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I have a stuffy nose, how can I tell if it’s hay fever, COVID or something else?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/deryn-thompson-1449312">Deryn Thompson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Hay fever (also called allergic rhinitis) affects <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/national-health-survey-state-and-territory-findings/latest-release">24%</a> of Australians. <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergic-rhinitis-hay-fever-and-sinusitis/allergic-rhinitis-or-hay-fever">Symptoms</a> include sneezing, a runny nose (which may feel blocked or stuffy) and itchy eyes. People can also experience an itchy nose, throat or ears. But COVID is still <a href="https://theconversation.com/xec-is-now-in-australia-heres-what-we-know-about-this-hybrid-covid-variant-239292">spreading</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-feel-sick-how-do-i-know-if-i-have-the-flu-covid-rsv-or-something-else-234266">other viruses</a> can cause cold-like symptoms. So how do you know which one you’ve got? <h2>Remind me, how does hay fever cause symptoms?</h2> <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/hp/papers/allergic-rhinitis-clinical-update">Hay fever</a> happens when a person has become “sensitised” to an allergen trigger. This means a person’s body is always primed to react to this trigger. Triggers can include allergens in the air (such as pollen from trees, grasses and flowers), mould spores, animals or house dust mites which mostly live in people’s mattresses and bedding, and feed on shed skin. When the body is exposed to the trigger, it produces IgE (immunoglobulin E) antibodies. These cause the release of many of the body’s own chemicals, including histamine, which result in hay fever symptoms. People who have asthma may find their asthma symptoms (cough, wheeze, tight chest or trouble breathing) worsen when exposed to airborne allergens. Spring and sometimes into summer can be the worst time for people with grass, tree or flower allergies. However, animal and house dust mite symptoms usually happen year-round. <h2>What else might be causing my symptoms?</h2> Hay fever does not cause a fever, sore throat, muscle aches and pains, weakness, loss of taste or smell, nor does it cause you to cough up mucus. These symptoms are likely to be caused by a virus, such as COVID, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or a “cold” (often caused by rhinoviruses). These conditions can occur all year round, with some overlap of symptoms: <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/624085/original/file-20241007-16-xf6euv.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/624085/original/file-20241007-16-xf6euv.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/624085/original/file-20241007-16-xf6euv.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/624085/original/file-20241007-16-xf6euv.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/624085/original/file-20241007-16-xf6euv.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/624085/original/file-20241007-16-xf6euv.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=731&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/624085/original/file-20241007-16-xf6euv.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=731&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/624085/original/file-20241007-16-xf6euv.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=731&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption><a class="source" href="https://theconversation.com/i-feel-sick-how-do-i-know-if-i-have-the-flu-covid-rsv-or-something-else-234266">Natasha Yates/The Conversation</a></figcaption></figure> COVID still <a href="https://theconversation.com/xec-is-now-in-australia-heres-what-we-know-about-this-hybrid-covid-variant-239292">surrounds</a> us. <a href="https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/public+content/sa+health+internet/about+us/health+statistics/surveillance+of+notifiable+conditions/respiratory+infections+dashboard">RSV and influenza</a> rates appear higher than before the COVID pandemic, but it may be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10888990/#:%7E:text=Increases%20in%20RSV%20patient%20volume,with%20an%20RSV%20diagnosis%20occurred">due to more testing</a>. So if you have a fever, sore throat, muscle aches/pains, weakness, fatigue, or are coughing up mucus, stay home and avoid mixing with others to limit transmission. People with COVID symptoms can take a rapid antigen test (<a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-04/coronavirus-covid-19-rapid-antigen-tests.pdf">RAT</a>), ideally when <a href="https://www.cochrane.org/CD013705/INFECTN_how-accurate-are-rapid-antigen-tests-diagnosing-covid-19">symptoms start</a>, then isolate until symptoms disappear. <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2023/219/11/covid-19-rapid-antigen-tests-approved-self-testing-australia-published">One negative RAT alone</a> can’t rule out COVID if symptoms are still present, so test again 24–48 hours after your initial test if symptoms persist. You can now test yourself for COVID, RSV and influenza in a <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-02/covid-19-rapid-antigen-self-tests-are-approved-australia-ifu-406813.PDF">combined RAT</a>. But again, a negative test doesn’t rule out the virus. If your symptoms continue, <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-02/covid-19-rapid-antigen-self-tests-are-approved-australia-ifu-406813.PDF">test again</a> 24–48 hours after the previous test. <h2>If it’s hay fever, how do I treat it?</h2> Treatment involves blocking the body’s histamine release, by taking antihistamine medication which helps reduce the symptoms. Doctors, nurse practitioners and pharmacists can develop a <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/images/pc/ASCIA_Allergic_Rhinitis_Treatment_Plan_2024.pdf">hay fever care plan</a>. This may include using a nasal spray containing a topical corticosteroid to help reduce the swelling inside the nose, which causes stuffiness or blockage. Nasal sprays need to delivered <a href="https://allergyfacts.org.au/are-you-using-your-nasal-spray-correctly/">using correct technique</a> and used over several weeks to work properly. Often these sprays can also help lessen the itchy eyes of hay fever. Drying bed linen and pyjamas inside during spring can <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergy-treatments/allergen-minimisation">lessen symptoms</a>, as can putting a <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/consumers/managing-hay-fever">smear of Vaseline</a> in the nostrils when going outside. Pollen sticks to the Vaseline, and gently blowing your nose later removes it. People with asthma should also have an <a href="https://asthma.org.au/manage-asthma/asthma-action-plan/">asthma plan</a>, created by their doctor or nurse practitioner, explaining how to adjust their asthma reliever and preventer medications in hay fever seasons or on allergen exposure. People with asthma also need to be <a href="https://www.nationalasthma.org.au/living-with-asthma/resources/patients-carers/factsheets/thunderstorm-asthma">alert for thunderstorms</a>, where pollens can burst into tinier particles, be inhaled deeper in the lungs and cause a severe asthma attack, and even death. <h2>What if it’s COVID, RSV or the flu?</h2> Australians aged 70 and over and others with underlying health conditions who test positive for COVID are <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/covid-19/medications#at-home">eligible for antivirals</a> to reduce their chance of severe illness. Most other people with COVID, RSV and influenza will recover at home with rest, fluids and paracetamol to relieve symptoms. However some groups are at greater risk of serious illness and may require additional treatment or hospitalisation. For <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/respiratory-syncytial-virus.aspx">RSV</a>, this includes premature infants, babies 12 months and younger, children under two who have other medical conditions, adults over 75, people with heart and lung conditions, or health conditions that lessens the immune system response. For influenza, people at <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/Influenza/Pages/at-risk.aspx">higher risk</a> of severe illness are pregnant women, Aboriginal people, people under five or over 65 years, or people with long-term medical conditions, such as kidney, heart, lung or liver disease, diabetes and decreased immunity. If you’re concerned about severe symptoms of COVID, RSV or influenza, consult your doctor or call 000 in an emergency. If your symptoms are mild but persist, and you’re not sure what’s causing them, book an appointment with your doctor or nurse practitioner. Although hay fever season is here, we need to avoid spreading other serious infectious. For more information, you can call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria); use the <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/symptom-checker">online Symptom Checker</a>; or visit <a href="http://healthdirect.gov.au/">healthdirect.gov.au</a> or the <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergy-treatments/allergen-minimisation">Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy</a>.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/240453/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/deryn-thompson-1449312">Deryn Thompson</a>, Eczema and Allergy Nurse; Lecturer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-have-a-stuffy-nose-how-can-i-tell-if-its-hay-fever-covid-or-something-else-240453">original article</a>.

