As a kid, maybe you heard that touching a frog or a toad would give you warts. Or maybe you had a grandparent who always knew when a storm was coming because their joints would start to ache.
But are these pieces of conventional health wisdom true? UVA Today turned to family nurse practitioner Ashley Apple, an assistant professor in the University of Virginia School of Nursing, for answers.
Ashley Apple is a triple Hoo and a family nurse practitioner in addition to teaching in the School of Nursing. (Contributed photo)
Do Weather Swings Affect Your Health?
If you find yourself getting sick during this time of year, when the temperature can swing from 30 degrees to 70 in eight hours, you’re not alone, especially if you have an underlying health condition.
“Especially for folks with asthma, when we bounce back and forth between ‘Is it winter? Is it spring? Is it summer?,’ we see people who aren’t feeling so good,” Apple said.
(Illustration by Sako Yamaguchi, University Communications)
The temperature changes can trigger sudden bursts of pollen that leave people with itchy eyes, runny noses or sore throats. Changes in barometric pressure can also leave people with aches and pains.
“Patients do tend to report more joint pain when there are changes in barometric pressure. People who get migraines will tell you that rapid changes in weather will trigger migraine headaches,” Apple said.
Can Spring Allergies Turn Into Something More Serious?
It’s common to get the sniffles after spending time outside, especially in the spring. But that congestion can turn into a bacterial infection.
If someone with chronic allergies allows the congestion to build up, Apple said, it can create a “breeding ground for bacteria.”
“I treat children in a pediatric urgent care, and I see kids all the time with poorly managed seasonal allergies who get all this fluid buildup in their ears and it turns into an ear infection,” Apple said.
(Illustration by Sako Yamaguchi, University Communications)
When congestion drains down the back of someone’s throat, the tissues in their throat can become irritated and make them more susceptible to infections like strep, for example.
Do Women’s Menstrual Cycles Sync Up?
Maybe. The science is inconclusive on whether the menstrual cycles of women who spend a lot of time together get in sync.
“I think if you ask most women, have they ever synced up with other women that they were spending a lot of time with, I would venture to say the vast majority will tell you ‘yes,’” Apple said.
(Illustration by Sako Yamaguchi, University Communications)
But scientific studies are inconclusive. Some indicate that it’s a real phenomenon, while others say the connection is tenuous. It’s equally likely that women who spend time together are exposed to similar environmental factors that can make their cycles coincide.
Are Freckles Sun Damage?
While freckles are a result of sun exposure, they do not indicate sun damage.
“Freckles are genetic,” Apple said. “People who get them tend to be fairer-skinned, though, and that means they’re at higher risk for skin cancer.”
(Illustration by Sako Yamaguchi, University Communications)
Getting outside can boost people’s levels of vitamin D and improve their mood, but Apple advised people to make sure they use sunscreen, wear hats and long sleeves and other coverings to protect themselves from sun damage.
Are Nasal Sprays Habit Forming?
Not all nasal sprays meant to relieve sinus congestion are made equal.
People should limit their use of nasal sprays that contain oxymetazoline, like Afrin, to three days, according to Apple.
“We’ll see people who use them for longer, and then they stop and they get this rebound congestion,” Apple said. “So they go back to using them.”
(Illustration by Sako Yamaguchi, University Communications)
Other nasal sprays advertised for allergies, like Flonase, work by tackling inflammation in someone’s nasal passages and are not habit-forming, Apple said. Neither are saline sprays.
