 Hey listeners, while some people love New Jersey winters, we also have to keep our health in mind to be prepared. Today we're here with Dr. Kassim Hussein, an ear, nose, and throat specialist affiliated with Bayshore Medical Center to give us some tips to identify and treat dry nose, sinus infections, post-nasal drip, and chronic cough. Dr. first of all, thanks for joining us to talk about this. Thanks for having me, Sean. Doctor, can you tell us some of the symptoms that we could expect this winter? Well, during the winter, not surprisingly, the cold weather can affect your ears, nose, and throat, especially with things like dry nose, which can be caused by a lack of humidity in the environment, as well as from allergies and even from medications. Symptoms of dry nose include itchiness, nosebleeds, and chronic dry crusting. The good news is you can easily treat dry nose at home by getting a humidifier, using simple things like a saline nasal spray, or even a nasal lubricant, such as a saline gel. I've got to be honest with you, doctor. I love winter, but that doesn't sound so much like fun. I've had sinus infections before, but what's the difference? Great question. Sinus infections, I could definitely agree, are no fun either, and sometimes they're mistaken for a bad cold because the symptoms are so similar. They both can cause stuffy or runny nose, facial pain and pressure, as well as a decrease in your sense of smell. Since bacteria cause sinus infections, these tend to have discolored drainage and symptoms that are generally a little bit more severe and they last a little longer than a common cold. So it's really important that you go to your doctor when these symptoms arise. Treating sinus infections can include using things like decongestants, antibiotics, nasal saline irrigations used to flush out the mucus. Doctor, finally, are there any other conditions that we should be aware of this winter? Yeah. Post-nasal drip is this chronic condition where mucus can accumulate in the throat. It can cause a sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, as well as a dry cough and some bad breath. This could be caused by bacteria from a sinus infection, allergies, or even dehydration. The best way to treat it would be to have plenty of hydration, drink plenty of water, use a nasal steroid spray, and to take antihistamines or decongestant medications. This is great information, Dr. Hussein. Thank you so much for sharing some of your tips with us today. Absolutely. My pleasure. Learn more about services offered at baseshoremedicalcenter.org.