Tinnitus is noise or ringing in the ears. A common problem, tinnitus affects about 1 in 5 people. Tinnitus is a symptom of an underlying condition. Such as age-related hearing loss, ear injury or a circulatory system disorder.

Tinnitus involves the annoying sensation of hearing sound when no external sound is present. Tinnitus symptoms include these types of phantom noises in your ears:

• Ringing
• Buzzing
• Roaring
• Clicking
• Hissing

The phantom noise may vary in pitch from a low roar to a high squeal, and you may hear it in one or both ears. The symptoms may be present all the time, or it may come and go.

Common Causes of Tinnitus

• Age-related hearing loss. For many people, hearing worsens with age, usually starting around age 60.
• Exposure to loud noise. Loud noises, such as those from heavy equipment, chain saws and firearms, are common sources of noise-related hearing loss. Portable music devices, such as MP3 players or iPods, also can cause noise-related hearing loss if played loudly for long periods. Tinnitus caused by short-term exposure, such as attending a loud concert, usually goes away; long-term exposure to loud sound can cause permanent damage.
• Earwax blockage. Earwax protects your ear canal by trapping dirt and slowing the growth of bacteria. When too much earwax accumulates, it becomes too hard to wash away naturally, causing hearing loss or irritation of the eardrum, which can lead to tinnitus.
• Ear bone changes. Stiffening of the bones in your middle ear (otosclerosis) may affect your hearing and cause tinnitus. This condition, caused by abnormal bone growth, tends to run in families.

Treating an underlying health condition

To treat your tinnitus, your doctor will first try to identify any underlying, treatable condition that may be associated with your symptoms. If tinnitus is due to a health condition, your doctor may be able to take steps that could reduce the noise. Examples include:

• Earwax removal. Removing impacted earwax can decrease tinnitus symptoms.
• Treating a blood vessel condition. Underlying vascular conditions may require medication, surgery or another treatment to address the problem.
• Changing your medication. If a medication you’re taking appears to be the cause of tinnitus, your doctor may recommend stopping or reducing the drug, or switching to a different medication.
• White Noise. In some cases white noise may help suppress the sound so that it’s less bothersome. Your doctor may suggest using an electronic device to suppress the noise.
• Hearing aids. These can be especially helpful if you have hearing problems as well as tinnitus.
• Masking devices. Worn in the ear and similar to hearing aids, these devices produce a continuous, low-level white noise that suppresses tinnitus symptoms.
• Avoid possible irritants. Reduce your exposure to things that may make your tinnitus worse. Common examples include loud noises, caffeine and nicotine.
• Cover up the noise. In a quiet setting, a fan, soft music or low-volume radio static may help mask the noise from tinnitus.
• Manage stress. Stress can make tinnitus worse. Stress management, whether through relaxation therapy, biofeedback or exercise, may provide some relief.
• Reduce your alcohol consumption. Alcohol increases the force of your blood by dilating your blood vessels, causing greater blood flow, especially in the inner ear area.

Sinus pressure? It is that time of the year with seasonal allergies.

The following pressure points will help relieve sinus pressure.

The bridge of the nose points are located at the very top of the nose, just at the point where the nose connects to the ridge of the eyebrows.

To activate this point, press in and upwards. Press this point for around 2-5 minutes. You will notice that this is the point you naturally try to press when you have a sinus headache This will relieve pressure behind the eyes due to sinusitis and other conditions in the Frontal, Sphenoid and Ethnocide Sinuses. This point also helps to “wake the eyes up” and take some of the pressure off the eyes.

Under the cheeks points are located almost directly beneath the pupil. This point can be found by tracing the path underneath the cheek until you find a tender point. The point will likely be quite tender when pressing in and upwards again the cheek.

This point release pressure from all of the sinuses as well at the Eustachian tubes. It is a fantastic point if you’re experiencing pain or pressure in the Maxillary Sinuses or any pain at all around the cheek area, or even inside the mouth, a toothache for example.

If you got up this morning and thought, “Ugh, my back hurts,” you’re not alone. About one in five Americans reports having experienced back pain at least once during the previous month.

So, should you go to the doctor? Not necessarily. Most low back pain resolves on its own within about four to six weeks, with or without medical treatment. In many cases, you can manage your back pain at home.

