Blog2023-05-07T12:45:23-06:00

German Shepherd Refusing to Eat: Recipe Solutions

Home recipe solutions for older German Shepherds that need a boost in appetite.

As my German Shepherd ages he becomes less interested in food and at times requires some inspired recipes to make food seem more appealing. 

The challenge is to come up with recipe ideas that are both nutritious and appetizing.

Recipe Solutions, Starches and Stocks

When my German Shepherd became disinterested in food I had to come up with a food solution that would kick-start appetite without filling him with fatty dog treats.

My first attempt at coming up with a nutritious recipe was to add chicken stock to rice, making a watery, starch mixture.

The protein in the stock seemed to smell appealing to the dog and he ate with renewed interest.

The starch and carbohydrates in the rice filled his belly and seemed to get his stomach active again.

The ratio of liquid to rice is double what would normally be cooked, ensuring the runny consistency.

In the short term, my old German Shepherd had a great deal more energy once the starchy carbohydrates were introduced to his diet.  I had equal success with pasta cooked in chicken or beef stock.

The added starch in the pasta proved to be especially beneficial when I added it to normal kibble.

I mixed the watery rice or pasta concoction into the kibble for a few meals, and suddenly he was back to eating like himself again.

This is a tried and true recipe to re-establish my German Shepherd back to a regular eating routine.

Recipe Cautions

When cooking the rice or pasta I am careful to buy low sodium stock, or I heavily dilute the stock with water to reduce the German Shepherd’s sodium intake.

Kidney failure sometimes plagues an old dog, so keeping sodium to a minimum is beneficial to overall health.

Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.  

Dog Sprayed by Skunk, Stinky: Home Remedy Solution

Here is a simple home remedy to rid the stink on your dog after it gets sprayed by a skunk.

And here is what NEVER to do should your dog get stunk up by a skunk.

Skunks seek refuge in urban centers, under decks, porches, in back sheds, and under any tiny space that provides shelter and potential food supply in the form of garbage.

When my German Shepherd was a puppy he was exploring some shrubbery when he startled a skunk and her family.

Before I could call the puppy away, he was sprayed by the adult skunk.  The dog had no idea what had hit him.

The young German Shepherd beat a hasty retreat away from the skunk and towards his home. 

I put a quick stop to his entrance to the house and kept him in the garage until I could ascertain a solution to the stink.

Neutralizing the Skunk Smell on Your Dog

Shutterstock/Aaron Amat

I found a website that proposed a neutralizing concoction that would eliminate the odor entirely.

I was skeptical, but I had nothing to lose.  I reasoned that if I could at least remove some of the stench, I could buy myself time to get to the vet or pet store to find a long-term solution.

Household Ingredients offer the Solution

Fortunately, all of the ingredients needed in the neutralizing solution are household ingredients: hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and blue Dove dish soap.

This miracle elixir saved the day.  It did not just mask the odor; it truly neutralized the smell in a way I never would have imagined.

Pet stores do sell products that assist in eliminating the strong skunk odor, and from my experience the products do not completely eliminate the smell. 

This home remedy concoction offers a solution that is nontoxic and it really works.

Don’t Do THIS if Your Dog Gets Skunked

The final thing I wish to point out is what you should never do upon learning your dog was just sprayed by a skunk.

This mistake was committed by my sister when she was home from school break.

She had let my parents’ dog out, through the patio door, to do her business in the yard. 

At some point I heard a little bit of commotion and my sister exclaiming that the dog had encountered a skunk.

She was a bit panicky and not thinking clearly, and very hastily let the dog come back INTO the house, through the patio door.

She hurriedly led the dog, by grabbing her collar, into the garage. 

This meant that the dog went through several rooms of the house to get to the garage.

As a result, the whole house quickly took on the stench of skunk.

My sister should have kept the dog outside and led her into the garage via outside.

So if you discover your dog has just been sprayed by a skunk, keep it outside; step outside and THEN come up with your plan to deal with the unexpected situation.

Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.  

How to Prevent Ice Buildup on Your Dog’s Feet During Walks

Here is a simple remedy for preventing ice buildup on your dog’s paws, whether your companion is a German Shepherd, Havanese or a size breed in between.