Body

What your nose can tell you about your health

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dan-baumgardt-1451396">Dan Baumgardt</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-bristol-1211">University of Bristol</a> Thanks to a quirk known as <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brain-babble/201502/is-how-the-brain-filters-out-unimportant-details">unconscious selective attention</a>, your brain has learned to ignore your nose. A prominent feature that’s positioned closely to the eyes, the schnoz could get in the way of our vision – but the nervous system cleverly filters it out. You can choose to look for your nose though. Either close one eye or look left, right or downwards and it’ll pop into view. But, although your brain works hard to stop your nose from interfering with your line of vision, your snout is not something to ignore. Like <a href="https://theconversation.com/navel-gazing-checking-your-belly-button-can-tell-you-a-lot-about-your-health-228759">many other</a> parts of your body, examining the nose can help diagnose external skin conditions – and internal diseases. <h2>Acne</h2> While there are a <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/acne/">number of forms</a> of <a href="https://patient.info/skin-conditions/acne-leaflet">acne</a>, <a href="https://dermnetnz.org/topics/acne-vulgaris">acne vulgaris</a> is the most common – and it often affects the nose. This skin condition develops from the clogging of tiny glands in the skin that secrete protective oils, which leads to <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/comedonal-acne#outlook">open and closed comedones</a>. Open comedones – better known as blackheads – develop a dark coloured plug, whereas closed comedones are whiteheads that form when the pore is blocked completely. Clogged pores can also develop into larger lumps and bumps which can become infected, inflamed and and pus-filled and can even scar the skin. <a href="https://dermnetnz.org/topics/rosacea">Acne rosacea</a> has a different appearance. It is an inflammatory skin condition that causes erythema – or reddening of the skin – most often across the nose and cheeks. Rosacea <a href="https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/skin-hair-and-nails/rosacea/#:%7E:text=Although%20rosacea%20can't%20be,you%20can%20stop%20treatment%20temporarily.">is currently incurable</a> but it can be managed, often with long-term treatment. Patients with rosacea may often develop a rash papules and pustules that resembles acne – and also have visible blood vessels that appear as thin red or purplish lines across the nose and cheeks. In some cases, rosacea can cause the skin of the nose to grow and thicken. This condition is referred to as <a href="https://patient.info/doctor/rosacea-and-rhinophyma">rhinophyma</a>, and, like other visible skin conditions, can result in profound changes to appearance and seriously affect self-esteem in sufferers. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cO9pa0aGBTY?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Both acne vulgaris and rosacea have been connected with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32238884/">various risk factors</a> and health conditions, though some links are stronger than others. In the case of rosacea, the list includes <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32621366/">high blood pressure and cholesterol</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29107339/">diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis</a>. <h2>Wolf’s nose</h2> <a href="https://www.sarcoidosisuk.org/information-hub/what-is-sarcoidosis/">Sarcoidosis</a>, is an inflammatory disease that can affect any of the body’s tissues – though mainly the lungs and lymph nodes. The condition can generate patches of bluish or purplish rashes, particularly on the body’s extremities where the skin is typically cooler. This includes the ears, the fingers and toes, and of course, the nose. When sarcoidosis affects the nose, it’s known as <a href="https://dermnetnz.org/topics/lupus-pernio">lupus pernio</a>, although the name is a misnomer because this condition is not the same as the <a href="https://lupusuk.org.uk/the-symptoms/">autoimmune disease known as lupus</a>. Regular lupus is a completely different condition where the body attacks its own tissues. It takes its name from the Latin word for “wolf” and the name dates back to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32380218/">medieval times</a> when the associated skin rash was said to resemble the bite of a wolf. When lupus, rather than sarcoidosis, affects the skin it generates a <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321594">butterfly rash</a> – or <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555981/">malar rash</a>, which fans across the cheeks and nasal bridge. This rash can look very similar to rosacea. In fact, lupus is known as <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nm1103-1337a">“the great imitator”</a> because it shares similar symptoms to many different diseases. <h2>Trigeminal trophic syndrome</h2> <a href="https://dermnetnz.org/topics/trigeminal-trophic-syndrome">Trigeminal trophic syndrome</a> is a rare condition triggered by damage to the <a href="https://teachmeanatomy.info/head/cranial-nerves/trigeminal-nerve/">trigeminal nerve</a>, which controls chewing but also gives sensation to the face. When the smaller nerve branches supplying the area of skin around the nostrils are damaged, sensation is affected. The patient notices either the skin becoming desensitised, or numb – or that it prickles, like pins and needles, creating an urge to pick or scratch. Repeated damage to the skin can <a href="https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/trigeminal-trophic-syndrome/">cause ulcers</a> to develop around the nostrils. This condition differs from <a href="https://theconversation.com/skin-picking-is-often-trivialised-as-a-bad-habit-but-dermatillomania-can-be-dangerous-224659">skin picking disorder</a> – or dermatillomania – when a psychological compulsion drives the desire to pick at the skin. So, close one eye every now and then in order to admire your hooter, or, even better have a good look at it in the mirror. It deserves more recognition than the blind spot your brain allows.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/228760/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dan-baumgardt-1451396">Dan Baumgardt</a>, Senior Lecturer, School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-bristol-1211">University of Bristol</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-your-nose-can-tell-you-about-your-health-228760">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Hello hay fever – why pressing under your nose could stop a sneeze but why you shouldn’t

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-nealon-1481995">Jessica Nealon</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> If you have <a href="https://theconversation.com/sniffles-sneezing-and-cough-how-to-tell-if-its-a-simple-allergy-rather-than-the-virus-139657">hay fever</a>, you’ve probably been sneezing a lot lately. Sneezing is universal but also quite unique to each of us. It is a protective reflex action outside our conscious control, to remove irritants from inside our nose. The <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/holding-in-a-sneeze">pressure in the airways</a> during a sneeze is more than 30 times greater than heavy breathing during exercise. Estimates of how fast a sneeze travels range from <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0059970">5 metres a second</a> to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19617285/">more than 150 kilometres per hour</a>. You can sometimes stop a sneeze by holding your nose or pressing underneath it. This is related to the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/gate-control-theory">gate control theory of pain</a> and the idea you can change neural responses with external stimulation. But given the velocity of a sneeze, it might not be a good idea to stop it after it has started. <h2>An involuntary reflex</h2> A sneeze is initiated when sensory nerves in our nose are <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1753465809340571?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed">stimulated by an irritant</a> such as allergens, viruses, bacteria or even fluid. The sensory nerves then carry this irritant information to the brain. When a threshold amount of irritant signals reach the brain, the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077498/">sneeze reflex is triggered</a>. A sneeze first involves a deep intake of breath and a <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-do-we-sneeze/">build-up of pressure inside the airways</a>. This is then followed by <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/back-pain/back-pain-when-sneezing#sneezing-as-a-cause">contraction of the diaphragm</a> and rib muscles, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077498/">reflex closing of the eyes</a> and a strong exhalation. These are the “ah” and the “tchoo” phases of a sneeze. On the exhalation of a sneeze, your tongue is lifted to the roof of your mouth. This <a href="https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1164/rccm.202004-1263PP">closes off the back of the mouth</a> so the air is forced mostly through your nose. The air expelled through the nose flushes out the irritants that caused the sneeze. The “tch” sound of a sneeze is the reflexive touching of the tongue to the roof of your mouth. <h2>The trigeminal nerves</h2> The trigeminal nerves are the <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21998-cranial-nerves">largest of our 12 pairs of cranial nerves</a> and the largest sensory nerves in the body. The left and right trigeminal nerves carry sensory information from the face to the brain. This includes touch, pain and irritation sensory information from the facial skin and from inside the nose and mouth. Within each trigeminal nerve are thousands of individual nerve branches that each carry a <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1744806920901890">specific type of sensory information</a>. <h2>Sensory nerves communicate in the spinal cord</h2> <figure class="align-right zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=631&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=631&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=631&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=792&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=792&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=792&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="drawing of face with nerves labelled" /></a><figcaption>Henry Gray’s anatomical illustration of the trigeminal nerve. <a class="source" href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Gray778.png">Gray's Anatomy/Wikimedia Commons</a></figcaption></figure> Sensory nerves travel to the brain via the spinal cord. The sensory nerves that carry pain and irritant signals are narrow, whereas those that carry touch information are wider and faster. In the spinal cord, these nerves communicate with each other via interneurons before sending their message to the brain. The interneurons are the “gates” of the <a href="https://www.physio-pedia.com/Gate_Control_Theory_of_Pain#:%7E:text=and%20trigger%20%E2%80%A2-,Introduction,be%20let%20through%20or%20restricted.">gate control theory of pain</a>. A nerve carrying a pain signal tells the interneuron to “open the gate” for the pain signal to reach the brain. But the larger nerves that carry touch information can “close the gate” and block the pain messages getting to the brain. This is why rubbing an injured area can reduce the sensation of pain. <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2018.01037/full">One study</a> showed stimulating the trigeminal nerves by moving the jaw reduced tooth pain. We can observe this in action when babies instinctively <a href="https://chaimommas.com/2013/11/05/what-to-expect-with-teething-and-tooth-development-chart/">bite on things or pull their ear</a> when they are teething. These actions can stimulate the trigeminal touch nerves and reduce pain signals via the gate control mechanism. <h2>So does putting your finger under your nose stop a sneeze?</h2> There are <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-stop-sneezing">many suggestions</a> of how to stop a sneeze. These include pulling your ear, putting your tongue to the roof of your mouth or the back of your teeth, touching your nose, or even sticking your finger in your nose. All of these stimulate the trigeminal touch nerves with the goal of telling the interneurons to “close the gate”. This can block the irritant signals from reaching the brain and triggering a sneeze. <h2>But should you stop a sneeze?</h2> What if an irritant in your nose has triggered a sneeze response, but you’re somewhere it might be considered inappropriate to sneeze. Should you stop it? Closing your mouth or nose during a sneeze increases the pressure in the airways <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26914240/">five to 20 times more than a normal sneeze</a>. With no escape, this <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1945892418823147#:%7E:text=The%20high%20Valsalva%20pressure%20generated,to%20all%20people%20who%20sneeze.">pressure has to be transmitted elsewhere</a> and that can damage your eyes, ears or blood vessels. Though the risk is low, brain aneurysm, ruptured throat and collapsed lung have been <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/holding-in-a-sneeze#can-holding-a-sneeze-kill-you">reported</a>. So it’s probably best to try and prevent the sneeze reflex by treating allergies or addressing irritants. Failing that, embrace your personal sneeze style and <a href="https://theconversation.com/handkerchief-or-tissue-which-ones-better-for-our-health-and-the-planet-213065">sneeze into a tissue</a>. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215265/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, Associate professor of Medical Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-nealon-1481995">Jessica Nealon</a>, Lecturer in Medical Sciences (Neuroscience), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/hello-hay-fever-why-pressing-under-your-nose-could-stop-a-sneeze-but-why-you-shouldnt-215265">original article</a>.

Body

Does picking your nose really increase your risk of dementia?

No matter your age, we all pick our nose. However, if gripping headlines around the world are a sign, this habit could increase your risk of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. One international news report <a href="https://www.the-sun.com/health/6565520/common-habit-increase-risk-alzheimers-dementia/">said</a>: <blockquote> ‘SCARY EVIDENCE’ How a common habit could increase your risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia </blockquote> Another <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/alzheimers-disease-risk-increased-picking-28378042">ran with</a>: <blockquote> Alzheimer’s disease risk increased by picking your nose and plucking hair, warns study </blockquote> An Australian news article <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/could-picking-your-nose-lead-to-dementia-australian-researchers-are-digging-into-it/rn7xqef2w">couldn’t resist a pun</a>: <blockquote> Could picking your nose lead to dementia? Australian researchers are digging into it. </blockquote> Yet if we look at the research study behind these news reports, we may not need to be so concerned. The evidence connecting nose picking with the risk of dementia is still rather inconclusive. What prompted these headlines? Queensland researchers published <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-06749-9">their study</a> back in February 2022 in the journal Scientific Reports. However, the results were not widely reported in the media until about eight months later, following a <a href="https://news.griffith.edu.au/2022/10/28/new-research-suggests-nose-picking-could-increase-risk-for-alzheimers-and-dementia/">media release</a> from Griffith University in late October. The media release had a similar headline to the multiple news articles that followed: <blockquote> New research suggests nose picking could increase risk for Alzheimer’s and dementia </blockquote> The media release clearly stated the research was conducted in mice, not humans. But it did quote a researcher who described the evidence as “potentially scary” for humans too. What the study did The researchers wanted to learn more about the role of Chlamydia pneumoniae bacteria and Alzheimer’s disease. These bacteria have been found in brains of people with Alzheimer’s, although <a href="https://academic.oup.com/femspd/article/48/3/355/506227?login=true">the studies</a> were completed more than <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s004300050071">15 years ago</a>. This bacteria species can cause respiratory infections such as pneumonia. It’s not to be confused with the chlamydia species that causes sexually transmitted infections (that’s C. trachomatis). The researchers were interested in where C. pneumoniae went, how quickly it travelled from the nose to the brain, and whether the bacteria would create a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease found in brain tissue, the amyloid β protein. So they conducted a small study in mice. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493175/original/file-20221103-22-znvia5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493175/original/file-20221103-22-znvia5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/493175/original/file-20221103-22-znvia5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=432&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493175/original/file-20221103-22-znvia5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=432&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493175/original/file-20221103-22-znvia5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=432&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493175/original/file-20221103-22-znvia5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=543&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493175/original/file-20221103-22-znvia5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=543&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/493175/original/file-20221103-22-znvia5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=543&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="White mouse in open cage with raised nose" /></a><figcaption>The study, which was conducted in mice, didn’t mention nose picking. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/funny-curious-white-rat-looking-out-402796495">Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure> The researchers injected C. pneumoniae into the noses of some mice and compared their results to other mice that received a dose of salty water instead. They then waited one, three, seven or 28 days before euthanising the animals and examined what was going on in their brains. What the study found Not surprisingly, the researchers detected more bacteria in the part of the brain closest to the nose in mice that received the infectious dose. This was the olfactory brain region (involved in the sense of smell). Mice that had the bacteria injected into their noses also had clusters of the amyloid β protein around the bacteria. Mice that didn’t receive the dose also had the protein present in their brains, but it was more spread out. The researchers didn’t compare which mice had more or less of the protein. Finally, the researchers found that gene profiles related to Alzheimer’s disease were more abundant in mice 28 days after infection compared with seven days after infection. How should we interpret the results? The study doesn’t actually mention nose-picking or plucking nose hairs. But the media release quoted one of the researchers <a href="https://news.griffith.edu.au/2022/10/28/new-research-suggests-nose-picking-could-increase-risk-for-alzheimers-and-dementia/">saying</a> this was not a good idea as this could damage the nose: <blockquote> If you damage the lining of the nose, you can increase how many bacteria can go up into your brain. </blockquote> The media release suggested you could protect your nose (by not picking) and so lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Again, this was not mentioned in the study itself. At best the study results suggest infection with C. pneuomoniae can spread rapidly to the brain – in mice. Until we have more definitive, robust studies in humans, I’d say the link between nose picking and dementia risk remains low. – Joyce Siette <hr /> Blind peer review Nose picking is a life-long common human practice. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7852253/">Nine in ten people</a> admit doing it. By the age of 20, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6345537/">some 50% of people</a> have evidence of C. pneumoniae in their blood. That rises to 80% in people aged 60-70. But are these factors connected? Does one cause the other? The study behind these media reports raises some interesting points about C. pneumoniae in the nasal cavity and its association with deposits of amyloid β protein (plaques) in the brain of mice – not humans. We cannot assume what happens in mice also applies to humans, for a number of reasons. While C. pneumoniae bacteria may be <a href="https://academic.oup.com/femspd/article/48/3/355/506227?login=true">more common</a> in people with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, association with the hallmark amyloid plaques in the mouse study does not necessarily mean one causes the other. The mice were also euthanised at a maximum of 28 days after exposure, long before they had time to develop any resultant disease. This is not likely anyway, because mice do not naturally get Alzheimer’s. Even though mice can accumulate the plaques associated with Alzheimer’s, they <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07484-w#:%7E:text=Alzheimer's%20is%20marked%20by%20cognitive,not%20occur%20naturally%20in%20mice">do not display</a> the memory problems seen in people. Some researchers have also argued that amyloid β protein deposits in animals are different to humans, and therefore <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2813509/">might not be suitable</a> for comparison. So what’s the verdict? Looking into risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s is worthwhile. But to suggest picking your nose, which introduces C. pneumoniae into the body, may raise the risk of Alzheimer’s in humans – based on this study – is overreach. – Mark Patrick Taylor<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/193463/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Writen by Joyce Siette. Republished with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-picking-your-nose-really-increase-your-risk-of-dementia-193463" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-blue-denim-button-up-shirt-picking-nose-4584166/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ketut Subiyanto (Pexels)</a>, CC BY-SA

