Health Care. Looking after your Ears, Nose and Throat

Ear, Nose & Throat

Ear, nose and throat complaints are part of everyday life. They are often associated with coughs, colds and flus, but there is a wide array of other ailments that also cause discomfort in around the head and neck area – such as when mucus builds up in an airway or cavity of the body and affects the back of the nose, the throat or the sinuses.

Ears

Earache is common, particularly in young children. Ear pain can be a painful experience, but is not usually a sign of anything serious. However, if you have earache for more than three days – especially if the pain persists, despite you taking medication, it is advisable to go and see a GP.

There are things you can do to help relieve earache and ear pain. Painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen are usually effective. You can also try placing a warm or cold (whichever feels better) flannel over the ear.

Cl-ear Pain Relief Ear Drops – a solution of lidocaine hydrochloride in glycerol – are also an effective remedy. The drops coat the outer ear canal with a protective film, helping to soothe irritation and swollen tissue resulting from burning, itching, swelling and pain.

For some, the cause of earache can be earwax. Olive oil ear drops are a great way to naturally soften and remove ear wax build-up. They are easy to apply – simply tilt your head and gently squeeze the drops into the ear – and offer painless ear wax removal you can do at home.

Nose

There are many reasons why you might end up with a blocked or runny nose. As well as allergies, colds and flus, nasal discomfort can be brought on by non-allergic rhinitis – an inflammation of the inside of the nose. The inflammation is usually caused by swollen blood vessels and a build-up of fluid in the tissues of the nose. The swelling leads to blocked nasal passages, in turn stimulating the mucus glands in the nose, resulting in a blocked or runny nose.

Non-allergic rhinitis is seldom harmful, but can be inconvenient and affect quality of life. The best treatment depends on how severe the rhinitis is – and what’s causing it.

Blocked Nose Relief Spray has been designed to relieve blocked noses in minutes and prevent further build up for up to 12 hours after the initial use. The spray’s ingredients include oxymetazoline hydrochloride – a sympathomimetic amine – alongside menthol, eucalyptol and camphor.

Throat

As with a blocked nose, a sore throat is often the result of a cold or flu, but there are a plethora of other possible causes – including laryngitis (irritated or swollen vocal cords), and tonsillitis. While annoying, a sore throat is usually harmless and will go away by itself. If the pain lasts for more than a week, however, it is advisable to have it checked out.

To soothe a sore throat, try gargling with warm, salty water and always make sure you drink plenty of water. Eating cool or soft foods can help too, as can sucking ice cubes or ice lollies.

You can also try Ultra Chloraseptic’s Anaesthetic Throat Spray, which contains the active ingredient benzocaine, a local anaesthetic. It has a fast action and works by numbing the pain of a sore throat. It also comes in a number of flavours, so you can pick your favourite!