Sometimes, coughing is a good thing. A cough is a natural reflex that expels air from your airways, helping to clear out germs, mucus, and other unwanted irritants. Coughing is also a common symptom of many illnesses, such as colds, the flu, and COVID-19. However, you shouldn’t always associate a cough with being sick. There are many reasons why you could have a cough that doesn’t go away. A persistent cough that lasts more than a few weeks – with or without additional symptoms – is one of the most common reasons why people visit a healthcare provider (accounting for an estimated 30 million vi ..read more

If you’re an adult and have never experienced asthma before, you’re probably breathing a sigh of relief. Most people develop asthma during childhood, so adults often assume they’re safe – but the truth is that asthma can develop at any age. Some people with asthma have fewer symptoms and flare-ups as they get older, while others first experience the condition well into adulthood. Adult-onset asthma is typically defined as asthma that begins any time after the age of 20. Would you recognize the symptoms of adult-onset asthma if they happened to you? During the transition from winter to spring ..read more

Having an itch that you can’t scratch – especially in an unreachable place like inside your ear – is a frustrating experience. Ears are relatively small as far as body parts go, but they’re full of sensitive nerves that can greatly impact how you feel. Itchy ears can indicate a variety of things, but what you do (or don’t do) might worsen the problem. So, before you put in that Q-tip or whatever else you’re tempted to stick inside your ear (you should never stick anything inside your ear), check out possible reasons why your ear is itchy and what it means for your health! The beginning of an e ..read more

Mucus. Snot. Phlegm. Whatever you call the thick, gooey substance that pours out of your nose or you cough up when you’re not feeling well, can be a major indicator of what’s happening with your health. Mucus is a natural function of your immune system as your body fights off respiratory infections, allergies, and more. Mucus has several names, including snot (nasal mucus) and phlegm (mucus in your chest and lungs). However, they all have the same function – to flush out germs, irritants, and other invaders that threaten your health. Mucus may be gross, but it’s also powerful, and understandin ..read more

Many people engage in foreplay and other sexual acts with the assumption that sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can only be transmitted through penetration. If you’re not having vaginal or anal sex, you’re in the clear, right? Wrong. Although sexual intercourse is a common way to contract or pass an STD, there are lots of other ways that STDs can spread – with no penetrative sex required. Even non-sexual contact can put you at risk. We’re here to help you take care of your sexual health, and that includes knowing all the ways that STDs are contracted and spread – especially when traditional ..read more

Whether you’re out to eat, attending an important meeting, or getting ready to give a presentation, nausea can hit when you least expect it – and often at the most inopportune times. Nausea, often described as being “sick to your stomach,” is when you feel an uneasiness in your stomach or feel the urge to vomit. Other symptoms of nausea include feeling lightheaded or dizzy, difficulty swallowing, or a lack of appetite. When you’re feeling nauseous, stomach flu or food poisoning are usually the first culprits that come to mind. However, there may be another cause for your upset stomach. Here ar ..read more

You’re hot and sweaty. You’re weak, tired, and just feel lousy. You shiver with chills and before you know it, you’re sweating again. A quick temperature check confirms it – you’ve got a fever. Should you worry? Fevers are a sign that your body’s immune system is working to fight off an infection, such as a cold, sinus infection, or the flu. While fevers can make you feel miserable, they’re not always a bad thing. In fact, the temporary rise in body temperature makes it harder for germs to continue growing. However, when a fever is too high it can be dangerous and may require immediate medical ..read more

Coughing, wheezing, and sneezing: a familiar sound in the Philadelphia region during the fall and winter months. Why? It’s a time when upper respiratory infections (URIs) run rampant due to colder weather and more time spent indoors. An upper respiratory infection is caused by viruses or bacteria that affect your throat and sinuses. Common upper respiratory infections include: Common cold Sinus infections (sinusitis) Sore throat (including pharyngitis and laryngitis) Illnesses like COVID-19 and the flu are respiratory infections and can cause both upper and lower respiratory illness and symp ..read more

Days of sneezing, coughing, and nasal congestion from a cold can make anyone miserable. But are your symptoms from a bad cold, or has it turned into something else? Cold and sinus infection (sinusitis) symptoms are often the same (stuffy nose, headache, cough, sore throat, and so on). Like colds, many sinus infections are viral – or at least they start out that way. When your nasal passages are blocked, material deep inside your nasal cavity and sinuses can cause bacterial overgrowth. This can lead to yellow or green nasal discharge, facial pain, fullness in the ears, and loss of smell and tas ..read more

When temperatures drop and cold and flu season begins, it’s common to see a rise in COVID-19 cases. The symptoms of COVID-19 – cough, fever, sore throat, body aches, fatigue, and the like – are similar to bronchitis, the flu, and many other upper respiratory illnesses. It can be extremely difficult to tell what you have just by how you feel. If you have COVID-19, the same virus can also cause you to develop bronchitis. Like COVID, acute bronchitis can lead to serious health complications if left untreated. Anything that compromises your respiratory system is a risk you don’t want to take. Cont ..read more