Could Your Pandemic Pet Be Giving You Allergies?
Getting a furry friend to cuddle and provide comfort during a global health crisis made sense to a lot of Americans. More than 23 million U.S. households—nearly one in five—adopted a pet during the pandemic.1 If you’re one of them, you may be dealing with an unexpected downside to pandemic pet ownership—newfound allergies. More Time…
How to Care for Your Child When They Have an Ear Infection
Ear infections are extremely common in children, largely because their immune systems are weaker, and their Eustachian tubes—the passageways between the middle ears and back of the throat—are much more horizontal than adults. In fact, according to a 2020 article, “About 50% of all children will have at least 1 ear infection by the time…
What Is An Upper Respiratory Infection?
An upper respiratory tract infection is a contagious infection that affects your upper respiratory tract, which includes your nose, throat, pharynx, larynx and bronchi. According to an article published in the National Library of Medicine, “Upper respiratory tract infections are accountable for greater than 20 million missed days of school and greater than 20 million…
What’s the Connection Between Hearing Loss & Shingles
When two or more conditions occur together, they are said to be comorbidities. One set of comorbidities that may surprise you are hearing loss and shingles. We review more about this link below. What Is Shingles? Shingles is a viral infection that affects adults 50 and older. This serious infection is caused by the varicella-zoster…
Winter Is Prime Time for Allergy Testing
Have common allergy symptoms like runny nose, sneezing and itchy eyes or throat? You likely look forward to the winter months when these symptoms typically subside. While you may not be thinking about your allergies much during this time, it turns out that you should give them some thought—winter is an ideal time for allergy…
Heart Health Is Ear-risistible
Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and chances are you may be thinking about relationships. Though did you know there is an important partnership within the body that helps keep your heart and hearing happy? February is American Heart Month, and you’re probably familiar with the importance of cardiovascular health. According to the CDC, almost…
Want Better Sleep? Try ‘Circadian Hacking’
We’re in the dark days and nights of winter, which can cause circadian rhythm disruption and lead to fractured sleep patterns. While some may turn to sleeping pills or regular exercise to try and get a good night’s rest, others are using a new method—circadian hacking. What Are Circadian Rhythms? Circadian rhythms are internally driven…
Tax Tips for People With Hearing Loss
If you have hearing loss, you may qualify for special tax deductions for hearing-care-related expenses that can help reduce your overall tax burden—and keep more money in your pocket. Enlisting the help of an accountant to determine your eligibility is always a good idea, but here’s some general information about the IRS tax deductions that…
Why Are Colds More Common During Winter?
Does it seem like this time of year you and everyone you know are dealing with a sore throat, runny nose or trying to get over a cold? Colds and other viruses do tend to be more common in the winter months. There are a variety of reasons why this is the case. However, new…
Is It Tonsillitis or Strep Throat?
Tonsillitis and strep throat are two common causes of throat pain. Because they have similar symptoms, it can be hard to distinguish between the two, and sometimes they even get mistaken for the same illness. Let’s take a closer look at the similarities and differences between the two, as well as when to see a…
