Tag Archives: Health

The Key Nimbus And Stratus Symptom That’s Different To Covid-19

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You might have heard that some newer strains of Covid – namely, the Stratus and Nimbus variants – are on the rise in the UK.

Indeed, the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) recently reported that XFG and NB.1.8.1 (Stratus and Nimbus) formed most of the Covid cases last month.

And because Covid cases are ramping up right now, especially among the very young and the elderly, that means more instances of both new strains.

So far as the UKHSA currently knows, these strains are not more dangerous or make you any sicker than “regular” Covid.

“The most important thing is for those eligible to get their vaccination when it is due,” they wrote, as this can help to prevent the most extreme versions of Covid taking hold.

But how can you tell Nimbus and Stratus variants from “normal” Covid, and what should you do if you spot it?

Nimbus and Stratus vs Covid-19 symptoms

Dr Zachary Hoy, an infectious disease specialist with Pediatrix Medical Group, previously told HuffPost that the Stratus variant “would have similar symptoms to other COVID variants that have recently been circulating.”

These include:

  • a high temperature or shivering
  • a new, continuous cough – coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
  • shortness of breath
  • feeling tired or exhausted
  • an aching body
  • a headache
  • a blocked or runny nose
  • loss of appetite
  • diarrhoea
  • feeling sick or being sick, per the NHS.

But Dr Naveed Asif, GP at The London General Practice, also said that the Nimbus variant’s most unique feature is a sore throat – one that can create a “razor blade sensation” while swallowing.

This still seems to be the case and has since been said to appear in cases of the Stratus variant, too.

And the Stratus variant may also be associated with a higher likelihood of developing a hoarse, raspy voice, a dry cough, exhaustion, and fever, though these can be a part of Covid-19 too.

What should I do if I have the Stratus or Nimbus variants?

As with any other strain of Covid and/or flu, you should try your hardest to avoid spreading the illness to others.

UKHSA says: “If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as COVID-19, and you have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to go to work or carry out normal activities, you should avoid contact with vulnerable people and stay at home if possible”.

If you can’t do this, take precautions like wearing a well-fitting mask, avoiding crowded places, taking your exercise outdoors, away from others, covering your mouth or nose when you sneeze, washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and avoid touching your face.

In terms of keeping yourself well while you have Covid, the NHS advises lots of rest, plenty of water, painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen if needed, sitting upright in a chair to help with breathlessness, and taking a spoonful of honey (don’t feed this to babies under a year old) to relieve sore throats and cough.

Call a doctor if your symptoms do not improve or get worse. Call 999 or go to the A&E if your breathlessness comes on suddenly or is so bad that you struggle to say short sentences when resting.

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This Nail Change Could Be A Sign Of Lung Issues

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Darker streaks in your nails, horizontal ridges, and half-white, half-pink or brown nails with a clear line between the colours can all signify health issues.

And it turns out you can spot psoriasis on your nails, too.

So perhaps it shouldn’t be shocking that your nails can also show issues with your lungs and heart through another change to the area.

Cleveland Clinic writes that “nail clubbing” is most often linked to cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions, “like lung cancer, lung infections, interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis or cardiovascular disease”.

However, it can have other causes, like Crohn’s disease and liver conditions. It can sometimes simply be a genetic variant that isn’t anything to worry about.

What is “nail clubbing”?

Nail clubbing can start gradually, but it ends with your fingernails curving over rounded fingertips.

The nail looks wider and more bulging ― a bit like an inverted spoon ― and feels softer and “spongier”.

Your nails might feel warm and look red. Before the “clubbing” fully takes place, you might notice your nails widening at the top and beginning to wrap around your fingertips.

It often begins in your thumb and forefinger before spreading to other nails, but it can affect any nail or a few nails at once.

In the early stages, you might want to look out for the “Lovibond angle” sign.

The Lovibond angle is the small dent at the bottom of your nail that you can see from the side. But per the Cleveland Clinic, “In the early stages of nail clubbing, your nail and nail bed look flat from the side”.

And Mount Sinai adds that nails in the early stages of clubbing “may seem to ‘float’ instead of being firmly attached” to your nail bed.

Normal Lovibond's angle vs clubbed fingernail

Amy Glover / HuffPost UK / Getty images

Normal Lovibond’s angle vs clubbed fingernail

When should I see a doctor about suspected clubbed nails?

The change “can be a sign of many serious, long-term conditions,” the NHS says.

It is linked to “heart and lung diseases that reduce the amount of oxygen in the blood,” Mount Sinai added. Sometimes, this includes lung cancer.

So if you notice changes that suggest clubbing, speak to a doctor as soon as you can.

The condition may be harmless, but it’s improtant to get it checked out anyway.

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3 Foods An Expert Thinks Are Ruining Your Sleep

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You might already know that sleep experts have preferred dinner times, because eating less than two to four hours before your bedtime can mess up your kip.

But speaking to HuffPost UK, sleep psychologist Dr Katherine Hall (who has paired with Comfybedss) shared that the type of food you eat matters, too.

“If you can’t fall asleep or struggle to stay asleep,” she advised, your diet might be at least partly to blame.

Here are three foods she skips before bedtime:

1) Salty food

“Sodium-rich meals result in fluid retention and increased blood pressure, making it hard for the body to switch off completely after eating snacks like crisps or salted nuts,” Dr Hall told us.

