COMMON COMPLAINTS AND SOLUTIONS

    If you sit at a desk, adjust your chair so the work surface is elbow high, your knees in line with your hips, and the back rest pushes your lower back slightly forward.  Position your computer monitor so that it is the center of your gaze when you look straight ahead.  If you are on the phone a lot, invest in a headset or hands-free device so you don’t have to cradle it between your neck and ear.

CHRONIC COUGH:  It is not unusual for a cough to linger after a respiratory infection.  If you have been coughing for a month or longer, you should see your doctor to determine the cause.  If you take an ACE inhibitor, you such as Capoten and generic), for high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about other alternatives, coughing is a side effect of such drugs.  “Nearly all chronic coughers can be successfully treated using a three step approach,” says Dr. Paauw.  “Most people are helped by over-the-counter medications that dry up post nasal drip – an older style antihistamine such as chlorpheniramine or combined with a decongestant such as pseudoephedrine that works in people who do not have a runny or stuffy nose.”

HAND INJURIES: The increased use of computers and ever-shrinking mobile devices are causing people’s hands to take a beating.  Repeatedly tapping, flicking, and clicking can be worse in older users, who may already suffer from degenerative joint disease and are more vulnerable to inflammation and pain, swelling, numbness, weakness and eventually nerve damage.  When hands hurt, take a “tech holiday” from your smart phone, and when you do use it, write shorter and fewer messages.  Rest your hands as soon as you feel strain or pain.

TUMMY TROUBLES:  It could be as simple as wearing looser clothing.  Snug pants and girdle-like garments can interfere with bowel function and cause abdominal pain, bloating and other side effects.  A deficiency in lactase, the enzyme necessary to digest sugars might not link their symptoms to dairy consumption.  Eliminate all milk products for several days.  Many people can tolerate yogurt, hard cheeses and buttermilk.  You can also buy lactose-free products or use over-the-counter lactase tablets or drops before consuming dairy.  Tomorrow we will cover Incontinence and Problem Feet.