a shower?


A bloodbath.



Tis the season for chapped lips, cracked fingertips, dry skin, and nosebleeds. Thank the dry air that comes with cold weather.

Saline nasal spray is a common treatment to rehydrate the mucous membranes. A lesser known option and one I would argue is a more optimal solution, especially if these nosebleeds become persistent, is saline nasal gel (commonly sold under the brand name Ayr, at least in the US market). It comes in both a tube or a spray gel formulation. Gels provide better application uniformity and a longer topical residence time/duration of action. While nasal sprays (solutions or gels) are more convenient, tender noses may not enjoy the shoving of hard plastic atomizers. (They should really cover the tips in silicone or something soft)

Another consideration is using dehumidifiers in your home/workplace- at the very least your bedroom at night if you breathe through your nose while sleeping.

Hot, dry air from heating systems will also exacerbate issues- especially forced hot air systems that stir up dust which irritates the mucosal membranes further. Some heating systems have built-in humidifiers and allow for the adjustment of the humidity level.

Staying hydrated is also worth keeping in mind. Dry air isn’t just dehydrating your nose and skin, but also your lungs, quite a lot in fact, especially in the cold, esp if you’re exercising. Being cold also increases urine output in order to preserve heat. If you’re wearing heavy clothing, you can have increased fluid loss through sweating. Overall fluid losses in cold climates can actually be as high as they are in hot climates.

And I would remiss to point out that certain medications can brutally dry out nasal membranes, most notably those with potent anticholinergic properties- which a a very long list from allergy meds to bladder drugs to psych drugs to acid reflux drugs and beyond. Basicallly anything that states “constipation, dry mouth, and fatigue” as side effects has a good chance of being anticholinergic.

A bloodbath it did indeed resemble, something akin to a scene from a homicide.

 

[dannyyankou]

Thank god I got that bivalent booster because COVID has just felt like a mild cold. Everyone else in my household didn't get it and they're faring not as well.

 

[Huntn]

Thank god I got that bivalent booster because COVID has just felt like a mild cold. Everyone else in my household didn't get it and they're faring not as well.

What scares me is “long COVID” and I hope that being inoculated if not guaranteeing avoidance, would lessen the odds of experiencing that.

 

[dannyyankou]

I did a PCR Covid test because I had a rapid test come back positive on Friday. The PCR test came back negative. I did two more rapid tests on Saturday and today. They were both positive. I feel like that's highly unusual.

 

[philosopherdog]

blah

 

[VulchR]

What scares me is “long COVID” and I hope that being inoculated if not guaranteeing avoidance, would lessen the odds of experiencing that.

In all honesty what scares me about COVID are apparent neurological issues (I say this as a neuroscientist). It's early days yet, but even mild non-hospitalised COVID has been linked to cognitive decline and brain tissue shrinkage (equivalent for older folk to as much as 10 years of ageing), and mixed severity COVID has been associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection of astrocytes, increase markers for neuroinflammation, increased odds of developing Alzheimer's disease, and increased odds of developing epilepsy. And the night is young ... we've only had three years to study the virus. I hope that a lot of these findings are false positives; that if colds and flu were studied as intensely, we'd find that any kind of infection has similar effects; that these problems are temporary and fade with time; or that only the early variants caused the problems. Still, I worry that we're sleepwalking into an epidemic of COVID-induced brain problems as people age. Time well tell.

And yes, I got COVID (probably omicron) as an older adult (>60 years), so all of these things could apply to me. 🤬

 

[a-m-k]

In all honesty what scares me about COVID are apparent neurological issues (I say this as a neuroscientist). It's early days yet, but even mild non-hospitalised COVID has been linked to cognitive decline and brain tissue shrinkage (equivalent for older folk to as much as 10 years of ageing), and mixed severity COVID has been associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection of astrocytes, increase markers for neuroinflammation, increased odds of developing Alzheimer's disease, and increased odds of developing epilepsy. And the night is young ... we've only had three years to study the virus. I hope that a lot of these findings are false positives; that if colds and flu were studied as intensely, we'd find that any kind of infection has similar effects; that these problems are temporary and fade with time; or that only the early variants caused the problems. Still, I worry that we're sleepwalking into an epidemic of COVID-induced brain problems as people age. Time well tell.

And yes, I got COVID (probably omicron) as an older adult (>60 years), so all of these things could apply to me. 🤬

I have hydrocephalus and some kind of seizure disorder and I got covid if that means anything....

 

[dannyyankou]

One unexpected side effect of COVID: I'm smelling phantom scents through my nose. At random points throughout today, it's smelled like Outback bacon cheese fries. And I'm not complaining lol.

 

[a-m-k]

One unexpected side effect of COVID: I'm smelling phantom scents through my nose. At random points throughout today, it's smelled like Outback bacon cheese fries. And I'm not complaining lol.

I would because you're not at the restaurant.

 

[dannyyankou]

I would because you're not at the restaurant.

Haha true. It turns out though it wasn't even COVID related. My sister ordered a new rug, and apparently that's what I was smelling. My sister's new rug smells like Outback cheese fries lol

 

[VulchR]

Haha true. It turns out though it wasn't even COVID related. My sister ordered a new rug, and apparently that's what I was smelling. My sister's new rug smells like Outback cheese fries lol

Actually much relieved. SUffice it to say that prolonged problems with smell after COVID aren't a good sign.

 

[a-m-k]

Add another type of seizure to the list. I recently had one where I convulsed and I am just now starting to feel like myself. I only stayed 2 days, and released on the 7th. I've been taking a prescription probably since the 5th. It's been interesting, but I am slowly getting used to my new normal.

 

[Huntn]

Just completed a at-home Sleep Study to verify if I have sleep apnea or not. My doctor suggested this after I asked him about it, based on my wife’s complaints that I snore, at least when sleeping on my bac. But she can’t say she notices me gasping. Several people told me that an in-clinic sleep study is better with someone watching you.

While I won’t call it hellish it was 3 nights of lost sleep, I slept, but I lost sleep. A strap around the chest with a t-shirt worn under, possibly a heart monitor, an uncomfortable face device, not a mask, but narrow thing with prongs that rested on the opening of my nostrils to not monitor breath, very noticible, and a finger monitor for pulse. Number one I hated being strapped up, and while I normally would have enjoyed sleeping on my back, this position was uncomfortable as I became very conscious of my breathing and I ended up on my side. As I said I lost several hours of sleep each night.

So now, I ship it back to the company to analyze and wait for the doctor’s input. I really don’t want to wear a mask when I sleep, but we can’t always get what we want, can we?

 

[Doctor Q]

While I won’t call it hellish it was 3 nights of lost sleep, I slept, but I lost sleep. A strap around the chest with a t-shirt worn under, possibly a heart monitor, an uncomfortable face device, not a mask, but narrow thing with prongs that rested on the opening of my nostrils to not monitor breath, very noticible, and a finger monitor for pulse. Number one I hated being strapped up, and while I normally would have enjoyed sleeping on my back, this position was uncomfortable as I became very conscious of my breathing and I ended up on my side. As I said I lost several hours of sleep each night.

You can't help but wonder how trustworthy the results of sleep studies are when you're not sleeping in your usual way. It reminds me of the observer effect in the sense that the process of doing measurements interferes with what's being measured. I wonder if they could do the test without quite so much equipment attached to you.

In any case, it's worth learning what you can about your breathing risks at night.

 

[skottichan]

I am a chimeric intersex, and I have a carbohydrate malabsorption syndrome that makes difficult to digest simple carbs. I can mostly deal with complex carbs, but I've been able to acclimate to a Keto diet pretty well.

 

[Huntn]

You can't help but wonder how trustworthy the results of sleep studies are when you're not sleeping in your usual way. It reminds me of the observer effect in the sense that the process of doing measurements interferes with what's being measured. I wonder if they could do the test without quite so much equipment attached to you.

In any case, it's worth learning what you can about your breathing risks at night.

You are not the only one wondering. I think that observed sleep studies would be better, because someone is watching, but the same rule as you mentioned applies.

 

[Ingster]

You are not the only one wondering. I think that observed sleep studies would be better, because someone is watching, but the same rule as you mentioned applies.

Having gone through the same, yes it was hell to have the overnight studies, it did show I was suffering from sleep apnea with 80 apnoeas per hour!! I've been on CPAP for the last 4 years, and whilst it took a while to get used to it (keep trying is all I can advise) I sleep every night and feel much better on a morning my rate is down to 3 per hour which is well under the normal range. Sometimes when i've got a cold etc. it can annoy me but the benefits really do outweigh the problems.

 

[pshufd]

I have sleep measurement on my watch and I've been wearing it since 2018 so I don't think about it at night though I do check it out in the morning along with my other health stats. It's obviously nowhere as comprehensive as doing a sleep study but it does at least provide some basic data on sleep quality and quantity. The watch also came with a chest strap with a couple of accelerometers but it's designed to measure running dynamics. It's possible that a chest strap could be designed to measure sleep metrics as well.

