Except you are particular about every part of your body, many of us do not consider care for our nose, ears and throat.
Guess what?! These three are super connected.
The ear, nose, and throat are so intricately connected which is why they are able to function as one unit, with the pieces making up and supporting the whole. The ear, nose, and throat are part of the upper respiratory system and they share the same mucous membranes.
There’s something called the Eustachian tube. It is a canal that links the middle ear with the back of the nose. This tube helps to equalize the pressure in the middle ear because having the same pressure allows for the proper transfer of sound waves. The eustachian tube is lined with mucous, just like the inside of the nose and throat.
This interconnectedness comes with its downside and because they’re so intricately connected, a disturbance in one can cause a problem in or for the other.
So, how do you take care of these parts that serve their purposes each day without complaining?
The Ear:
It’s easy to take your ears and hearing for granted. Know this now that you don’t wait until you have a problem to begin paying attention to your ears. Take care of them now. Proper ear care promotes good ear health, prevents ear infections and at some point, hearing loss.
The first step toward a healthy ear is a clean ear. This is not about having a wax-free ear. Your ear is designed to have some wax in it. This wax stops dust and other possibly harmful things from entering your ear. Keeping your ears clean involves cleaning only the outer portion of your ears. You should never stick a cotton swab in your ear to remove earwax as somepeople have been seen doing. Doing so doesn’t really remove the wax. All it does is compact the wax closer to your eardrum. This is harmful because earwax should not be close to your eardrum and can cause a blockage, which is one of the most common causes of hearing loss.
If you feel there’s a build-up of wax in your ear, you may try to soften the wax by placing a few drops of mineral oil in your ear. If you do not have mineral oil, you can use baby oil or glycerine. If you’re not sure how to go about it, go see your family doctor.
To clean your outer ear, simply use water, a gentle soap, and a washcloth. You can also use a cotton swab to run in the curves of your upper ear and not stick them in your ear canal. Use the washcloth to wipe above and behind your ear.
Other ear care tips are to keep noise down as continuous loud noises can damage the tiny bones in your ear, causing hearing loss which can happen in an instant or over time. If you find yourself being exposed consistently to loud noise, you should wear hearing protectors – earplugs, over-the-ear noise-cancelling headphones, or other hearing protection devices. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends limiting the time and volume for listening through headphones to be no more than one hour a day and the volume should be no more than 60 per cent.
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association recommends that adults be screened at least every 10 years through age 50. After that, you should have your hearing screening every 3-5 years.
If you suspect you have hearing loss, you should see your doctor. There are many types of hearing loss and many causes of hearing loss. Some hearing loss are permanent, and some others may be temporary. If you can’t hear as well on the phone or in noisy situations, you should have your hearing tested.
The Nose:
You need your nose to breathe. Let that sink.
It only takes a stuffy nose to realize how much you depend on our nose. You know what it feels like to sleep with a blocked nose – snorting, coughing, breathing through your mouth and for some, pressure in your face around your nose and forehead, along with fatigue.
As much as possible, such occurrences can be rare. Here are ways you can care for the nose;
Be careful when trimming the hairs. Using scissors or razors can create small breaks in the nasal skin or mucosa and when the skin or mucosal barrier is violated, this can result in nasal soft tissue infections such as cellulitis or even abscess. You don’t want pain in your nose.
Another care tip is to drink plenty of water. Appropriate water intake varies by person and by diet.
Blow your nose gently. Congestion, excess mucus and irritants can be uncomfortable, and you want to get rid of them as quickly as possible. But blowing your nose too hard can cause other problems, like nosebleeds and, more rarely, an ear infection or even a ruptured eardrum. When you’re suffering from a cold, flu, or allergies, take it easy on yourself and your nose.
Wash and change Your Bed Linens often. Dust mites, which are attracted to the skin cells we naturally shed, can build up on sheets and comforters, and they can irritate the nose and lungs.
Other recommendations would include; humidifying your room and using saline. The bottom line remains this; once it gets beyond your comfort zone, go see your doctor.
The Throat:
You swallow every day. More times than you even recognise. Because the throat plays an important role in our bodies, here are tips to care for it;
Avoid the use of irritants to the throat such as smoking, chewing tobacco among others. Reduce, if possible, avoid shouting and screaming unless necessary as it causes hoarseness. When you experience hoarseness, rest the throat till it passes. Doctors recommend seeking medical attention if hoarseness persists for more than 7 days. Avoid taking excessively cold/hot spicy foods or talking when you’re eating or drinking. In case of glandular swelling in the neck, consult your doctor.
If you snore and are unhappy about it, go see a doctor for remedy.
You don’t have to wait until you harm your nose, ear or throat before taking proper care of them. Show these parts some love and they will serve you well.
Did we miss any tip? Do share with us in the comment section.