Dogs notoriously love the snow; they are passionate about snow in ways that humans struggle to appreciate, and the hazard of long walks through sticky snow is the potential for ice balls developing in the pads of their feet.

These ice balls can be very painful for a dog if they are not removed and can cut the pads and leave raw abrasions.

How do you keep ice from forming on your dog’s paws?

On sub-zero days, my German shepherd will suddenly stop short and will drop to the ground to chew at the pads of his feet.

What I have discovered is that he is trying to chew the ice balls that have developed between his pads.

The ice balls appear to irritate his feet and make it difficult to carry on walking without giving attention to these icy nuisances.

Vaseline, Ice Ball Solution

Rather than dealing with the constant stopping to clean the painful ice from my German shepherd’s feet, I found that putting a small dollop of Vaseline on each paw helps deter the ice from forming in the first place.

Surprisingly a small smear of Vaseline on each paw, spread through the hairs, with particular attention being paid to the pad surface, stops the ice from forming.

This quick and inexpensive solution saved my dog from having to deal with the discomfort of the abrasive ice stopping him from enjoying long walks in the snow.

A word of caution: ensure you wipe your dog’s feet prior to coming into the house.

The Vaseline will continue to leave an oily residue on floor surfaces, even after a lengthy walk.

Consider carefully wiping between the dog’s pads to ensure no greasy messes linger on floors. 

Vaseline is a wonderful solution for preventing ice buildup on your dog’s feet.

Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.  

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Top image: Freepik

LPR vs. Laryngeal Cancer Throat Symptom Comparison

The symptoms of LPR and laryngeal cancer overlap, but an ENT doctor compares these two conditions.

LPR, as anyone who has found this article certainly knows, stands for laryngeal pharyngeal reflux, and the symptoms can range from annoying to very troubling.

These symptoms can also result from laryngeal cancer.

And by sheer coincidence, a person with LPR can develop laryngeal cancer, which is why becoming very familiar with your symptoms of the original laryngeal pharyngeal reflux is extremely important to keep on the lookout for changes in the symptoms or some kind of new evolving problem.

LPR. vs. Laryngeal Cancer

“Symptoms that are persisting and unresolving should always be evaluated by a physician,” begins Dr. Stacey Silvers, MD, of Madison ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery in NYC, who is board certified in otolaryngology.

“If you have a long history of drinking, smoking and/or indigestion and heartburn, then you are at a higher risk for throat and esophageal cancers.

“If you start developing these symptoms later in life, even though LPR is more likely the cause, it is good not to sit on the symptoms but to have them properly evaluated.

“Common things are common.  Hoarseness can be from vocal nodules, polyps, reflux and with the appropriate risk factors, laryngeal cancer.

“As we are all human we think of the worst possible diagnosis.  Symptoms that are prolonged despite appropriate medical management should also be thoroughly evaluated by an otolaryngologist.

“We all hear the story of the person who had a chronic cough, was diagnosed with allergy, asthma, reflux and ultimately was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer.

“This is extremely rare but is always in a physician’s differential diagnosis.

“It is important not to neglect prolonged symptoms as well as for the clinician to seek out consultants when symptoms persist.”

LARYNGEAL and
THROAT CANCER
SYMPTOMS
  • Bad breath despite home treatment
  • Breathing difficulty or noise with breathing
  • Persistent cough
  • Coughing up blood
  • Ear fullness or pain despite no infection
  • Hoarse voice that persists longer than two weeks
  • Loose teeth or dentures suddenly poorly fitting
  • Palpable lump in the neck
  • Nosebleeds for no reason
  • Swallowing pain or difficulty
  • Throat pain or soreness
  • Throat burning or irritation
  • Throat lump sensation like something is stuck
  • Changes in voice pitch or volume
  • This list is not complete. 
An NYC expert in ear, nose and throat care, Dr. Silvers has been named among America’s Top Physicians and Surgeons in facial plastic surgery and otolaryngology numerous times since 2003. Dr. Silvers is an expert in the field of minimally invasive rhinology, resolving patients’ breathing and sinus problems with simple in-office procedures. 
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer. 
Top image: Shutterstock/cheapbooks

Excessive Saliva when Awakening: Causes, Solutions

A doctor explains what causes excessive saliva buildup when you awaken and how to prevent this.