Mind

How to block app invites on Facebook

Got that one annoying Facebook friend who keeps inviting you to play Candy Crush? And no matter how many times you tell them you want nothing to do with their quest for candy, the invites keeps coming in? Here’s what you can do to put a stop to it (and keep the friendship intact): Blocking an app or game When you block an app or game, it won't be able to access any of your Facebook information or send you any requests. If you no longer want an app or game to contact you, please remove it. <ol> <li>Click the downward arrow icon on the top right of your Facebook page. Select Settings.</li> <li>Click Blocking, located in the left column.</li> <li>In the Block apps section, type the name of the app or game you want to block.</li> </ol> If you ever want to unblock the app or game, click “Unblock” next to the app name. Blocking a specific friend’s invitations If you have a Facebook friend that invites you to so many different games and apps that you’ve often wondered if they spend their entire life on Facebook, you have the option to block all invites from a particular Facebook friend. This automatically ignores all future invites from all games and apps sent by the person. <ol> <li>Click the downward arrow icon on the top right of your Facebook page. Select Settings.</li> <li>Click Blocking, located in the left column.</li> <li>In the Block app invites section, type the name of the friend you want to block invites from.</li> </ol> Image: Shutterstock

Technology

The 5,000-year history of writer’s block

Ann Patchett, who has written eight novels and five books of nonfiction, says that when faced with writer’s block, sometimes it seems that the muse has “<a href="http://www.annpatchett.com/titles#/thisisthestoryofahappymarriage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gone out back for a smoke</a>.” It doesn’t matter whether you’re an award-winning novelist or a high schooler tasked with writing an essay for English class: The fear and frustration of writing doesn’t discriminate. My most recent book, “<a href="https://broadviewpress.com/product/a-writing-studies-primer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Writing Studies Primer</a>,” includes a chapter on gods, goddesses and patron saints of writing. When conducting research, I was struck by how writers have consistently sought divine inspiration and intercession. It turns out that frustrated writers who pine for a muse or help from above are adhering to a 5,000-year-old tradition. <div data-id="17"> </div> <h2>The first writers look to the skies</h2> The first writing system, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/cuneiform" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cuneiform</a>, arose in Sumer around 3200 BC to keep track of wheat, transactions, real estate and recipes. Scribes used clay tablets to record the information – think of them as early spreadsheets. Originally the Sumerian goddess of grain, <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/Nisaba/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nisaba</a> became associated with writing. She was depicted holding a gold stylus and clay tablet. As it was common for people to adopt a god or goddess for their professions, a new class of scribes latched onto Nisaba. Practice tablets from <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/367648" target="_blank" rel="noopener">schools that trained young scribes</a> invoke her name – “Praise be to Nisaba!” Poets trumpeted her influence and <a href="https://twitter.com/anctxtmodtablet/status/1097890316458360832" target="_blank" rel="noopener">credited her for giving beautiful handwriting</a> to diligent students. Her Egyptian counterpart was <a href="https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/seshat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seshat</a>, whose name <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/Seshat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">translates to</a> “female scribe.” Identifiable by a stylized papyrus as her headdress and a stylus in her right hand, Seshat guided the reed pens of scribes as priests communicated with the divine. Writing was all about communicating with the gods, and the Greeks and Romans continued this tradition. They turned to the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, known collectively as <a href="https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/nine-muses-0013523" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Muses</a>. Calliope stands out most notably, not only because a musical instrument was named after her, but also because she was considered the foremost of the sisters for her eloquence. The Muses <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124242927020125473" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have since evolved</a> into one overarching “muse” that serves as a source of inspiration. <h2>Global gods and goddesses of writing</h2> Gods and other legendary figures of writing are not limited to Western civilization. In China, the historian Cangjie, who lived in the 27th century B.C., is said to have created the <a href="https://www.ewccenter.com/cangjie-and-the-invention-of-chinese-characters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">characters of the Chinese language</a>. Legend has it that he was inspired by the pattern of veins on a turtle. (Back then, the Chinese <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/Oracle_Bones/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">often wrote on turtle shells</a>.) A <a href="https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Fu_Xi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">competing story</a> says that cultural folk hero Fuxi and his sister Nüwa created the system of Chinese characters circa 2000 B.C. Yet it is Cangjie’s name that lives on in the Cangjie Input Method, which refers to the system that allows Chinese characters <a href="https://www.cangjieinput.com/?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to be typed using a standard QWERTY keyboard</a>. In India, writers still invoke the elephant-headed Hindu god <a href="https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/blog/ganesha-chathurthi-birth-elephant-headed-god" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ganesha</a> <a href="https://www.thestatesman.com/features/common-writing-rooms-well-known-authors-lord-ganesh-1502544876.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">before putting ink to paper</a>. Known as a remover of obstacles, Ganesha can be especially meaningful for those struggling with writer’s block. There’s also <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/Sarasvati/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Saraswati</a>, the Hindu goddess of learning and the arts, who’s renowned for her eloquence. In Mesoamerica, Mayan culture looked to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Itzamna" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Itzamná</a> as the deity who provided the pillars of civilization: writing, calendars, medicine and worship rituals. His depiction as a toothless and wise old man signaled that he was not to be feared, an important characteristic for someone promoting an anxiety-inducing process like writing. <h2>Enter the patron saints</h2> In Christianity, <a href="https://theconversation.com/who-are-patron-saints-and-why-do-catholics-venerate-them-148508" target="_blank" rel="noopener">patron saints</a> are exemplars or martyrs who serve as role models and heavenly advocates. Various groups – professions, people with a certain illness and even entire nations – will adopt a patron saint. Within the Catholic Church, a range of patron saints can serve as inspiration for writers. <a href="https://theconversation.com/st-brigid-the-compassionate-sensible-female-patron-saint-of-ireland-gets-a-lot-less-recognition-than-st-patrick-176659" target="_blank" rel="noopener">St. Brigid of Ireland</a>, who lived from 451 to 525, is the patron saint of printing presses and poets. A contemporary of the better-known <a href="https://theconversation.com/10-things-to-know-about-the-real-st-patrick-92253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">St. Patrick</a>, St. Brigid established a monastery for women, which included a school of art that became famous for its handwritten, decorative manuscripts, particularly the <a href="http://www.kildarearchsoc.ie/the-book-of-kildare/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book of Kildare</a>. Following St. Brigit in Ireland is St. Columba, who lived from 521 to 597 and founded the influential abbey at Iona, an island off the coast of Scotland. A renowned scholar, St. Columba transcribed over 300 books over the course of his life. The influence of patron saints dedicated to literacy – reading and writing – continued long after the Middle Ages. In 1912, the <a href="https://www.css.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">College of Saint Scholastica</a> was founded in Minnesota in tribute to <a href="https://d.lib.rochester.edu/teams/text/whatley-saints-lives-in-middle-english-collections-life-of-st-scholastica-introduction" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scholastica</a> (480-543), who with her twin brother, Benedict (died in 547), enjoyed discussing sacred texts. Both Italian patron saints came to be associated with books, reading and schooling. <h2>Objects charged with power</h2> Some writers may think supernatural figures seem a bit too far removed from the physical world. Fear not – there are magical objects that they can touch for inspiration and help, such as talismans. Derived from the ancient Greek word telein, which means to “fulfill,” it was an object that – like an amulet – protected the bearer and facilitated good fortune. Today, you can buy talismans drawn on ancient Celtic symbols that purport to help with the writing process. <a href="https://www.moonlightmysteries.com/pewter-talisman-for-poets-writers-and-actors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One vendor promises</a> “natural inspiration and assist in all of your writing endeavors.” Another supplier, <a href="https://www.magickalneeds.com/product/talisman-for-poets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Magickal Needs</a>, advertises a similar product that supposedly helps “one find the right word at the most opportune moment.” Others turn to crystals. A <a href="https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/831873886/healing-crystals-for-writers-writers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writer’s block crystals gift set</a> available through Etsy offers agate, carnelian, tiger eye, citrine, amethyst and clear quartz crystals to help those struggling to formulate sentences. <h2>What makes a writer?</h2> What drove the creation of divine beings and objects that can inspire and intercede on the behalf of writers? To me, it’s no mystery why writers have sought divine intervention for 5,000 years. Sure, tallying counts of sheep or bushels of grain might seem like rote work. Yet early in the development of writing systems, the physical act of writing was exceedingly difficult – and one of the reasons schoolchildren prayed for help with their handwriting. Later, the act of creation – coming up with ideas, communicating them clearly and engaging readers – could make writing feel like a herculean task. Ironically, this complex skill does not necessarily get easier, even with lots of practice. The romantic image of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/genius-in-the-garret-or-member-of-the-guild-60175" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writer in the garret</a> doesn’t do justice to the tedious reality of churning out words, one after another. In his memoir “<a href="https://stephenking.com/works/nonfiction/on-writing-a-memoir-of-the-craft.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">On Writing</a>,” Stephen King reflected, “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” At the suggestion of a friend, the writer Patchett attached a <a href="http://www.annpatchett.com/titles#/thisisthestoryofahappymarriage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sign-in sheet to the door of her writing room</a> to ensure she wrote every day. No matter how accomplished a writer, he or she will inevitably struggle with writer’s block. Pulitzer Prize−winning author John McPhee, who began contributing to The New Yorker in 1963, details his writer’s block in a <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/04/29/draft-no-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2013 article</a>: “Block. It puts some writers down for months. It puts some writers down for life.” Another famous writer for The New Yorker, Joseph Mitchell, was struck by <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/av/magazine-32602862" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writer’s block in 1964</a> and simply sat and stared at his typewriter for 30 years. I’ve even wrestled with this article, writing and rewriting it in my head a dozen times before actually typing the first word. Poet and satirist Dorothy Parker <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/cp/obituaries/archives/dorothy-parker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">once said</a>, “I hate writing; I love having written.” You and me both, Dorothy. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-5-000-year-history-of-writers-block-190037" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Books

