How Much Do Boosters Protect Against Infection
While Moderna and Pfizers lab trial numbers are very promising, its unclear how those results will translate to fighting omicron in the real world. But recent studies based on emerging real-world data show that Pfizers boosters provide roughly 75% protection against symptomatic omicron infection.
In other studies based on real-world data, that number rises to 85% protection against severe disease and hospitalization, according to world-renowned virologist and Columbia University professor Dr. David Ho.
In other words: Even if you test positive, youre far less likely to experience Covid symptoms particularly those severe enough to hospitalize or kill you if youre boosted. The real protection of the vaccine is largely against disease, and not against acquisition of infection, Ho says.
Omicron is about twice as contagious as delta, according to models and epidemiologists from the U.K., Ho says. And a recent study Ho conducted on the variant shows that it is markedly resistant to the antibodies found in even fully vaccinated people who arent yet boosted.
is going to rip right through the population, says Ho. Those who are vaccinated and boosted are largely going to do OK, even if infected. Those who are vaccinated and not boosted probably will have it slightly worse. But I really fear for those who are not vaccinated.
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Sore Throat And Hoarse Voice
Postnasal drip can leave you with a raw and aching throat. Although it may start as an annoying tickle, it can get worse.
If your infection lasts for a few weeks or more, mucus can irritate and inflame your throat as it drips, resulting in a painful sore throat and hoarse voice. Frequent coughing and throat clearing can make a hoarse voice worse.
How To Stop Postnasal Drip
A combination of preventative measures and medications can help put a stop to postnasal drip. Healthcare providers may recommend:
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Staying hydrated, which can also help to thin mucus
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Use a humidifier or vaporizer to keep the air moist
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Propping yourself up with extra pillows when you sleep, so the mucus doesnt collect in the back of your throat
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An oral medication such as guaifenesin , which can thin mucus
Its important to keep in mind that treatment for postnasal drip usually depends on what might be causing it. For instance, if your symptoms are caused by allergies, the first step might be trying to pinpoint what you are allergic to and avoiding those foods or triggers to the extent possible.
As a next step, there are several over-the-counter and prescription medications that can provide additional relief. They can help treat postnasal drip by calming down inflammation and thinning or drying up the mucus. Lets take a look at the different types of medications that you and a healthcare provider can consider to help stop postnasal drip.
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How To Tell The Difference Between Sinus Congestion And Head Congestion
The main difference between sinus congestion and head congestion is the duration of symptoms. Sinus congestion may cause a sinus infection, which comes with symptoms lasting up to four weeks. Talk to your doctor if you think you may have a sinus infection. Head congestion as part of a cold is usually gone in seven to 10 days.
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Saline Nasal Sprays And Irrigations
Other safe ways to help relieve sinus and nasal congestion and postnasal drip include nasal sprays and irrigations that contain saline solution. Saline solution is water that contains sodium chloride . There are many OTC saline nasal sprays that can be used to keep the nose moist and curb symptoms.
Nasal irrigation on the other hand, involves flushing your sinuses with a larger volume of saline solution. You can make your own irrigation solution with sodium chloride packets mixed with boiled or distilled water, or buy a pre-prepared saline wash kit at the pharmacy.
It is very important not to use tap or shower water to make your saline wash, unless the water has been boiled. Although rare, flushing your sinuses with unboiled tap water can lead to a serious infection that can potentially affect the brain.
Instead, you can use a bulb syringe, bottle sprayer, or neti pot for nasal irrigation. For best results, its recommended that you wash out each side of your nose with at least 200 mL of warmed saline solution. Check with your healthcare provider to see how often you should irrigate your sinuses.
What Is A Sinus Infection Or Sinusitis
Inflammation of the air cavities within the passages of the nose is referred to as sinusitis. Sinusitis can be caused by infection , but also can be caused by allergy and chemical irritation of the sinuses. A sinus infection occurs when a virus, bacterium, or fungus grows within a sinus.
Sinusitis is one of the more common conditions that can afflict people throughout their lives. Sinusitis commonly occurs when environmental pollens irritate the nasal passages, such as with hay fever. Sinusitis can also result from irritants, such as chemicals or the use and/or abuse of over-the-counter nasal sprays, and illegal substances that may be snorted or inhaled through the nose. About 30 million adults have sinusitis. Colds differ from sinusitis and are only caused by viruses and last about seven to 10 days while sinusitis may have many different causes , and usually last longer with more pronounced and variable symptoms.