If it's comfortable enough to run with for an hour, it's probably comfortable enough for sleeping.

 

[Huntn]

Regarding Sleep Apnea, the Home Study report came back as sleep apnea, but I was so uncomfortable during this test, I question their results. And I’ve not gotten a written report from the company that talks about event per hour. I’m not driving my wife out of the bedroom with my snoring, she says she rarely notices snoring but I do snore on occasion, and has not heard me gasping. Based on this experience regarding home studies (less expensive) versus in-clinic sleep session, I’m not impressed with the home study and think the clinic study would be better, yet I am considering just staying with the status quo. I don’t wake up tired. Maybe I am in denial… 🤔

How did you get rid of toenail fungus?
I just learned that toenail fungus, until I can come up with something better than visiting a podiatrist, is something I’m going to have to live with. And here I thought she would have something better than a prescription for a three month regimen of once a day tablets of terbinafine whch worked for me 20 years ago, but in the last year I did 2 regimens of 90 days each, and It’s still there. The doctor told me that if it did not work in the previous attempt though my general practishiiner, it would unlikely work by trying it again.

Also, I had heard of laser treatments, but she told me she did not have a laser for this purpose, because it was so expensive. This is Texas I am residing in.

The issue here that foot fungus is an opportunistic organism, it is not health threatening beyond disfigured yellow nails. If you can get rid of it, but it’s not that hard to be reinfected and if you don’t treat all your shoes with Lysol or some disinfectant, you may get reinfected. I might consider that if the medicine worked, but it’s not. What I’m seeing is a slight improvement, but it‘s not eliminated and this is a medicine where they have to monitor your liver when you take it, to make sure the cure is not killing you. :unsure:
So I’ll keep searching to see if there is a cure or maybe find someone with a laser… however reports are statistically,lasers are less effective than oral treatments, but tha would not rule it out as effective for me.

Laser treatment for nail fungus: What to expect and cost

Laser treatment may be effective for nail fungus, but it requires multiple sessions, and health insurance may not cover it.

www.medicalnewstoday.com

While the overall success rate was about 63% — slightly lower than medication treatments — laser therapy may offer a more suitable option due to the risk of side effects associated with medication use. Other types of lasers may also be effective and safe

 

[pshufd]

How did you get rid of toenail fungus?
I just learned that toenail fungus, until I can come up with something better than visiting a podiatrist, is something I’m going to have to live with. And here I thought she would have something better than a prescription for a three month regimen of once a day tablets of terbinafine whch worked for me 20 years ago, but in the last year I did 2 regimens of 90 days each, and It’s still there. The doctor told me that if it did not work in the previous attempt though my general practishiiner, it would unlikely work by trying it again.

Also, I had heard of laser treatments, but she told me she did not have a laser for this purpose, because it was so expensive. This is Texas I am residing in.

The issue here that foot fungus is an opportunistic organism, it is not health threatening beyond disfigured yellow nails. If you can get rid of it, but it’s not that hard to be reinfected and if you don’t treat all your shoes with Lysol or some disinfectant, you may get reinfected. I might consider that if the medicine worked, but it’s not. What I’m seeing is a slight improvement, but it‘s not eliminated and this is a medicine where they have to monitor your liver when you take it, to make sure the cure is not killing you. :unsure:
So I’ll keep searching to see if there is a cure or maybe find someone with a laser… however reports are statistically,lasers are less effective than oral treatments, but tha would not rule it out as effective for me.

Laser treatment for nail fungus: What to expect and cost

Laser treatment may be effective for nail fungus, but it requires multiple sessions, and health insurance may not cover it.

www.medicalnewstoday.com

While the overall success rate was about 63% — slightly lower than medication treatments — laser therapy may offer a more suitable option due to the risk of side effects associated with medication use. Other types of lasers may also be effective and safe

Would removing the toenail work?

One standard thing that runners do is a rotation where you have multiple pairs of shoes so that you don't necessarily wear the same shoe two days in a row (or 3 or 4 depending on how many are in the rotation). Does airing them out help?

One other thing about runners or tennis players (and I'm sure other activities) is that you lose a toenail from time to time and so a new one grows from scratch.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Would removing the toenail work?

One standard thing that runners do is a rotation where you have multiple pairs of shoes so that you don't necessarily wear the same shoe two days in a row (or 3 or 4 depending on how many are in the rotation). Does airing them out help?