Review: Block out the world with these Bose headphones

Whether you’re trying to concentrate on work or enjoy some peace and quiet on a noisy train, a pair of noise-cancelling headphones can be a lifesaver. With a host of options to choose from nowadays, it really comes down to your budget and how customisable a sound you’re looking for. Coming in at about $549, the Bose QC45 are a little on the pricier side - beating Apple's $899 Max Pods and several Sennheiser models, while being beaten by the ranges from Sony and Beats. But price isn’t everything, and it’s noise-cancelling technology, sound quality, and comfort factor all make it feel like an investment that will last you a good long while. After spending a week trialling the headphones, both while working at home and commuting on peak-hour trains, here are my thoughts on how they stack up. Easy to use, with or without the companion app The QC45 headphones come in a sleek, lightweight travel case with a charging cable and 3.5mm audio jack, as well as a companion Bose app which is free to download. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/bose-inside.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The headphones pack away compactly into a hardy travel case. Image: Author The app makes pairing your devices a simple task (though I found connecting to my laptop worked just as well without it), all while giving you the option to name your headphones and adjust the bass, treble and other audio settings to your liking. If using an app or fiddling with audio settings doesn’t appeal, connecting via Bluetooth or the audio jack is just as simple and the sound is great with its default settings (which I’ll touch on further). The headphones also come with controls on the ear cups which are quite handy. The singular button on the left cup allows you to toggle between Active and Quiet mode, while you can adjust the volume, and pause, play and skip music using three standard buttons on the right cup. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/headphones1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The headphones are comfy and sound great - what more could you ask for? Image: Matt O’Rourke With the ability to connect to multiple devices, swapping between them is incredibly easy - and the app can help with that too. It also helps that every time you switch them on, the headphones tell you which devices they are currently connected to and how much battery life is left. Battery life is good, but more power-saving options could be better Speaking of the battery, Bose estimates it will last for 24 hours and that seems to ring true. After using them almost non-stop during my work hours - approximately 7-8 hours a day - as well as on my hour-long commute and relaxing for a few hours after work, I found it needed a recharge every couple of days, and that charging it overnight was sufficient. However, having the option to turn off the Active and Quiet modes to extend the battery life just that little bit more would be a nice addition. Though just a nitpick, the charging cord is a tad short, making it hard to continue using the headphones while they’re charging. How does it sound? Though some sound aficionados might not be too impressed, I loved it. Even without adjusting the sound, I found it was crisp and quite balanced. When I put the headphones through several headphone tests it performed well and I experienced zero buzzing or rattling during the driver quality (bass shaker) test. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/bose-app.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The companion app allows you to control the volume, mode, and EQ levels with ease. Image: Author The crisp sound is maintained when using the wired connection too, with the only difference being the absence of the hum of the noise-cancelling. The noise-cancelling settings The Quiet mode is supreme. While working from home, my partner and I sit across from each other, and I often turn to my headphones to not get distracted by the show he has running in the background. My standard headphones mostly muffle the dialogue, with moderately loud music taking up the rest of the slack in helping me focus. In comes the Bose headphones to completely change the game. Even without music, the quiet mode makes dialogue - currently from Tony Robertson’s Time Team - sound faint and far away and even muffles my usually clacky keyboard. But, when the complete noise cancelling is too much, the Active mode provides a nice alternative. It still blocks out noise to a certain degree but you can still hear some environmental noises, such as typing, while making it easier for someone to get your attention. However, if you’re prone to tension headaches from noise-cancelling headphones like I am, the Bose may initially do the same. Reassuringly, using them for extended periods of time (at least 15 minutes) saw this become less of an issue as my brain adjusted. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/bose-headphones.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Image: Supplied In summary, here are some pros and cons to consider if you’re thinking of buying the headphones for yourself or someone else. Pros: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Incredibly comfortable and cushiony ear cups </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Can choose between Quiet and Active mode </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Crisp clear audio </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Bluetooth and wired connection to choose from </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Can switch between devices with ease </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Relatively quick charging time and decent battery life </li> </ul> Cons <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> The noise-cancelling may cause headaches if you’re prone to them </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Its price ($549 RRP) </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Being able to turn off the Active and Quiet modes to conserve battery would be a nice option </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Charging cable is a bit short </li> </ul> The Bose QC45 headphones are available from retail outlets and from the Bose <a href="https://www.bose.co.nz/en_nz/products/headphones/noise_cancelling_headphones/quietcomfort-headphones-45.html?mc=20_PS_45_BO_00_GO_&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhMOMBhDhARIsAPVml-EE1a4vChe4Njc4xIW7_Ij7s6o6a-4lAoyp3d4nzB0zZPaXnYCQyaUaAo4BEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#v=qc45_black" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>. Images: Supplied / Matt O'Rourke

