General Family Health

You know the scene. The first hacking cough of the season happens right in your face. Sometimes you are just going to get sick. But there are a number of things you can easily do to stay healthy...

Colds are no fun. Sniffling, sneezing, and fatigue are only the beginning of your symptoms. If you know you've been exposed to a cold virus, or if you can feel a cold coming on, there are several...

Flu can be a killer, and myths about the disease abound. The term flu is often used to refer to unrelated illnesses like stomach flu, but influenza is one thing only: a serious respiratory viral...

Sweet oil is an inexpensive home remedy for earaches that's usually made from almonds or olive oil. Instead of warming the oil and running the risk of burning your inner ear, holding a hot/cold...

Laser therapy has become one of the most popular forms of treatment being used as an alternative to medication. Often painless, using technology that some people would classify as science fiction,...

Whether it is the cold and flu season of winter, hay fever and allergies of spring and summer, and weather changes in the fall, decongestants and antihistamines are one of the most used...

The feeling of chills and shivering that you get when you are first coming down with a cold or the flu is your body's response to feeling cold.

When dealing with a cold or upper respiratory infection, mucus can build up in the head and lungs. Mucus is no fun, but thankfully there are effective methods for removing this green slush from...

At this time of year, cold and flu are being passed around no matter where you go. People are sneezing, coughing and feverish, passing around the flu or cold. For most of us, the best plan of...

With cold and flu season almost upon us, many are searching for ways to protect themselves and their family from the dreaded sickness. Though these are usually no longer life threatening, they...

The air passages to your lungs are called bronchi. An infection of these tubes is called acute bronchitis. Acute bronchitis has symptoms similar to those of a common cold, but they include coughing.

You feel sick and everything aches. You lay in bed and don't have the energy to get up. Your head hurts, your skin is sensitive and you have no interest in food. Is it the Swine Flu? Here is how...

Cold sores usually begin as a tingling or burning sensation near or on the lips. Often a small pustule or reddened area occurs soon after. If you scratch, rub or pick at the sore, it will become...

Humidifiers can treat an array of symptoms and illnesses. Many children have had a humidifier to help with sinuses, cold, flu or a combination of all three. What some people don't know is that...

The winter months bring with them dry skin, stuffy noses and cold toes. Try humidifying your home to remedy the problems. Both warm and cold air humidifiers can alleviate many common issues...

Feeling under the weather? These simple remedies will help you on your way to feeling better in no time.

We're entering that season again. Yep, it's cold and flu season. While there may be no foolproof way of keeping yourself healthy all the way through the sick season, there are a few things you can...

There's nothing more annoying that getting a case of the hiccups. The pesky half-burp, half-gasps occur when your diaphragm becomes irritated. This happens for several reasons. Sometimes hiccups...

Here comes the holidays! Oh, and did I mention here comes freezing weather? Yeah, It's that time of year again. Winters chill is setting in and getting sick is probably on the bottom of your...

Neck injuries can be very painful. A cold pack can help alleviate the pain. This is because the cold reduces inflammation and numbs the injury. Regular cold packs must be held in place on the back...

With the cold months approaching, cold and flu season begins. Preparing yourself and your home during these months can give peace of mind knowing that your family will be safe while at home in...

These simple and intelligent steps can help colds & the flu.

The common cold, a condition that affects millions and millions every year, is transmitted easily. Some of the most common carriers are listed here.

A stopped-up nose and thick, yellow nasal discharge--at one time or another, you've probably experienced these symptoms. But are they caused by acute sinusitis or just the common cold?...

Cold sores are caused by a virus called herpes simplex (type 1). Nutrition that helps heal such a sore includes lysine-rich foods such as fish and dairy products. But additional amino acid...

Similar to other contagious diseases, the common cold has risk factors. Some of these risk factors, like age, cannot be controlled, but most of them can.

Germs are everywhere especially during the cooler, flu season months of the year. You know to avoid people who are sick and anyone who is coughing or sneezing, but there are many other ways that...

Summer is full of outdoor fun that keeps us on the go. We get plenty of exercise just doing everyday activities. When it's warm we like to eat light. Fruit, veggies, salads are a major part of...

Chills, the slow or sudden tingle over one's back and arms, are a common experience for persons worldwide. However, sometimes chills are not associated with cold.

It is getting to be that time of year when we are bombarded with news articles about getting a cold or the flu. They are saying that this year the flu has shown up in the general population...

It seems every time fall comes around you start seeing a lot more sick people. Sometimes it’s a plain cold and sometimes it’s a flu/cold with a bit worse symptoms. The quick change in weather...

A hot or cold compress can help alleviate pain, but it is important to know which type of compress is best for each pain source. Hot and cold compresses are not always interchangeable, and using...

One minute you're feeling fine and the next your head is stuffy, your nose is drippy, your eyes are watering and all you want to do is go to bed. You've caught a cold, referred to by doctors as an...

This year is going to be tough to beat the cold and the flu especially with the swine flu hitting us this year. Follow these steps to help protect yourself.

Because a cold and flu (short for influenza) have many symptoms in common, it is easy to mistake one illness for the other. Early detection of the flu and being treated before the virus progresses...

Lasers are more than just fabulous movie special effects. Regular (or hot) lasers have been known since the late 1950s and early 1960s, and they have been refined since then. One of the offshoot...

Cold sores are also known as fever blisters. They form in to red bumps that are filled with fluid. The herpes simplex virus is to blame for all cold sores. It is also highly contagious so all...

The weather is changing and it seems like everyone around you is sick. Here's a few easy ways to avoid getting a cold or the flu this holiday season.

The common cold is an upper respiratory tract infection caused by a virus. The symptoms of common cold are headache and upper respiratory tract infection. Some people may experience fever as...

Cold sores consist of small, often painful and typically fluid-filled blisters that most often appear around and in the mouth. There's typically a tingling effect known as the prodrome before the...

Many people think that hot water is preferable to cold when washing hands. Some even think rinsing with hot water alone is sufficient. However, the truth is that any water hot enough to kill...

Almost 50 percent of Americans get a cold sore by the time they reach adulthood, so it's not a surprise that a toddler may catch this contagious condition. The U.S. Library of Medicine notes that...

According the U.S. Library of Medicine, cold sores affect nearly 50 percent of the United States population by the time they enter their 20s. A cold sore starts with a tingling sensation in the...

Sore throat, congestion, sneezing, coughing and runny nose. These are all symptoms of the common cold, which affects millions Americans each year. There are numerous cures and remedies to the...

Ear congestion is caused either by traveling, usually by plane, or from a blockage of the ear tube. Being sick (common cold) can also cause ear congestion. Just as your nose can get stuffy, so can...

There are several things that can be done to lower your chances of catching a cold.

"Chest cold" refers to the most common symptoms of bronchitis--chest congestion and cough. Bronchitis or a chest cold often follows a common cold or upper respiratory infection. While the symptoms...

Having a cold is never fun. Whether you are sick or your kids, there are cold cures that do not involve drugs. Read on to learn how to cure a cold drug free.

A persistent scratchy, dry throat is miserable. It may be followed by a sore throat, if you're becoming ill with something like a cold or flu virus. But sometimes it's just a result of very dry...

The H1N1 virus or “swine flu” strikes fear into many hearts, but if you know the facts, you are less likely to panic. The World Health Organization classified swine flu as a “pandemic” illness not...