One other thing about runners or tennis players (and I'm sure other activities) is that you lose a toenail from time to time and so a new one grows from scratch.

My toe nail has fungus. Had it for years. Nothing works. The nail has fallen off a few times. But when it grows back the fungus returns.

 

[Huntn]

Ref: toe nail fungus

Would removing the toenail work?

One standard thing that runners do is a rotation where you have multiple pairs of shoes so that you don't necessarily wear the same shoe two days in a row (or 3 or 4 depending on how many are in the rotation). Does airing them out help?

One other thing about runners or tennis players (and I'm sure other activities) is that you lose a toenail from time to time and so a new one grows from scratch.

On my shoes, I’m now using a sanitation spray that is supposed to kill fungus. Also, since I am in a warm climate, I’m spending more time wearing flip flops (open sandals) keeping my toes aired out. The so called expert a podiatrist said nothing about removing the nail, so your guess is as good as mine, however…

My toe nail has fungus. Had it for years. Nothing works. The nail has fallen off a few times. But when it grows back the fungus returns.

Of note podiatrist said that there was no health issues of toenail fungus other than possibly cracked skin near the toes where fungus is living on the skin. There are anti-fungal creams that easily correct this issue. It’s under the nail which is the tough nut to crack.

I also purchased a package of nail repair pens, that dispense a liquid via a brush. The brand is Ariella Nail Repair Pen. I’m not really sure what is in it.

Ariella Nail Repair Pens for Toenail and Fingernail, Maximum Strength Nail Hydrates 2pcs

Brand: Ariella Features: MAXIMUM-STRENGTH FORMULA for fingernails and toenails helps eliminate the annoying substances that grow in the cracks of nails and surrounding skin. CLINICALLY PROVEN INGREDIENTS This potent formulation helps resolve thick, discolored and brittle nails quickly. FAST AND...

tryariella.com

”clinically-proven ingredientsincluding deacetyated chitin, O-hydroxybenzoic acid and angelica dahurica”

The instructions are to soak your feet in hot water for 5 min, before applying and to trim any excess nail. What I noticed after soaking by virtue of the nail color, that I had not previously, is that the nail on my right big toes is mostly not connected to the skin, and I was able to trim off more than 3/4 of the nail. Purchased though Amazon, will give it a try and see if anything happens.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Ref: toe nail fungus

On my shoes, I’m now using a sanitation spray that is supposed to kill fungus. Also, since I am in a warm climate, I’m spending more time wearing flip flops (open sandals) keeping my toes aired out. The so called expert a podiatrist said nothing about removing the nail, so your guess is as good as mine, however…




Of note podiatrist said that there was no health issues of toenail fungus other than possibly cracked skin near the toes where fungus is living on the skin. There are anti-fungal creams that easily correct this issue. It’s under the nail which is the tough nut to crack.

I also purchased a package of nail repair pens, that dispense a liquid via a brush. The brand is Ariella Nail Repair Pen. I’m not really sure what is in it.

Ariella Nail Repair Pens for Toenail and Fingernail, Maximum Strength Nail Hydrates 2pcs

Brand: Ariella Features: MAXIMUM-STRENGTH FORMULA for fingernails and toenails helps eliminate the annoying substances that grow in the cracks of nails and surrounding skin. CLINICALLY PROVEN INGREDIENTS This potent formulation helps resolve thick, discolored and brittle nails quickly. FAST AND...

tryariella.com

”clinically-proven ingredientsincluding deacetyated chitin, O-hydroxybenzoic acid and angelica dahurica”

The instructions are to soak your feet in hot water for 5 min, before applying and to trim any excess nail. What I noticed after soaking by virtue of the nail color, that I had not previously, is that the nail on my right big toes is mostly not connected to the skin, and I was able to trim off more than 3/4 of the nail. Purchased though Amazon, will give it a try and see if anything happens.

Let me know how it goes. I’ve had stuff you paint on. Sanded the nail down in between applications as it says.
Had tablets from the doctors.
But I’ve not been to the doctors about it in a decade.

 

[Huntn]

Let me know how it goes. I’ve had stuff you paint on. Sanded the nail down in between applications as it says.
Had tablets from the doctors.
But I’ve not been to the doctors about it in a decade.

I’ve been told fungus has become more resistant, the medicine is no where close to 100% effective. Nexy step is The Last of Us!

 

[Apple fanboy]

I’ve been told fungus has become more resistant, the medicine is no where close to 100% effective. Nexy step is The Last of Us!

Lol. Can’t wait for season two!