Excessive saliva when awakening: causes, mechanism behind causes? On
one hand it could be excessive production, but also insufficient swallowing.

“Excessive saliva in the morning with chronic throat clearing are very common complaints,” says Dr. Stacey Silvers, MD, of Madison ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery in NYC, who is board certified in otolaryngology.

“Without other associated symptoms of allergy (runny nose, sneezing, congestion and/or itchy eyes), allergies may not be the cause,” says Dr. Silvers.  “These are common symptoms of silent reflux.”

What is silent reflux and how does it cause saliva buildup in the morning when awakening?

“Silent reflux does not present with classic ‘heartburn’ and indigestion,” continues Dr. Silvers.

“Stress is a large contributing factor as well as poor diet and late night eating.

“Eating late at night, one has a belly full of food and excess stomach acid which goes up in the throat while laying down.

“Stress increases stomach acid and some of that excess acid will reflux up.

“The mucous and saliva will drip in the back of the nose and throat to coat the throat and protect the throat from acid that can otherwise burn and cause ulcers.

“The mucous is thick and the need to clear it off the vocal cords can be a fairly constant or an intermittent symptom during the day or upon awaking.”

How to Help Prevent Excess Saliva in the Morning

Dr. Silvers explains, “Avoid late night eating and cut down on highly acidic foods; caffeine, tomatoes, onions, fried foods, nicotine, chocolate and alcohol.

“Elevate the head of the bed to keep acid down in the stomach by gravity alone.

“A trial of an over the counter reflux medication may help. 

“If it is not helping or after stopping the medication the symptoms return, consult your doctor.

“Other common silent reflux symptoms include: dry cough, lump in the throat, throat pain, hoarseness and trouble swallowing.”

An NYC expert in ear, nose and throat care, Dr. Silvers has been named among America’s Top Physicians and Surgeons in facial plastic surgery and otolaryngology numerous times since 2003. Dr. Silvers is an expert in the field of minimally invasive rhinology, resolving patients’ breathing and sinus problems with simple in-office procedures. 
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer. 

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Top image: Shutterstock/Photographee.eu

Why Holding the Treadmill’s Front Bar Is Wrong at Any Age

No matter your age, you’re doing yourself NO favor if you hold onto the treadmill’s front bar when walking.

As a personal trainer, I require all of my clients, including older, poorly conditioned ones, to avoid—yes, avoid—holding onto the treadmill as they do their walking.

Now if they need to hold on for some momentary steadying or to drink some water, that’s fine.

But what I’m referring to here is holding onto the treadmill throughout the duration of the walking session.

The woman pictured above exemplifies a very prevalent scenario in any gym, health club or recreation center where there are treadmills.

The phenomenon of holding on spans all age groups, not just older individuals.

Look at the lady in the photo. Does that appear to be an efficient way to improve one’s walking fitness, aerobic fitness or any kind of fitness?

Why does holding the front bar of a treadmill sabotage the walking workout?

Because natural walking involves a particular movement of the upper body that coordinates with the lower body.

Holding onto the front bar disconnects the upper body with the lower half; it immobilizes it, locks it up.

The hips, then, are forced to over-rotate, especially if the tread is set to a fast speed such as 4 mph.

When you’re holding on, “you are going to create more torque of the pelvis which isn’t good for you, says Joel Silbar, a chiropractic physician.

It’s painful just to watch someone’s hips going as they “walk” at 4 mph while clinging to the front bar.

But even if you walk slowly, you’re still getting no bang for your buck, because this fails to mimic actual walking.

Walking on a treadmill without holding on actually has a carryover to real-world walking, even though the ground or floor you walk on isn’t moving under your feet. People train for walk-a-thons by walking (hands off) on a treadmill.

In cold weather I use a high incline to mimic outdoor hikes and trail runs, and believe me, it transfers over because I don’t hold on.

In short, don’t underestimate the effectiveness of a treadmill (hands off) for improving your body’s cardiovascular fitness, knee joint integrity and other elements.

The man in the photo at the top is walking for the photographer, but his position on the treadmill, hands on the front bar, is identical to what you’ll see in every facility that has these machines. People just love to cling onto the front bar.