First, you should know when it’s a bad idea to handle your back pain yourself. If you have significant back pain accompanied by any of the following symptoms, see a doctor:

• Caused by an injury
• So severe you can’t move around during the day or sleep at night
• Numbness in your leg, foot, groin, or rectal area
• Accompanied by fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, weakness, or sweating
• Lost bladder or bowel control
• History of osteoporosis or cancer
• Unexplained weight loss
• History of taking steroid medications, IV drugs, or substance abuse

Without any of those symptoms or history, here are some options for easing your back pain on your own, without the intervention of a doctor.

Applying ice or heat directly to the area of low back pain can help to decrease swelling and inflammation, and ease your discomfort. Studies have found that heat may be more beneficial than ice, but both have been shown to alleviate low back pain.

Heat works by dilating blood vessels. That increases the oxygen supply to the back and helps reduce muscle spasms. Cold works by possibly decreasing the size of the blood vessels and the blood flow to the area. That may reduce inflammation. Although it may feel painful at first, it can ease deep pain.

If you want to use heat, there are a number of options, including heating pads and disposable heat wraps. For ice it’s just as easy to use a package of frozen vegetables as to buy a commercially prepared ice pack. You can get the ice on your back without having to run out of the house, if you’re really in pain.

Here is a safe and excellent lower back stretch that you can control.

Lye on your back on the floor. Bring both knees together and to your chest. Slowly have both knees fall to the right together while keeping both shoulders square on the floor. Hold for 20 seconds. Slowly bring your knees back up and repeat to the left side.

A bunion is a bony bump that forms on the joint at the base of your big toe. A bunion forms when your big toe pushes against your next toe, forcing the joint of your big toe to get bigger and stick out. The skin over the bunion might be red and sore.

Wearing tight, narrow shoes might cause bunions or might make them worse. Bunions can also develop as a result of an inherited structural defect, stress on your foot or a medical condition, such as arthritis.

The first step is to relieve the pressure by wearing the right kind of shoe.

There are many muscles located in the foot which attach to the bones of the big toe and have an impact on the alignment and function of the toe. Excessive tension in these muscles can cause an increased pulling on the bones of the big toe moving them out of normal position. Massage of these muscles can relax the muscles and bring some relief to the foot.

Sit in a comfortable chair and position your foot across your opposite knee to give you access to the foot for massage. Applying ice to the area prior to massage can reduce pain and inflammation.

Gently grasp the foot with your hands and slowly move the foot around to loosen the bones and joints. Notice movements that feel comfortable and movements that cause discomfort. Be careful to avoid hurting the bunion area.

Stretch the foot in different directions and hold the stretch for half a minute in each direction.

Using your fingertips and making small circles, massage the muscles and tissues on the top of the foot. Move all around the foot and ankle working around the large bumps (malleoli) on the inside and outside of the ankle.

Using the tip of one finger press between the long bones located above the toes (the metatarsals) to loosen small muscles located between the bones on the top of the foot.

Bringing your attention to the bottom of the foot, gently massage with circular movements pressing into the tissues. Press deeper and deeper until you can feel the underside of the bones in the foot. You might feel tension in the muscles of the foot.

Bring your attention to the inside of the heel. One of the muscles that move the big toe arises from the inside of the heel bone. Use your thumb to make circular and lengthwise movements along the muscle on the inner arch of the foot. If you encounter tight or sore areas stop and press into them with firm pressure for up to 30 seconds.

If you feel ropy or stringy areas in this area you can run your fingers back and forth across the ropy areas for a minute. These muscles may develop trigger points which can refer pain into other areas of the foot.

Move to the middle toes on the bottom of the foot. There is a muscle that connects the third metatarsal to the big toe. Press deeply into the area around the third metatarsals to identify tight or stringy muscles. Press into the tight areas and wait for the tissue to softer or run your finger back and forth across stringy tissues. Another muscle belly connects the end of the third metatarsal to the big toe. Press into the area around the end of the bone (where the metatarsal joins with the toe) to locate tight or sore muscles.

Move to the area around the bunion. Gently massage the bunion area with fingertip circular strokes to loosen any tight or sore tissues. Gently hold the bones above and below the joint where the bunion is and move them gently in different directions as tolerated.

After a lifetime of being exposed to the sun, you’re bound to have multiple consequences, including brown spots on your hands and face. Age spots, technically known as “solar lentigines,” are well-defined, uniformly colored areas of brown or grayish pigment that generally show up on the hands, face, neck, and chest. Despite the name, these spots are not caused by age. Rather, they come from sun damage.