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What Tests Diagnose The Cause Of Sinus Infections And Sinusitis
Sinus infection is most often diagnosed based on the history and examination of a doctor. Because plain X-ray studies of the sinuses may be misleading and procedures such as CT and MRI scans, which are much more sensitive in their ability to diagnose a sinus infection, are so expensive and not available in most doctors offices, most sinus infections are initially diagnosed and treated based on clinical findings on examination. These physical findings may include:
- redness and swelling of the nasal passages,
- purulent drainage from the nasal passages ,
- tenderness to percussion over the cheeks or forehead region of the sinuses, and
- swelling about the eyes and cheeks.
Occasionally, nasal secretions are examined for secreted cells that may help differentiate between infectious and allergic sinusitis. Infectious sinusitis may show specialized cells of infection while allergic sinusitis may show specialized white blood cells of allergy . Physicians prescribe antibiotics if the bacterial infection is suspected. Antibiotics are not effective against viral infections many physicians then treat the symptoms.
In addition, both rigid and flexible endoscopy has been used to obtain diagnostic material from sinuses. These procedures are usually done by an otolaryngologist under topical and local anesthesia. Occasionally, there may be a need to sedate the patient. Some investigators suggest that endoscopy specimens are comparable to those obtained by needle puncture.
What Is A Sinus Headache
- A sinus headache is the result of inflammation and a build-up of pressure within the sinuses of the skull.
- The sinuses are cavities or pockets located within the bones of the skull.
- In addition to contributing to the strength and stability of the skull, the sinuses help to humidify and filter the air.
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Benefits Of Antihistamines For Allergies
Because antihistamines prevent the release of histamine, they dry up the excess fluids that lead to excessive tearing and a runny nose. Most antihistamines also include compounds that reduce the itching and irritation that can make your eyes feel as if they have sand in them. They inhibit the urge to sneeze and can also minimize irritation in the throat that leads to coughing.
Antihistamine medications should be taken once a day and will last for a full 24 hours. They have minimal side effects and can be purchased over the counter without a prescription. There are many different types of antihistamines on the market. The top four include:
- Zyrtec® – Zyrtec , comes in both pill form and liquid capsule. It’s used to treat upper respiratory allergies but is also effective for skin rashes and hives. It offers quick relief with few side effects or drug interactions.
- Claritin® – Claritin is a popular allergy medication because it can be taken safely by both adults and children. It comes in pill form and is used to treat seasonal allergies, skin rashes, and hives. It offers few side effects and can be purchased over the counter or with a prescription.
- Allegra®
Remember that generics work just as well as brand-names. It’s important that you read labels carefully so you only by the products that address your particular symptoms. If you have questions, always speak to your doctor or a specialist before you buy a particular product.
Advice from the Sinus Surgeon himself :
Take Claritin For Sinus Infection
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What Causes No Smell In Nose
Anosmia Causes
Nasal congestion from a cold, allergy, sinus infection, or poor air quality is the most common cause of anosmia. Other anosmia causes include: Nasal polyps small noncancerous growths in the nose and sinuses that block the nasal passage. Injury to the nose and smell nerves from surgery or head trauma.
Why Sinus Pressure Without Congestion Is Unique
It seems like everyone can remember at least one morning where they wake up and just dont feel good. The pressure in their nose paired with the struggle to breathe properly is something we have all experienced at some point.
This issue is known as congestion, and it is that feeling you have when your nose feels blocked. In most cases, you will also experience sinus pressure when you deal with congestion.
Sinus pressure and congestion go hand in hand as congestion is caused by the nasal cavities in your head getting backed up. When these cavities fill up, your sinuses feel the pressure of the added fluid and tend to feel uncomfortable. This is why so often you will see people dealing with both sinus pressure and headaches at the same time.
Just because these two symptoms go hand in hand does not mean that they cant exist in isolation. As we will see, there are many causes of sinus pressure and dizziness that often dont come with added congestion.
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Health Officials Say Theyre Worried But Not Panicked About Fast Spread Of Omicron
With cases of Omicron climbing across the country and the world, experts believe the variant will become the dominant strain very soon.
In newly released modelling data Ontarios Science Advisory Table suggests the new variant will become the dominant strain in the province this week.
Barrett is concerned about how rapidly Omicron is spreading, but says she isnt panicking yet.
We do have to be careful what we do in the next number of weeks and so Im concerned its spreading very quickly and it has the ability at least decrease the effectiveness of two doses of vaccine. We think a third dose can help to get around that fact, Barrett told Yahoo Canada.
Are Antihistamines Effective In The Treatment Of Acute Sinusitis
No available data suggest that antihistamines are beneficial in acute sinusitis. In fact, antihistamines may cause harm by drying mucous membranes and decreasing clearance of secretions. Antihistamines are beneficial for reducing ostiomeatal obstruction in patients with allergies and acute sinusitis however, they are not recommended for routine use for patients with acute sinusitis. Antihistamines may complicate drainage by thickening and pooling sinonasal secretions.