Even a light hold sabotages the session. Holding onto the front bar mimics using a walker.

For tall people, it makes them hunch forward, which is bad for the spinal column.

Shorter people tend to yank to and fro with each step. Medium height people don’t get off the hook, either; holding fast to the front bar (or lightly) still sours their natural gait.

Holding on anywhere on the machine significantly reduces calories burned.

The calorie display shows the same number whether you’re a man, woman, old, young, skinny, huge, Martian, Vulcan … because the display is determined by the speed of the tread and the incline, NOT the person on the tread. It also removes work from the core, transferring it to the arms! It teaches you how to walk inefficiently, not efficiently.

How to Break Free from Holding  onto the Treadmill’s Front Bar

Simply let go, assuming that the machine’s settings are already reasonable. I tell people to “just let go.” They do, and guess what: They don’t fall off. Instead, their posture instantly improves.

They feel more muscles becoming engaged. If someone has the settings crazy high, such as a 15 percent incline and 4 mph, I point out that this is a very unrealistic setting to sustain a walk for, and to knock down the incline or the speed, e.g., if you want to go 4 mph, then bring down the incline to just five percent.

If your low back begins hurting after you’ve let go of the treadmill, this is because all that holding on has de-conditioned your low back, which is supposed to be engaged when you walk.

The solution is to just keep walking WITHOUT holding on to give your low back a chance to catch up and get stronger. The aching will disappear soon enough.

Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health. 

 

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NDE Experiment Suggests NDEs Aren’t Real, But Is Flawed

A scientific explanation of near death experiences is not good news for believers in an afterlife.

On the other hand, does a scientific explanation for “near death experiences” mean there can’t be an afterlife?

Researchers from the University of Michigan Health System believe they are closer to a scientific explanation to the so-called near death experience.

A near death experience is the term for a person’s extraordinarily profound experience following clinical death (heart stops beating, no longer breathing): an experience they report at some point following resuscitation.

Skeptics including some scientists believe these are merely hallucinations or dreams, generated by dying brain cells, or, to put it another way, brain cells as they are being starved of oxygen.

There are some big holes in this theory, which I’ll cover in just a moment.

What have scientists discovered about the near death experience?

The study involved rats. Cardiac death/clinical death was induced in nine rats.

Then the animals were given an electroencephalogram to measure brain activity.

The recorded brain activity in each “dead” rat was characteristic of conscious perception.

“This study, performed in animals, is the first dealing with what happens to the neurophysiological state of the dying brain,” explains Jimo Borjigin, PhD, lead study author.

Dr. Borjigin adds that this study is the foundation for future studies in humans that will investigate cognitive experiences occurring in a dying brain.

Unfortunately, a resuscitated rat can’t report what it experienced during cardiac arrest.

The researchers can only speculate what those patterns of conscious perception meant to the rats.

Within half a minute following the cardiac arrest, the rats showed a widespread, temporary spike of highly synchronized brain activity that had characteristics of a highly aroused brain.

This data, says Dr. Borjigin, confirms signs of conscious activity in the rats’ brains during cardiac arrest.

What was surprising was the high level of this activy, says George Mashour, MD, senior study author. “In fact, at near-death, many known electrical signatures of consciousness exceeded levels found in the waking state,” says Dr. Mashour.

This suggests that the brain can conduct “well-organized electrical activity during the early stage of clinical death.”

Dr. Borjigin notes that this study shows that oxygen depletion during cardiac arrest “can stimulate brain activity characteristic of conscious processing.”

The researches believe that this study provides the first scientific foundation for peoples’ near death experiences.

Loophole in this Study

It’s a gigantic leap to go from a rat’s (or even if it can be shown in humans) EEG patterns during cardiac arrest to the conclusion that a near death experience happens only inside a person’s brain.

Holes in the Theory that Oxygen-Starved Brain Cells Conjure up Vivid Hallucinations

#1. Many who’ve had a near death experience (NDE) have verified sights and sounds that occurred outside the room their body was in, or in some way have provided feedback of perception that could only be explained by an out-of-body experience.

