SOME skills are hard to master, like blowing your nose correctly...wait, what?
Yes, that's right, apparently many of us could be clearing out our stuffy noses the wrong way.
According to paediatric allergist Dr Zachary Rubin, you could risk ear infections and nose bleeds if you aren't carefully executing this basic action.
Dr Rubin explained to his 487,000 Instagram followers that exhaling air and mucus from both nostrils can put excessive pressure on the delicate nasal passages, potentially causing damage.
"If you blow too hard you could be displacing mucus, bacteria and viruses into that eustachian tube and potentially increase the risk of having an ear infection," he warned.
Blowing too aggressively could also trigger a rapid change in pressure behind the eardrum, which can cause pain in the ears and, if you're extra unlucky, a ruptured eardrum.
It could also trigger a nosebleed by putting blood vessels in the nose under so much strain that they burst, and in very rare cases, fracture the tiny bones inside the inner ear, according to medical experts.
So what's the solution if you've got a bad case of blocked nose?
Rubin advises blowing gently and clearing one nostril at a time to reduce pressure in the sinuses; you can also use over-the-counter decongestant sprays and 'steaming out' the mucus by hovering your head over a bowl of hot water.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 13 Dec 24
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