Technology

Beyond Cyrano de Bergerac’s nose – the real man behind the swashbuckling hero

There’s something quite striking missing in Peter Dinklage’s performance of Cyrano de Bergerac. In the upcoming musical film, Cyrano is missing his iconic large nose. Cyrano’s nose has been integral to popular images of the character ever since Edmond Rostand’s swashbuckling 1897 verse drama <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1254/1254-h/1254-h.htm">Cyrano de Bergerac</a>. This connection became even more so after Gérard Depardieu’s take on the role in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099334/">1990</a>. In every iteration of Cyrano’s tale till now, his large nose causes him trouble and affects how people perceive him. In the new film, Dinklage’s form of dwarfism, called achondroplasia, as <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58678918">one critic wrote</a>, “serves the same purpose the character’s oversize schnoz originally did, lending Cyrano an outsider quality that he must overcompensate for in personality”. Cyrano is a witty wordsmith and staggeringly proficient swordsman, able to defeat his opponents with both verbal and physical deftness. For instance, in one scene in the Depardieu film, Cyrano duels and vanquishes a vicomte who insults his nose. He does this while improvising an elaborately complex poem called a ballade. Despite such prowess, his looks limit him. Secretly in love with his dazzling cousin Roxane, Cyrano is held back by shame at his physical appearance. He can only find selfless, vicarious satisfaction by feeding lines of passionate poetry to his rival-cum-alter-ego, the handsome but ineloquent hero Christian, who wins Roxane’s heart. In each new retelling of the story of Cyrano we see the fragile romantic hero tormented by his own perceived lack – it is easy to forget that another Cyrano lurked still further in the background: the real-life playwright, satirist, novelist, and duellist <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Savinien-Cyrano-de-Bergerac">Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac</a> (1619-55). Because of his taste for bluster and grandiose self-mythologisation, we know relatively little for certain about the historical Cyrano. <h2>A colourful life</h2> As a young man, the real Cyrano was taught by the idiosyncratic polymath <a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/gassendi/">Pierre Gassendi</a> and mixed in free-thinking “libertine” circles. He was known to spend time with writers such as Paul Scarron and Tristan l’Hermite. It’s even believed that perhaps at the fringes of these circles was the great comic playwright Molière. <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OAXX-tr0gzg?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> In his short life, Cyrano proved himself to be a talented and adaptable writer. He never settled down to one genre for long (tragedy, comedy, letters, fiction and more) but maintained a strong intellectually satirical vein throughout. The impressive verbal ingenuity we see in Rostand’s play is also reflected in Cyrano’s various writings, perhaps most cruelly in his witty <a href="https://www2.unil.ch/ncd17/index.php?extractCode=1643">fat-shaming</a> of the actor known as Montfleury. <h2>A would-be astronaut</h2> The real Cyrano was very adept at self-construction and even self-mythologisation. As a young soldier, he fostered rumours that he had routed 100 attackers at once. He claimed some symbolic kinship to classical heroes and warriors by styling himself “Hercule” de Bergerac. Unsurprisingly, both these elements find their way into Rostand’s play. <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5e8apSFDXsQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> While the persona Cyrano adopts for himself as protagonist and narrator of his philosophical novel <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comical_History_of_the_States_and_Empires_of_the_Moon">L’Autre monde</a> is somewhat more modest and cryptic (the name of its hero “Dyrcona”, a near-anagram for Cyrano). The first-person, pseudo-autobiographical fiction he spins here is even more outlandish. In this tale of adventure and daring, he claims to have travelled through outer space to visit the Moon and the Sun and to have conversed with the curious inhabitants of both. As well as inspiring a scene in Rostand’s play, the novel also anticipates the various philosophical travel narratives of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_Letters">Montesquieu</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/eight-surprising-things-its-time-you-knew-about-gullivers-travels-88061">Jonathan Swift</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/guide-to-the-classics-voltaires-candide-a-darkly-satirical-tale-of-human-folly-in-times-of-crisis-157131">Voltaire</a> in the following century. Indeed, Dyrcona’s discussions with his various otherworldly interlocutors cover a range of theological, scientific, political, philosophical, and “libertine” topics – from theories of atomism to biblical accuracy, from cannibalistic orgies to the existence of God. Knowing that the text was philosophically and theologically contentious, he did not publish the work during his lifetime. It was published in a heavily sanitised version entitled Histoire comique (Comical Story) in 1657. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440450/original/file-20220112-25-70qd7h.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" alt="Illustration of Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac." /> Portrait of playwright Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrano_de_Bergerac#/media/File:Savinien_de_Cyrano_de_Bergerac.JPG" class="source">Wikimedia</a> L’Autre monde remains Cyrano’s most popular work and has various quirks to interest the modern reader. Among other things, the novel anticipates caravans (some moon-dwellers own mobile houses) and audiobooks (small boxes which read chapters out loud). Some of Cyrano’s other fabrications are rather more fantastic: hunting weapons that simultaneously cook the game they shoot, intercontinental flight with the help of bottles of evaporating dew, musical communication, and poetry as a means of currency. One of the most suggestive moments of the novel for many comes when the moon-dwellers explain how a large nose is the marker of someone “spiritual, courtly, affable, noble-minded, [and] liberal”. This leads us back to Cyrano’s actual nose: was it purely Rostand’s invention? Yes and no. Contemporary illustrations of Cyrano show him to be relatively well-endowed nasally but never quite reaching the grotesque extremes we find in Rostand. Even so, in his overall encapsulation of Cyrano’s swagger, ebullience, and creative verve, it is fair to say that Rostand’s depiction was very much on the nose.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/174811/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joseph-harris-1306409">Joseph Harris</a>, Professor of Early Modern French and Comparative Literature, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/royal-holloway-university-of-london-795">Royal Holloway University of London</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/beyond-cyrano-de-bergeracs-nose-the-real-man-behind-the-swashbuckling-hero-174811">original article</a>. Image: Universal Pictures

Movies

Man charged after dog found tied to cement block underwater

A man has been <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/news/crime/man-charged-after-dog-found-dead-underwater-in-yowie-bay--c-4211983" target="_blank">arrested</a> and charged after a dog was found dead over the weekend. Police were called to the scene in Yowie Bay, in southern Sydney, at about midday on Saturday after swimmers discovered the two-year-old Belgian Malinois in the water. Officers found that the dog had been tied to a cement block. The dog was taken to a local vet to be examined. After conducting an investigation, police executed a search warrant on Monday evening in Miranda and arrested a 49-year-old man. Items were seized in relation to the investigation, including more than 117 grams of cannabis. As the alleged owner of the dog, he was later charged with three offences, including "torture, beat and cause death of an animal", "commit an act of aggravated cruelty upon an animal" and "possession of a prohibited drug". The man was refused bail and will appear at Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday. Image: Getty Images

