As the heat of summer winds down, everyone is looking forward to cool fall days and nights. For people who suffer from seasonal allergies, though, fall brings on more allergy symptoms. Ragweed is the biggest allergy trigger in the fall. Though it usually starts to release pollen with cool nights and warm days in August, it can last into September and October. About 75% of people with spring allergies also have reactions to ragweed.

Q: When I was younger, I had major bouts of middle ear infections, some of which were treated and some of which didn’t cause pain and went unidentified. I remember my ears feeling plugged and not being able to hear very well. I just went to have my ears assessed, and they are suspecting a hearing loss caused by a cholesteatoma. Would you mind explaining what that means?

Q: Have you received a promotion
for a free hearing screening? Wondering what the difference is between a full diagnostic hearing test and the complimentary check?

According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is by far the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women in the United States, surpassing colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined. In 2020 alone, it is estimated that there will be 228,820 new cases of lung cancer and approximately 135,720 deaths from the disease. Despite these sobering statistics, the vast majority (though not all) of lung cancer cases could be prevented through one particular lifestyle choice—smoking avoidance. Though there are other risk factors for lung cancer, approximately 90 percent of all diagnosed cases are associated with tobacco smoking, including secondhand exposure to smoke.

Q: My husband was involved in a pretty serious automobile accident where the airbag deployed. He is very lucky to be alive and walked away from the accident with what we thought was little harm. I took him right away to the emergency room for an examination even though EMS evaluated him on the scene. By the time we arrived at the hospital, he started to complain that he felt like he had tinnitus. My question is, could the airbag be the cause of his tinnitus?

When you’re feeling perfectly fit and healthy, getting screened for a disease or disorder might seem unnecessary. After all, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” right? But as any healthcare professional will tell you, the whole point of health screenings is either to identify risk factors for a disease before it develops or to catch an existing but as-yet undetected problem at the earliest possible stage, before symptoms arise.

Though most of the clients currently taking advantage of the Super Slow Training method offered at TriggerPoint are in their 40s, this evidence-based, time-efficient exercise solution is gaining popularity among people of all ages—including individuals well into their senior years.

Many of us are being very health conscience these days. You may be watching your diet due to existing health issues, or you may just want to stay healthy, lose weight, and keep it off. Whatever the reason, there are many health benefits to a healthy diet and lifestyle, but have you ever thought that what you eat may impact your hearing health?

“Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite!” For decades, parents have shared this peculiar little proverb with their children at tuck-in time. Naturally, most kids dismiss it as just some quaint, old-fashioned rhyme with no modern-day relevance, along the lines of “Ring around the rosie.” However, these tiny bloodsuckers continue to be a problem in the modern day and can be tough to eradicate once established.

A major trigger of seasonal allergy symptoms is just beginning to take flight. From around mid-August until the first killing frost, a particularly irritating pollen will be spreading far and wide through the air, making a significant percentage of Americans miserable with symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, eye irritation and puffiness, itchy nose and throat, headaches, and asthma flare-ups.