DEAR DR. ROACH: Can living in a “semiarid” climate have an effect on a person’s throat? For almost every day for about 15 years, I have been dealing with mucus and throat-clearing. Some days I can spend a whole hour clearing my throat! Then it gets a little sore and red. I’m fed up with trying to find the cause.
I’ve already had an allergy test and was told that I was allergic to dust. I’ve replaced all my carpeting with new flooring. It has helped a little bit, but my throat problems still exist. I use a humidifier, but I’m not sure if it’s helping. Do air purifiers really work, or are they a waste of money? I am a 72-year-old healthy female who isn’t on meds. What’s wrong with me? — J.B.
ANSWER: Indeed, many people who live in very dry areas note similar symptoms. Dry air is very bothersome to the membranes lining your nose and sinuses and can cause irritation. One response the body has is to increase mucus production, and this response can be so exuberant that there can be excess nasal drainage.
The secretions also go backward (called post-nasal drip), causing discomfort in the back of the throat as well. These secretions can contain inflammatory chemicals, which then further inflame the tissue. Trying to clear your throat for an hour will then add mechanical irritation on top of the chemical irritation.
A humidifier does help most people, but if the air is very dry, the humidifiers may not keep up. Unless you are diligent about cleaning the humidifier, fungi and bacteria can grow and worsen the problem.
To make matters worse, there can be additional problems, such as allergies, on top of the dry air. Treatment of dust mite allergies often includes changing floor coverings (wood or tile is best), using anti-allergy bed and pillow coverings, and washing linens very frequently. Low humidity actually helps get rid of dust mites, so if you really have allergies to dust mites, you might forget the humidifier in lieu of nasal saline sprays and gels. Air filters are only somewhat effective if the reservoirs (like carpeting and upholstered furniture) are cleaned or removed.
DEAR DR. ROACH: I recently visited a podiatrist about pain caused by a hammer toe (the little toe on my left foot). The pain seems to come from the nail pressing into the toe, as the pain is relieved when there isn’t any pressure on the toe. I was expecting him to recommend removal of the nail, but instead, he recommended surgery to “fix” the toe. I was taken aback by this recommendation and failed to ask further questions.
My question is: Is this is a typical recommendation for a hammer toe? What is the success rate of this type of surgery? Is there a downside? — D.H.
ANSWER: A hammer toe is a common abnormality where a toe does not straighten properly and may become fixed in a flexed (bent) position. It is normally treated conservatively with proper footwear, sometimes custom orthotics, or other treatments including joint injection. When the toe is still symptomatic despite conservative management, surgery is then considered.
I’m guessing your podiatrist did not think that treating the nail will be sufficient and that the problem will come back again, but a repeat visit to the podiatrist is wise to ask him your questions. I am, by no means, an expert, but when surgery is indicated for this, most people are satisfied with the results.
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Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu or send mail to 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803.
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