Legal

How to Block out the Neighbours

Blocks are getting smaller while house sizes are getting bigger, so we're living closer to our neighbours than ever. At the same time, we aren't willing to give up our outdoor areas or our privacy. Homes are not just moving out but up to capitalise on living space and views, so being overlooked from above is now a problem for many residents. Charlie Albone, a landscape designer and TV presenter, says privacy is a common concern. ‘While people don’t mind looking on to rooftops so much, when other people’s windows are looking into your space it becomes an issue,’ says Charlie. Luckily, there are many effective ways to solve the problem. Modern homes can put space above privacy but landscaper Charlie Albone has the solution. <img style="width: 437px; height: 246px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843964/block-neighbours-2-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/4b0a50f58e054226a15898d32cc3e07e" /> Define the borders Planting is a simple solution, as well as being easy on the hip pocket. Property-line plantings can provide year-round screening and a neat hedge can be an easy way to define adjoining yards or block sightlines. But success largely depends upon available space. ‘Hedges can be lovely but they need at least 800mm width of garden bed to thrive. For people in urban environments, there often isn’t the space to spare,’ says Charlie. ‘Bamboo is the best solution here as it takes up very little space and grows vertically. ‘Nandina, also known as sacred bamboo, has a nice upright habit and gives a similar effect, though it’s not technically bamboo.’ <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/gardening-tips/best-screening-hedge-plants">Click here to see 6 of the best screening hedge plants</a> The problem with trees Planting trees around the house or along a boundary line can lead to major problems if you don’t do the research first, cautions Charlie. ‘If people have it in mind to create privacy with trees, they often go for the biggest and most dense varieties they can find. But a big tree only gets bigger and the root system can cause damage to the foundations of the house and fence lines,’ he says. Trees can also be a source of dispute if their size blocks light or views, or if branches encroach across the boundary line. Certain types of trees that are heavy shedders such as jacarandas and liquidambars can be particularly annoying for neighbours. Council may step in if complaints are made. The law changed in August 2010 to include height restrictions for trees and hedges that block views or light. Make sure you research the likely growth of the tree you are considering and check guidelines with local council before buying. Plant in layers If space isn’t an issue, layered planting will actually make the garden look bigger. Planting a mix of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs and perennials creates a cottage garden look. Landscapers recommend grouping varieties in odd numbers. Stagger evergreens in the background and in the foreground, layer deciduous material for texture and colour. ‘For screening, aim for a height over 1800mm, which is the standard fence line height,’ says Charlie. Deciduous shade trees, which grow from five to more than 15 metres high, depending on the species, are a good way to obscure a neighbour’s view from a second-storey window or balcony. ‘Chinese tallowwood is one of my favourites. It gets great colour in the warm months and will reach a height of about six metres,’ says Charlie. Positioned over a patio, the canopy provides privacy and shade in the summer. In winter, the bare branches allow the sun to shine in, but this does also bring some loss of privacy. Use native lillipilly along a fence for an attractive, fast-growing screen. Add a water feature Even if your neighbours are not looking into your space, you may still hear them. Planting can help with noise reduction but one of the most effective buffers against the buzz of conversation or the hum of traffic is a water fountain. Whether it’s an off-the-shelf unit that sits on a table or a custom-built permanent feature, running water is an excellent way to screen out sounds. Moving water becomes louder the further it falls and the more tiers it travels over. To avoid having to raise your voice over the roar, choose a fountain with an adjustable recirculating pump to find a sound level that’s soothing for you. A water feature incorporating a fountain is an effective noise screen. Put up a screen After many years of total seclusion on a large block, a new house built nearby prompted Handyman’s Lee Dashiell to seek out a privacy solution. ‘It was quite a shock to find the house would look directly onto our outdoor living area,’ says Lee. ‘We knew we needed some kind of screening but we had enjoyed the open feel of trees and bushes and didn’t want to be boxed in.’ The family decided on Eden Deluxe Euro bamboo panels. ‘This type of screen is not solid but creates an effective visual barrier and the organic look blends into the area.’ It took about an hour of shifting the panels around then viewing them from different positions to ensure they blocked out what they wanted. ‘Eventually we decided the horizontal position was the most effective,’ says Lee. To install the panels a solid piece of timber was nailed to the posts so they could rest on it while being attached. Pilot holes were drilled and 100mm treated pine screws were used to fasten the panels to the posts, then the support timber was removed. TIP Screening panels may need to be treated with protective oil or varnish to weatherproof them and protect against deterioration TIP Screening panels may need to be treated with protective oil or varnish to weatherproof them and protect against deterioration Before: A new neighbour looked directly onto the previously secluded entertaining area. After: Bamboo screening creates privacy while maintaining a natural look. Building a barrier Screens are effective barriers and can be installed quickly. Bamboo and reed screens add an organic feel but can rot if they are not sealed and waterproofed. ‘When space is really tight, a screen works well,’ say Charlie. While not suited to very large areas, screens can also provide a pleasing mask for plain fencing. ‘If you have a nice stone wall that is perhaps 800mm high, to make it a good privacy option you can build a treated pine extender on top to the 1800mm mark,’ says Charlie. ‘A laser-cut screen over the fencing looks really good.’ Screens made from lattice or ornamental metalwork may not provide complete privacy but they add visual interest and allow light and breezes to penetrate. Photo: Thinkstock A combination of a screen and lush plantings keeps this pool area private without feeling boxed in. Install a fence Major new landscaping additions such as a pool or patio may require a visual buffer in a hurry. A solid board fence is the quickest way to add year-round screening but be sure to discuss materials with your neighbour and check guidelines with local council before installing. As fences have a minimal footprint, they can be used in long or narrow side yards or other places where available space is tight. They come in many styles but the cheapest, easiest option is treated pine. ‘What you often find, especially in new builds, is that people have a kitchen window that looks out over a narrow patch of grass right on to a flat fence, which is not the most pleasing view,’ says Charlie. Break up the mass with a screen, an open lattice or baluster top, or plant flowering or evergreen shrubs in front to soften its solidity. ‘If you have a fence and want to improve the look of it quick smart, paint can be a good option. ‘A dark fence looks great in a tropical style garden, while a formal, mostly green garden looks good with a cream tone,’ says Charlie. There’s no doubt a wall provides privacy, but a solid wall can feel oppressive to both sides. It can also be a big and expensive effort to build solid walls, and involve getting council approval or engineering work, so it’s best to reserve them for retaining rather than screening purposes. This article originally appeared on <a href="mailto:https://www.readersdigest.com.au/diy-tips/how-block-out-neighbours">Reader’s Digest</a>

Home & Garden

Driver shamed after blocking traffic for photoshoot

A woman has enraged hundreds of people after parking in the middle of a busy road to take photos of her car. Her antics were captured on video by a Canberra local and shared to Facebook on Friday where she was put on blast by a dozens of peeved locals. The person who filmed the incident, which took place at the start of May in the inner city suburb of Red Hill, said the woman blocked the road for 15 minutes while her friends took photos of her car. When people told her to move her car, she refused,” he wrote to a Facebook group. More than 200 people weighed in on the incident, many labelling the woman a “nuisance”. “She is a public nuisance and should be fined,” one person asserted. Someone else agreed, saying “she should be fined” over her “self absorbed behaviour”. “She’s breaking the road rules parking in an unsafe manner and should be lucky she didn’t get seen by the police,” another said. “Just shows lack of consideration for other people. An indication their basic respect for others is non existent,” someone else added. While most drivers were furious, some rugged it wouldn't have been difficult for drivers to simply go around her. “What’s the big deal? You could drive a Mack truck through the gap beside her. Let her take her photos, it’s not doing any harm,” one person wrote. “Why can’t people just be nice? Let her take the photos and move on,” another said. Many were left scratching their heads at how there were people defending her behaviour, with some arguing it was never acceptable to park in the middle of the road. “This is never OK, nor is it ever not absolutely baffling,” one wrote. “She should’ve pulled to the side instead of being inconsiderate of other drivers,” another said.

Legal

What is happening? Facebook blocks Australians from viewing news

Facebook's latest decision has rocked Australia after the social media giant restricted publishers and people in Australia from sharing or viewing local and international news content. Why is this happening? Facebook's decision is in response to Australia's proposed new Media Bargaining law, which requires tech companies to pay for news content. “The proposed law fundamentally misunderstands the relationship between our platform and publishers who use it to share news content,” Facebook said in a statement shared on Thursday morning. “It has left us facing a stark choice: attempt to comply with a law that ignores the realities of this relationship, or stop allowing news content on our services in Australia. With a heavy heart, we are choosing the latter.” Facebook said they tried to work with the Federal Government over three years to try and come to an agreement that would be beneficial for both digital platforms and news organisations. “Unfortunately this legislation does not do that. Instead it seeks to penalise Facebook for content it didn’t take or ask for.” You can read Facebook’s full statement <a rel="noopener" href="https://about.fb.com/news/2021/02/changes-to-sharing-and-viewing-news-on-facebook-in-australia/" target="_blank">here</a>. What does this mean? From Thursday, Aussies will have woken up to a drastically different news feed. Australians have been banned from viewing news stories, both local and international, and major broadcasters and news outlets have been restricted from posting on the platform as well. What happens now? To continue reading stories from Over60, you can visit our website directly or subscribe to our <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/information/join" target="_blank">newsletters</a>. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.facebook.com/help/2579891418969617" target="_blank" class="c-link" data-stringify-link="https://www.facebook.com/help/2579891418969617" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Read more</a> about how people can appeal by clicking directly on the notification on their Page which will bring them to the Facebook Help Centre & appeal form.

