Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Health Tips for July 9

Health Tip: Protect Your Hearing

Ears are very sensitive to loud noises, and too much noise or prolonged exposure to loud noise can damage your hearing.

Before you crank up the mp3 player, read these suggestions to prevent hearing loss, provided by the American Academy of Family Physicians:

* Wear protective ear coverings when working in a noisy area, such as around traffic or loud machinery.
* Wear earplugs when you know you'll be around loud noise for prolonged periods, especially when operating noisy tools and equipment.
* Use rubber mats under noisy electronics and appliances.
* Avoid too much noise at once, such as the TV and noisy appliances going at the same time.
* Don't use more noise to block out another noise. For example, don't turn up the music to drown out the sound of traffic or the vacuum cleaner.

Health Tip: Take Care of a Rash

Rashes can occur for various reasons, including medical conditions and reactions to products, foods or medications.

Here are suggestions on how to care for your skin during a rash, courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine:

* Don't scrub your skin.
* Try not to use soap, but a mild cleanser instead.
* Wash skin with warm -- not hot -- water, and gently pat it dry.
* Don't cover the rash with cosmetic lotions or ointments.
* If you've recently tried any new cosmetics or lotions, stop using them.
* Expose the rash to the air as much as possible.

No comments: