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Though they may not be life threatening, but hiccups, blisters, and other body bothers can be painful, embarrassing, and just plain annoying. Here’s a roundup of 15 of the most common form of body annoyances, what causes them, how to quickly handle them, and when they may warrant a call to your doctor.
Waterlogged Ears
Water finds its way into the ear canal, most often while you’re swimming, and muffles your hearing.
What to do:
Often it’s enough to tilt your head and find an angle that will let the water drain out. Holding a hair dryer a few inches from your ear can also dry up the fluid, Freeman says–but be sure to use the gentlest setting. If the dryer is too hot or too loud, you could burn yourself or harm your hearing.
Hiccups
What causes them:
Hiccups occur when your diaphragm starts contracting involuntarily. Your vocal cords snap shut after every spasm, making that familiar “hic” sound.
What to do:
Well-worn remedies, like drinking a glass of water upside down or holding your breath, can help. Many of these cures actually seem to work by disrupting your breathing cycle in a way that allows the diaphragm to relax and stop its hiccup-causing spasms. If your favorite trick doesn’t help, your hiccups should subside on their own in a few minutes. Seek medical attention if they last for more than three hours or make it hard to breathe or swallow.
Dry Mouth
What causes it:
A slowdown in saliva production can have many causes. It may simply be that you’re not drinking enough water. But dry mouth can also be a side effect of many different medications, from antidepressants to antihistamines.
What to do:
Drink more water. Chewing sugar-free gum or sucking on sugarless hard candy can also help. Reduce your caffeine intake, and if you smoke, quit. You can also try one of the many over-the-counter dry mouth treatments, which include moisturizing rinses, sprays, and gels.
If none of these remedies work, check in with your doctor, There’s a chance you could have another problem like a respiratory infection, chronic sinusitis, or diabetes.”
Chapped Lips
What causes it:
Lips generally become chapped due to dry air, cold weather, or too much sun. The skin on your lips is much thinner than the skin of your face and contains no oil glands, so it gets dehydrated faster. This dryness makes your lips fragile, which can cause painful splits and cracks.
What to do:
Licking your lips can make it worse. Frequent applications of lip balm will shield the delicate skin of your lips and help them heal. Dermatologists recommend using a balm with built-in sun protection, and staying away from ingredients like eucalyptus or camphor, which can dry out your lips.
Sleeping Foot
What causes it:
A foot, hand, or other body part can get numb when something presses on the nerve pathway connecting it to your brain. That pins-and-needles feeling occurs when the pressure is removed and the body part “wakes up” and starts talking to your brain again, Dr. Freeman says.
What to do:
Moving your foot in circles or clenching and unclenching your hand should get rid of pins and needles fast, Dr. Freeman says. Shifting position, not crossing your legs for long periods of time, and taking breaks to move around can all prevent you from having a body part fall asleep.
Mosquito Bites
What causes them:
When mosquitoes suck your blood, they leave some saliva behind. The itchy bump that appears on your skin afterwards is caused by your immune system reacting to the proteins in mosquito spit.
What to do:
Apply calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream, and repeat until the itch is gone. If you’re having a more severe reaction, you can take an over-the-counter antihistamine.
Tickly Throat
What causes it:
An itchy throat can be due to irritation from a cold, the flu, seasonal allergies, postnasal drip, air pollution–even yelling.
What to do:
Most of the time, your throat will get better with home remedies like drinking plenty of liquids, gargling with warm salt water (one-half teaspoon of salt in one cup of water), sucking on lozenges, and taking over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen.
Pimples
What causes them:
Pimples occur when excess oil in the skin blocks a pore and dead cells, dirt, and bacteria build up inside. Teens are especially prone to acne, due to hormonal changes, but pimples can strike at any age.
What to do:
If you try to pop a pimple the wrong way you’re liable to end up with a scar. To remove one properly, cover it with a hot, wet towel for about three minutes. Then, wrap your fingers in a tissue and gently squeeze the pimple from either side until the fluid runs clear. If it’s a blackhead and doesn’t come out easily, stop and try again later.