Solution 1: Up your antioxidants
“Antioxidants are always good internally for the antiaging effect, but we can also benefit externally from these free radical–scavenging ingredients,” explains Myra Michelle Eby, founder of MyChelle Dermaceuticals, a bioactive skincare line. “Vitamin C, L-ascorbic acid in particular, is very good for reversing hyperpigmentation due to its bleaching effects.”
Try: MyChelle Perfect C Serum ($42, 0.5 oz; mychelle.com)

Solution 2: Try beta-glucan
According to Johnson, age spots typically signal a buildup of debris between the dermis and epidermis. He recommends using topical beta-glucan (a soluble fiber found in oats that stimulates skin-cell renewal) to clear the debris, boost circulation, and repair the damage at the dermal layer.
Try: Enkido Pure Anti-Aging Moisturizer ($60, 60 ml; enkido.com.au)

Solution 3: Raid the refrigerator
Look no further than your fridge for age-spot fighters. Stephanie Tourles, a holistic aesthetician and author of Organic Body Care Recipes (Storey Publishing, 2007), has had success using several food-based concoctions to lighten skin, even though studies on their efficacy are lacking. Yogurt, for instance, contains lactic acid, which lightens and exfoliates skin. Tourles recommends applying 1 tablespoon plain, organic yogurt to your clean face, neck, and chest and letting it sit for 20 to 30 minutes before rinsing with lukewarm water. Do this once or twice a week, and follow with moisturizer. Warning: Don’t apply the yogurt mask to sunburned or windburned skin, or if you’ve recently waxed your face or had a chemical peel, because it could cause further irritation.
Try: Amala Hydrating Yogurt Mask ($58, 1.7 oz; amalabeauty.com)

Solution 4: Use enzymes
“Natural food enzymes, when applied to the skin over time, accelerate exfoliation of dead cells on the skin’s surface, which then stimulates the formation of new skin cells,” Tourles explains. “Existing age spots will gradually fade away over time.” These enzymes are found in raw papaya–pulp masks and raw pineapple juice, which you can dab on your skin with a saturated cotton ball. You can also buy enzyme-rich skin creams and masks. Tourles suggests looking for products with enzyme derivatives from not only papaya and pineapple, but also cherry, pumpkin, grape, pomegranate, and raspberry.
Try: Lily Organics Rejuvenating Enzyme Mask ($29, 1.7 oz; lilyorganics.com)

Solution 5: Avoid the sun
This may seem obvious, but guarding your skin from the sun becomes increasingly important after age spots appear. “Once your skin hyperpigments or clumps melanin, you must always wear sun protection, otherwise the spots will return again and again,” Eby warns. “Wear hats and lightweight clothing when out in the sun for extended periods, and always use a natural sunblock that contains minerals to reflect the UV rays.”
Try: Soleo Organics All Natural Sunscreen ($20, 2.8 oz; soleousa.com)

#AgeSpots

Top reasons why to stretch.

Decreases muscle stiffness and increases range of motion. Stretching helps improve your range of motion which may also slow the degeneration of the joints.

May reduce your risk of injury. A flexible muscle is less likely to become injured from a slightly extensive movement. By increasing the range of motion in a particular joint through stretching, you may decrease the resistance on your muscles during various activities.

Helps relieve post-exercise aches and pains. After a hard workout, stretching the muscles will keep them loose and lessen a shortening and tightening effect that can lead to post-workout aches and pains.

Improves posture. Stretching the muscles of the lower back, shoulders and chest will help keep your back in better alignment and improve your posture.

Helps reduce or manage stress. Well stretched muscles hold less tension and therefore, leave you feeling less stressed.

Reduces muscular tension and enhances muscular relaxation. Stretching allows the muscles to relax. Habitually tense muscles tend to cut off their own circulation resulting in a lack of oxygen and essential nutrients.

Improves mechanical efficiency and overall functional performance. Since a flexible joint requires less energy to move through a wider range of motion, a flexible body improves overall performance by creating more energy-efficient movements.

Prepares the body for the stress of exercise. Stretching prior to exercise allows the muscles to loosen up and become resistant to the impact they are about to undergo.

Promotes circulation. Stretching increases blood supply to the muscles and joints which allow for greater nutrient transportation and improves the circulation of blood through the entire body.

Decreases the risk of low-back pain. Flexibility in the hamstrings, hip flexors and muscles attached to the pelvis relieves stress on the lumbar spine which in turn reduces the risk of low-back pain.

#stretch