An example, according to Dr. Raymond Moody’s research, is of a woman who was blind since childhood (not birth), who when elderly, had an NDE during resuscitation of her body.

She accurately described who entered and exited the room, their clothes and colors, and the instruments they used.

#2. Skeptics like to point out that during clinical death, a person can still hear.

Their brain then conjures up visual images to “match” what they are hearing.

If the patient hears, “Hand me the scalpel” and then reports later, “I saw the nurse hand the doctor the scalpel,” that’s one thing.

But when the patient hears “double action Rongeur” or “Richardson retractor,” how the heck would the patient be able to accurately describe these instruments (as well as other fine details that are NOT verbalized, such as the hair styles and body builds of the medical team)?

#3. If oxygen-depleted brain cells can produce the most vivid experiences that a patient has ever had, then why doesn’t this phenomenon occur when muscle cells are starved of oxygen?

According to skeptics’ theory, a marathon runner, with two miles left to the marathon, should suddenly be able to explode to the finish line with their fastest sprint, nonstop.

Or, a weight lifter, struggling to complete the tenth repetition of a 225-pound bench press, should then suddenly be able to press twice that amount without a problem!

After all, when cells are starved of oxygen, shouldn’t they then become exceptionally aroused?

#4. People in vegetative states from asphyxiation have brain cells damaged from oxygen depletion. Yet their electroencephalogram readings show no “patterns of consciousness.”

People can’t imagine something they heard or saw outside the room their body was in during a near death experience. Science is a long, long way off (if ever) from explaining NDEs. Of course, we will all find out eventually what really happens!

Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.  
 
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Top image: ©Lorra Garrick
Sources: .sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130812153553.htm;     www.near-death.com/experiences/evidence02.html

Running on a Treadmill: Hands On vs. Hands Off

Find out just how big a difference there is between jogging on a treadmill while holding on vs. hands off.

If you’ve been holding onto the treadmill while jogging, you’ve hardly done anything to make yourself a better runner outside, on the court or in the field.

Just because there’s a place to put your hands on the treadmill doesn’t mean you should do this when running on it.

When you run or jog outside, on the street, in a park, an athletic field or on a basketball court, your upper body moves completely differently than how it’s positioned if you’re holding onto a treadmill.

When you hold onto a treadmill while jogging, your upper body is locked in place, moving minimally.

If you were to run outside or anywhere other than on a machine, your upper body would be fully engaged.

This is the way you should run: the upper body moving in synch with the lower body, in unison, arms swinging.

This natural motion is completely tossed when you hold onto a treadmill—even if you’re in poor physical condition, overweight, older, what-have-you.

Holding the Front Bar while Jogging Makes You Lean Forward

Some runners who hold onto a treadmill lean INTO the machine when their hands are on the front bar.

However, holding onto the side bar doesn’t make things right, either.

Even if you’re a slow jogger, you simply should not hold on. Your arms are supposed to swing gently at your sides. Even toddlers, when “running,” know this basic rule of the human body.

By holding onto the bar in front, you’ll remove workload from your core.

Yes, the core works when you run or jog naturally without clinging onto anything for support.

If you’ve seen fit-looking people holding onto a treadmill while doing their make-believe running, don’t think for a second that this externally supported movement contributes to their nice physique.

A person can get a good body by strength training alone, coupled with a smart diet.

And again, holding onto the side of the machine isn’t any better. The body’s natural movement patterns still get disrupted.

“Holding on may giver joggers a sense of ‘more intensity,’ but it actually results in a less effective workout,” says John Whyte, MD, board certified internist in Washington, DC, and author of “Is This Normal? The Essential Guide to Middle Age and Beyond.”

If you’re up to jogging on a treadmill but feel out of shape, you will do yourself a giant disservice by holding on.

Instead, start out slowly with baby steps. Go 3.5 mph or even slower, zero incline.

Shutterstock/MikeBiTa

If your feet or some other area begins hurting or aching, then walk for a while.

But do not hold onto the treadmill when running.

This is a terrible habit. Even if you get dizzy, do not hold on.

Just go slower, hands free, arms swinging naturally, and give your body a chance to acclimate and adjust.

dr. whyte

Dr. Whyte is the chief medical officer of webmd.com. Prior, he was the chief medical expert for almost a decade at Discovery Channel.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health. 

