The Dirty Dozen
Think about all the places you visit in a typical week: your office, your favorite restaurant, your child's school. Do you ever look around and worry your surroundings are less than sparkling clean? So does Dr. Moser. Join him on his odyssey through 12 Dirty Places : Dr. Moser's "Dirty Dozen".
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- Public Toilets
- Airplanes
- Your Doctor's Office
- Hotels and Motels
- Restaurants
- Movies
- Daycare and Preschools
- Pools, Waterparks and Beaches
- Homes
- Dirty Jobs
- Schools
- Hospitals and Nursing Homes
Technorati Tags: dirty places, dirty dozen
22 Comments:
Going back to your dirty pools is it possible to get swimmer's ear 4 times in a summer or is it just not going away. I ended up getting while I was on vacation. I am going to my doctor sometime this week for a follow up. It just does not seem right especiallly since I am not in the same pool everytime I get it.
Hospital are the most unhealthy places. I try to keep all my clients at home even when they are sick and definatly after surgery. Sara Bartle , Toronto, Canada
As a near daily swimmer for 30 years, I've discovered that an excessive amount of ear wax seems to be an incubation medium for swimmer's ear.
Years ago, an elderly doctor, now retired, recommended a 50/50 mix of alcohol and vinegar applied as drops into the ear canal after swimming. I do this every time I get water in my ears, including when shampoooing and in the shower at home and have had no swimmer's ear in years.
On the other hand, an ear specialist freaked out when a friend asked him about this practice. I guess you pay your money and take your choice. The vinegar/alcohol route works for me.
I consider the waiting room of the outpatient clinic of my hospital a "dirty place." So many sick people attend the clinic that the air has to be thick with germs and viruses. The sick people in the waiting room have appointments and probably believe they should keep them, but when an appointment is other than for treatment for a cough or flu, in consideration of other people attending the outpatient clinic those persons should cancel the appointment and make another one when they are well.
If a person were well (other than a cold or flu), why would they be at a hospital at all?! If someone broke their arm and had a cold, would you tell them to come back in a week? If someone were waiting for weeks or months for tests to diagnose a possibly serious condition, would you tell them to go on the waiting list again? What are you talking about?
I was really wondering what in the world she was talking about, telling a person to cancel an appointment that they probably waited forevernto get with no damn insurance and all. Is she crazy.
I've seen doctors' offices with isolated waiting rooms for patients who may be contageous...but I guess that only works if those people see the need to isolate themselves from others. A waiting area for immunocompromised patients would also be good, to help avoid direct exposure to illness.
Often, people have to wait for months to get an appointment with a good doctor.
They cannot physically afford to cancel their appointment, if they have a cold. It could be a matter of life or death.
There are germs everywhere we go.
If someone has a 'germs' phobia, why can't THEY wear a mask, or cancel THEIR appointment, if they think other patients are a threat to their health?
None of the above replies from other readers will satisfy everyone, so I guess we should all use our own good judgment.
Perhaps the 'isolation room' is a good idea for those with anything contagious?????
We have immune systems for just these reasons. Germs are everywhere and we are lucky to have such good access to medical care in this country. I think I recently read on WebMD that the healthiest people lived on farms when they were growing up. Exposure to germs makes us stronger. Viva le germ.
Dr waiting room are a great place for germs, of course they are all over every place. I sat in a Dr waiting room and watched a women reading one of the magazines there. She would wet her finger to turn every page, she sat there sneezing. So many germs get spread that way. I was in a check out line, the checker sneezed, whiped his nose on the back of his hand and went on check out people. I moved to an other line.
There are many germs some people go crazy worring about them, but there there is just plain common sence in handling them
Since I have a Janitorial Service and clean a child day care center. I will say the youngsters do leave behind quit a mess and the boys learning to go to the bathroom by themselves, and what a mess around the toliets.So, parents tell the little fella's stand close to the toliet when the try using the bathroom
Thanks
I work in a museum and the things we see would make you very nauseous. A few years ago a female visitor changed her feminine hygiene product while sitting on the floor playing with her infant!
It's good sense to carry those antibacterial wipes wherever you go. The grocery buggies are FILTHY nests of germs. I have observed employees rounding up buggies after picking up trash in parking lots! Then they transfer those germs to buggy handles and come in to bag your groceries! Many stores have been helpful in providing these wipes near the buggies, thank goodness. Everyone please cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, then clean your hands. Wipe down door handles and sink faucets, toilets of your home after guests leave.
I ride the NYC subway system everyday, twice a day, and I have to say it can get pretty disgusting. its not the platforms, its the people int he heat of the summer. Sweaty, smelly and funky. Sick people, well people, old, young, they are all there. My number 2 spot if the beach I went to last weekend. We saw several used feminine napkins washed ashore, It did not help that there were no bathrooms- but there were garbage cans. Come on people- clean up behind yourselves!
Water causing Ear Infections- Plagued me as a child. when I became certified (scuba) we learned a method that always works.We pour a few drops of glyceral and carbamide peroxide(available as "*Debrox) or homemade wersions using olive oil etc into the ears BEFORE going in water. Used Before~The oil coats the inner ear and prevents water from causing infections. Since we dive at depth,water will get in , coating the inner ear with an oil prevents it from getting wet;ergo-no infection.Childree to adults,Protect first~then swim.ct
For those of us with damaged immune systems, a cold can be fatal. I never worried about germs until about 3 years ago, now I am very careful. I see mainly two doctors, and they both have taken precautions for folks like me. One has a divided waiting room, and will ask a patient who is coughing or sneezing to move to the appropriate room. The other asks that if you are contageous to please take a mask and tissues from the desk, if they don't, personel will bring the protective devices out to them.
I do not feel as if I am a germ chaser, but I do take sensable measures to protect myself. The doctor's tell me the grocery carts are the germiest objects we are likely to encounter. Mom puts her toddler's bottom in the basket seat, where many chew or drewl on the handle, then we put fresh foods in the same spot.
I have lived a year longer than expected, I believe it is because I always use the antibacterial cloths or hand wash after I have been in contact with the public.
First, by the time someone has the sneezing and coughing associated with a cold the contagious period has mostly passed. One is most contagious just before symptoms occur.
Second, I carry a small spray bottle of plain rubbing alcohol to spray on my hands or on surfaces (such as shopping carts or public toilet seats) which are suspect. It is inexpensive, dries quickly and very effective.
Third, for years I suffered ear infections regularly. Doctor after doctor told me to use hydrogen peroxide. Then one Otolaryngyologist told me to use the vinegar/alcohol mixture and I've not had an ear infection since.
I am a bit concerned with articals like this. I just got back from vacation, so I have been exposed to most of the items listed above. Never once did I get sick. Yes, there are germs everywhere we go, but how many times have you gotten sick? We could stay home all day to rest our fears of germs but than again, the home is listed as a dirty place. I know, lets make a bubble and live there! Just wash your hands often and stop worrying so much.
A QUESTION for the vinegar/alcohol users, Is that "white or cider" vinegar? Thank you!
Oh ya, I forgot also what kind of "alcohol", rubbing alcohol or some other type? I know not the kind ya drink!! :) Thanks
One great way to keep from spreading germs yourself is to cough into your ELBOW - not your HAND. It still blocks germs from flying all over, but you don't open doors or shake hands with your elbows. Teaching this to kids in our elementary school cut down on the spread of colds significantly!
here's a thaught...WASH YOUR HANDS....yes you....WASH YOUR HANDS AND YOUR CHILDREN'S HANDS....then worry about others and the doctors office ect....
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