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Use Decongestants But Only Temporarily
You can definitely pop some Sudafed tablets or even spritz some Afrin into your nose, but beware: you cant do this forever.
In an acute infection, a decongestant can be useful, but Afrin can become addicting if used for more than a few days and oral decongestants used regularly can have cardiovascular effects, says Dr. Thompson. These are targeted for short-term use.
Also, FYI, patients with high blood pressure shouldnt use these OTC products, and people who are sensitive to stimulants, like caffeine, might have trouble sleeping when using them, per Dr. Takashima.
Treatment And Medication Options For Sinus Infection
Up to 70 percent of people with acute sinusitis recover without prescribed medications, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology .
Treatment for acute sinus infections focus on relieving symptoms, such as by:
- Drinking lots of fluids and getting plenty of rest
- Flushing out the sinuses with a saline nasal wash like a Neti Pot or a saline nasal spray
- Inhaling steam several times a day
- Using a humidifier
- Resting a warmed, moist washcloth or a warm compress over your nose and cheeks
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Drug Interactions Of Claritin And Claritin
Claritin and Claritin-D both contain loratadine, which has the potential to interact with several drugs. Taking loratadine with amiodarone may lead to an increased risk of abnormal heart rhythm such as Torsades de pointes.
Loratadine can also interact with CYP3A4 inhibitors such as erythromycin and ketoconazole. Taking these drugs with loratadine may cause an increased level of loratadine in the body which can, in turn, increase the risk of adverse effects. Taking cimetidine with loratadine may also have the same effect.
The pseudoephedrine component of Claritin-D can also interact with other drugs such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors , beta blockers, and digoxin. Taking any of these drugs with pseudoephedrine can lead to adverse effects that affect the vascular system and heart.
| Drug | |
| No | Yes |
This may not be a complete list of all possible drug interactions. Consult a doctor with all the medications you may be taking.
Claritin For Sinus Infection
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Nasal Spray Dependence And The Rebound Effect
As the saying goes, too much of a good thing is never good. Once the effect of a decongestant nasal spray wears off, the nasal congestion that returns can be far more severe.
This is called a rebound effect, and may occur if your nose becomes less responsive to the effects of a nasal spray due to excessive use.
Excessive use of nasal sprays can lead to a tolerance build-up. If youre heavy-handed with your use of nasal sprays, you might gradually find yourself requiring higher doses to help ease your congestion. Therefore, you should not use nasal sprays for more than five consecutive days.
Doctors have termed this rebound congestion rhinitis medicamentosa. The phrase refers to congestion or rhinitis that is explicitly caused by medication. In this instance, the excessive use of nasal spray decongestants is the cause of congestion.
Some symptoms of nasal spray overuse include:
- Use of nasal spray for more than a week
- Use of nasal spray more frequently than directed
- Congestion upon skipping a dose
With that said, prescription nasal sprays containing steroids do not cause a rebound effect and can be used on a daily basis for years. More often than not, these steroid sprays are not decongestants, but rather treatments for nasal allergies.
Are All Otc Allergy Medications Non
No, some over-the-counter allergyX allergy An exaggerated response of the immune system to a substance that is ordinarily harmless. medications can produce drowsiness. Claritin® AllergyX Allergy An exaggerated response of the immune system to a substance that is ordinarily harmless. + Sinus is non-drowsy when taken as directed.
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What Is The Best Antibiotic For A Bacterial Infection
Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics such as amoxicillin, erythromycin and ciprofloxacin. There are many different types of antibiotic, with different ways of working the choice depends on the type of infection you have. Fungi commonly cause skin infections such as athletes foot and ringworm.
Types Of Sinus Infections: Chronic Vs Acute
There are four types of sinus infections. These classifications depend on the length and frequency of the infection:
- Acute sinusitis.This type of sinus infection lasts only for a short time, defined by the American Academy of Otolaryngology as less than 4 weeks. This short-term infection is usually part of a cold or other respiratory illness. It may also be caused by a bacterial infection .
- Subacute sinusitis. A subacute sinus infection lasts between 4 and 12 weeks .
- Recurrent acute sinusitis. An acute sinus infection is considered recurrent if the infection returns four or more times within a year, with each infection lasting 7 days or more.
- Chronic sinusitis.Chronic sinus infections last for more than 12 weeks or continue to recur.
Many sinus infection symptoms are common in both acute and chronic forms. Seeing a doctor is the best way to learn if you have an infection, find the cause, and get treatment.
For cases of acute bacterial sinus infections, these symptoms last at least 10 days without improving, or they worsen within 10 days after seeming to improve. In this case, its important to talk with a doctor, such as a general practitioner or an ear, nose, and throat doctor , to get a diagnosis and treatment plan.
Learn more about the symptoms of a sinus infection below.
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