} SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY
Defeating Drainage: A Look at the Newest Options for Combating Your Drippy Nose By Kari Kingsley, MSN, CRNP
Drip. Drip. Sniff. Sniff. Most of us are familiar with the neverending cycle of sinus drainage that is associated with living in the Tennessee Valley. Having worked in the Ear, Nose, and Throat field in Huntsville for the past 11 years, I’ve come across many patients that say Native Americans called our area the “Valley of Death”. While most of us aren’t dying from sinus drainage, we are seriously annoyed. Drainage falls into two categories: allergic and non-allergic rhinitis. Spring is beautiful in the South. Blooming dogwoods, hikes on the Land Trust, and Panoply are just a few of the things that make our area unique. Not so unique, but still a major part of Spring in our area, is the overabundance of pollen. Lots of pollen. Patients call it Sneezing Season. My black car becomes a Horse of a Different Color with streaks of yellow pollen rainbows across the windshield. Summer is warm in the South. Most of us enjoy watermelon, fireworks, and sunny days by the pool. But allergy sufferers don’t enjoy the ever-green and ever-growing grass. I learned long ago that it was worth outsourcing my grass-cutting to a professional. After the boxes of Kleenex, Zyrtec, and Sudafed, I basically break even. Fall in Alabama has a vibe unlike any other. Dazzling foliage, football, and the crisp night air seem like an almost fair trade for newly sprayed cotton fields, ragweed, and leaf mold. While the winter months bring holiday cheer and moderate temperatures, they also bring indoor heat, fireplaces, and damp outside environments to further irritate already cranky noses.
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