A 2006 paper found that salt can lead to delayed bedtimes, increased awakenings in the middle of the night, and less satisfying sleep.

That’s because, the sleep expert said, a salt overload leads to “superficial sleep, where the sleep isn’t very deep and can often involve disturbances like going to the toilet more”.

She recommends avoiding foods like gammon and bacon, as well as other salty snacks, before bed.

2) Acidic food

Though many associate these with heartburn, Dr Hall says not all acidic foods are created equal.

“If we take a deep dive into certain acidic foods, those struggling to sleep will want to avoid some more than others. Tyramine is an amino acid that is normally a great addition to anyone’s diet as it stimulates natural brain activity,” she said.

This acid encourages the release of norepinephrine, which can stimulate the brain too much and keep you awake.

“Foods that are high in tyramine include tomatoes, aubergines, soy sauce, red wine and cheeses,” the psychiatrist shared.

3) Spicy food

“For anyone struggling to sleep, avoid spicy foods altogether,” Dr Hall said.

That’s because “Digesting the various spices and chillies you have in your curries or other hot dishes can severely disrupt our body’s ability to thermoregulate, which essentially means managing our temperature”.

And anyone who’s suffered through a sleepless hot night will know how important temperature is to our sleep.

“Capsaicin is the chemical in spicy food that causes our temperature to skyrocket, so combine this with the energy your body needs to digest the remainder of the meal, and you can really struggle getting some solid sleep,” the expert ended.

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This Much Reading May Reduce Dementia Risk

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In his book How To Prevent Dementia, neurologist Dr Richard Restak extolled the virtues of reading fiction.

“Cognitive reserve theory refers to the representation stored within the brain of the knowledge, experience, and life events that accumulate during the course of a person’s lifetime,” he wrote.

This “reserve,” he argues, acts as a sort of ballast against dementia – and in his words, “Reading for pleasure is perhaps the single most effective activity you can engage in for increasing cognitive reserve.”

No wonder, then, that a 14-year longitudinal study found “a reduced risk of cognitive decline” among people who read more frequently.

How much reading does it take to lower dementia risk?

In this paper, more seemed to be better.

Though reading was generally “protective” of cognitive function in older age, among these participants, “a reduced risk of cognitive decline was observed among older people with higher reading frequencies versus lower ones”.

In this case, a higher reading frequency was classed as reading “twice or more a week”.

And though this was not proven in the study, the scientists added, “We speculate that those with reading habits may read more than an hour a day” – ie every reading session they engaged in lasted more than an hour.

The reduced dementia risk was observed at six, 10, and 14-year follow-up intervals, and applied to participants regardless of education level.

“In conclusion, the current study presents the evidence that more engagement in reading independently predicted a reduced risk of cognitive decline in later life,” the author wrote.

Reading may counterbalance the cognitive risks linked to a lower education level

A lower level of education has been linked to an increased dementia risk.

Not only did this paper find that reading lowered dementia risk regardless of educational background, though, but a 2022 review found that reading more can help to “compensate” for the cognitive health disadvantages of less education.

“Reading activities help to maintain and improve cognitive function in people with low levels of education,” it found.

Well, looks like it’s time to update my library card…

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4 Hair Changes A Dermatologist Would Never, Ever Ignore

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We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about the signs lymphoma doctors and GPs would never ignore.

These include rapid weight loss, constant exhaustion, and recurring headaches – stuff many of us might disregard as “normal”.

But what about hair changes, which can be literally and figuratively brushed off as not a big deal?

Well, Dr Jonathan Richie, a dermatologist at Dermatology Specialists of McKinney shared four things he’d never ignore when it comes to his hair on YouTube Shorts.

These are:

1) An itchy scalp

“Don’t ignore” an itchy scalp, the dermatologist said.

This could be a sign of dandruff, ringworm, hives, lice, scalp psoriasis or dermatitis, an allergic reaction to your hair products, and (rarely) issues with your nerves.

And even itchiness caused by not washing your hair could point to scalp inflammation and irritation, which may, in turn, eventually contribute to hair loss.

2) Losing more than 200 hairs a day

Per the dermatologist, losing up to 200 hairs a day is completely normal.

But “if it’s more than that, you’ve got to get it checked – there may be something more serious going on”.

The 200-a-day figure is standard for thicker hair, the Cleveland Clinic writes, but for thinner strands, 50-150 hairs is more expected.

Either way, dermatologist Dr Wilma Bergfield said: “If you continue to shed long after you’ve shampooed or you suddenly find it all over your clothes, that could signal a problem”.

Issues like stress, hormonal changes, or thyroid or nutritional disorders may cause this.

3) Starting to get patches of complete baldness

New patches of complete baldness are worth solving as soon as you can, Dr Richie said, because “if it’s there too long, sometimes it can become permanent”.

These are sometimes caused by an autoimmune condition called alopecia areata, the second most common cause of hair loss.

This can often be treated with medication.

4) Changes to your hair texture

The doctor “wouldn’t ignore” changes in the texture, including the “waviness,” of hair.

This can change due to natural ageing, but it can also be down to androgenic alopecia, which leads to thinner hair with less volume.

It may also sometimes be linked to thyroid issues.

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