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Top image: Depositphotos.com

Birth Control Pills Cause Blood Clots in High Risk Women

How long after taking birth control pills might a blood clot form in high risk women like smokers?

Blood clots are possible complications of using birth control pills, especially for women at higher risk for blood clots; namely women who smoke, and women over age 35.

However, is there an answer to this question: How soon after taking birth control pills on a regular basis, can a blood clot develop in women at high risk?

“A blood clot can form anytime while on birth control in any patient,” says Dr. Corinne Bazella, OB/GYN with University Hospitals Case Medical Center.

However, it happens more often in the first years of use.  Blood clots form in the deep veins of the legs, and can travel to the lungs through the circulation, causing a life threatening condition called a pulmonary embolism.”

This kind of blood clot also goes by the name deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, and a woman on birth control increases the baseline risk of blood clots with birth control if she has any one of numerous risk factors.

Dr. Bazella lists the following additional risk factors for blood clots in women on birth control, but also for people in general:

  • Inherited clotting disorders
  • surgery, particularly joint replacement and abdominal
  • prolonged immobility (especially in cramped quarters such as on airplanes)
  • inertia from excessive desk work or bed rest
  • trauma
  • obesity, especially morbid
  • smoking. If you’re a woman over age 35 who smokes, this puts you at considerable risk for blood clots while taking birth control pills that contain estrogen; avoid estrogen-containing birth control pills.

Ironically, a woman is much more likely to develop a blood clot while pregnant, than while on birth control pills.

Dr. Bazella explains, “In healthy nonsmoking women who are on combination low dose birth control pills, the risk of getting a blood clot is 12-20 women in 100,000.

“This risk greatly increases with pregnancy and is as high as 48-60 women in 100,000.

“Therefore, the risk of birth control pills causing a blood clot is less than the risk of getting a blood clot while pregnant, which is what you are trying to prevent!”

Dr. Bazella’s expertise includes abnormal uterine bleeding, adolescent gynecology, contraception and menopausal care.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.  

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Top image: ©Lorra Garrick

Sore Throat from Exercise: Causes & Solutions

An ear, nose and throat doctor explains why exercise such as running can cause a sore throat and how to solve this problem.

Stacey Silvers, MD, first points out that a sore throat from exercising has two main causes: nasal obstruction and acid reflux.

“Poor flow of air through the nose makes it harder to oxygenate especially during a workout,” says Dr. Silvers, of Madison ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery in NYC, who is board certified in otolaryngology; one of her specialties is sinus surgery.

“We are inclined to open our mouths to breathe better. This, however, can make the throat dry, and for some people the throat can get sore, as the dry air can be irritating.

“The mouth is meant to eat through and talk through. We are obligated nose breathers and our nose is our air filter and air moisturizer.

“The causes of nasal obstruction are congestion and a deviated septum.

“Most of us have an element of both and some more extreme than others.”

What can be done about a sore throat caused by exercise? 

“In most cases conservative medical management like saline nasal washes and nasal steroid sprays can improve nasal breathing,” says Dr. Silvers.

“If not, then some are candidates for a simple surgical option to open the nasal airway.”

Many people have acid reflux and are not aware of it.

Silent reflux can cause chronic sore throats, hoarseness and clearing of the throat.

Working out soon before you digest your food can allow acid into the back of the throat as you jump around, and cause pain in the throat.

“Many of us make thick protective mucous to coat the throat and protect from the acid, but some of us don’t have enough, and throat soreness is a result.

“Try waiting three hours after eating for your workout and cut down on highly acidic foods. 

“If this is not enough you can try an OTC reflux pill one hour prior to exercise.”

If you continue to experience a sore throat that seems to be caused by exercising, despite implementing these measures, than see an ear, nose and throat physician.

An NYC expert in ear, nose and throat care, Dr. Silvers has been named among America’s Top Physicians and Surgeons in facial plastic surgery and otolaryngology numerous times since 2003. Dr. Silvers is an expert in the field of minimally invasive rhinology, resolving patients’ breathing and sinus problems with simple in-office procedures. 
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer. 

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­Top image: ©Lorra Garrick
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