News

Shock casualties of the widespread Facebook news block

Facebook's news ban has impacted news sites as well as non-news pages, including the Bureau of Meteorology and other Australian government pages. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/shock-casualties-of-facebooks-news-block-bom-betoota-advocate-wa-fire-australian-government-pages-wiped/news-story/de46c2fb6fa9a4c03aec35a49c7d2e07" target="_blank">News.com.au</a> has confirmed that Facebook is using technology to enforce the ban, but is unable to explain why other pages have been caught in the ban. Australians who are looking for reliable information about the weather from the Bureau of Meteorology won't be able to do so as all of its posts have been scrubbed from Facebook. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> So Facebook has even removed the <a href="https://twitter.com/BOM_au?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BOM_au</a> verified blue tick page's content as well. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology. The Australian Government Bureau that looks at the weather. WTF <a href="https://t.co/K7nKyLkgpW">pic.twitter.com/K7nKyLkgpW</a> — Trish (@Tr1shM) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tr1shM/status/1362161063848906753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2021</a></blockquote> The Queensland Health Facebook page has also been wiped clean, so Queenslanders looking for information from their local health authorities will be impacted. Other government Facebook pages hit by the ban include the ACT Government Facebook page, the South Australian Health Facebook page and Harvey Norman, the electronics retailer. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> I get all my Australian news from Harvey Norman.... 😳 <a href="https://t.co/qSUEZ473mf">pic.twitter.com/qSUEZ473mf</a> — Trudy McIntosh (@TrudyMcIntosh) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrudyMcIntosh/status/1362175848455970818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2021</a></blockquote> The move has shocked many, but Communications Minister Paul Fletcher is unphased. “Facebook needs to think very carefully about what this means for its reputation and standing,” Mr Fletcher told the ABC. “They’re effectively saying, on our platform, there will not be any information from organisations which employ paid journalists, which have fact-checking processes, editorial policies. They’re effectively saying any information that is available on our site does not come from these reliable sources.” Currently, there is nothing stopping Australians from reading information from their favourite news sites directly, but they will be unable to see the posts on their Facebook feed. <div class="c-message_kit__blocks c-message_kit__blocks--rich_text"> <div class="c-message__message_blocks c-message__message_blocks--rich_text"> <div class="p-block_kit_renderer" data-qa="block-kit-renderer"> <div class="p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper--first"> <div class="p-rich_text_block"> <div class="p-rich_text_section"><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.facebook.com/help/2579891418969617" target="_blank" class="c-link" data-stringify-link="https://www.facebook.com/help/2579891418969617" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Read more</a> about how people can appeal by clicking directly on the notification on their Page which will bring them to the Facebook Help Centre & appeal form.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

News

Facebook blocks terminally ill man from live streaming his death

Facebook said it would block the livestream of a Frenchman suffering from an incurable condition who wanted to broadcast his death on the social media platform. Alain Cocq recently announced that he was refusing all food, drink and medicine after President Emmanuel Macron declined his request for euthanasia. The 57-year-old suffers from a rare medical condition which causes the walls of his arteries to stick together. Cocq believed he had less than a week to live and said he would broadcast his death from Saturday morning. "The road to deliverance begins and believe me, I am happy," he wrote on Facebook shortly after midnight in a post announcing he had "finished his last meal". "I know the days ahead are going to be difficult but I have made my decision and I am calm," he added. Facebook has been heavily criticised over the way it monitors content and said it was against their rules to portray suicide. "Although we respect (Cocq's) decision to want to draw attention to this complex question, following expert advice we have taken measures to prevent the live broadcast on Alain's account," a Facebook spokesman told AFP. "Our rules do not allow us to show suicide attempts." Cocq is trying to gather supporters saying: "Facebook is blocking my video broadcast until September 8." "It is up to you now," he said in a message to supporters before giving out Facebook's French address "so you can let them know what you think about their methods of restricting free speech". "There will be a back-up within 24 hours" to run the video, he added. Cocq had asked Macron for permission after he wanted to die in peace by taking a substance, but the president refused, saying it was not allowed under French law. Cocq has used his plight to draw attention to the situation of terminally ill patients in France who are unable to be allowed to die in line with their wishes. "Because I am not above the law, I am not able to comply with your request," Macron said in a letter to Cocq, which the patient published on his Facebook page. "I cannot ask anyone to go beyond our current legal framework... Your wish is to request active assistance in dying which is not currently permitted in our country."

Legal

Four easy ways to tell if you’ve been blocked on Facebook

Facebook can sometimes feel like the world’s best reunion party. You run into people you haven’t seen in a long time, share favourite throwback photos, and heart one another’s most uplifting memes. Other times it can feel like a battlefield. Conflicts of interest can send tensions high, with arguments about to erupt at every turn. You’ve probably blocked (or at least “snoozed for 30 days”) someone you disagree with, so it’s equally likely that at least one “friend” has you blocked. Here’s how to tell if someone has blocked you on Facebook. Method 1: Scroll through your friend list You can tell if someone blocked you on Facebook by scrolling your friend list. Social media professional Chad R. MacDonald manages Facebook pages with tens of thousands of followers and is highly experienced with handling Facebook privacy. MacDonald tells us that deactivated accounts’ profiles and profile photos “will still be visible on your friends list, although you can’t click on them anymore. Someone who has blocked you won’t show up at all.” Method 2: Search for their Facebook profile If you’ve recently gotten into a Facebook kerfuffle with your great-aunt Nora, you might want to check if things are still okay between the two of you. Do a general search for her name in the Facebook search results bar at the top of the page. If Auntie Nora shows up as a friend, you’re still on good terms, and there’s no need to worry. However, if the widget on her search result reads “Add friend,” this means that she has unfriended or blocked you. A simple unfriend is less worrisome than a block, and you can take it as a sign that there’s room for the two of you to rebuild your relationship. If you’re still able to see her public posts, you have not been blocked. If they don’t show up in search results… If the person doesn’t show up in search results at all, the user has either deleted their profile or has blocked you. And let’s be frank, if the two of you were arguing it’s more likely to be the latter. To double-check, ask a mutual friend to search the person’s name in their Facebook search bar. If the person shows up in their results but not yours, you have some relationship mending to do. “If the search yields a result with an active page, it’s clear that you’ve gotten the chop,” says Krystin Dunbar, Senior Campaign Strategist at digital agency Union. But Dunbar cautions this could also mean the person has just changed their privacy settings. “Privacy settings can be changed so that accounts don’t show up in a [Facebook] member search – so this isn’t a foolproof method.” Method 3: Check your Facebook memories The “Memories” feature, which shows you old posts, “including everyone who has commented on or liked them,” says MacDonald, is another place to check. “People who have blocked you can still show up on your posts in Memories,” he explains. “Their profiles will show their names in black font that you can’t click on, as opposed to the normal blue font for profiles that you can click through.” A very long scroll through your news feed may serve the same purpose. Or a much faster way would be to simply <a href="http://www.deleted.io/">use this app</a> to see who unfollowed you on Facebook. Method 4: Check your Facebook groups A final method is to check your mutual groups. If you are an administrator on a Facebook group, such as a town or school community page, “you can see all profiles that interact there, whether they’ve blocked you or not,” says MacDonald. In these groups, you will be able to view the posts of all users, even if you are not friends on Facebook, and here again any profiles with their names in bold, black font indicate that “the user has blocked you (or you have blocked them) and you won’t be able to view those profiles.” How to tell if someone blocked you on Facebook Messenger It is possible for someone to block you from messaging them on Facebook Messenger even if they haven’t blocked your profile on Facebook, and this would indicate they are unwilling to be more than just a social media acquaintance. To check if someone has blocked you on Facebook Messenger, try sending a message to their profile. If you get an error message that reads “This person isn’t available at the moment,” then the person has either blocked you or deactivated their account. Written by Dani Walpole. This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/true-stories-lifestyle/science-technology/how-to-tell-if-someone-blocked-you-on-facebook">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.co.nz/subscribe">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.

Technology

Keep your nose out of it: why saliva tests could offer a better alternative to nasal COVID-19 swabs

Saliva is one of our biggest foes in the COVID-19 pandemic, because of its role in spreading the virus. But it could be our friend too, because it potentially offers a way to diagnose the disease without using invasive nasal swabs. Our research review, <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/10/5/290">published in the journal Diagnostics</a>, suggests saliva could offer a readily accessible diagnostic tool for detecting the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and might even be able to reveal whether someone’s immune system has already encountered it. COVID-19 testing is a crucial part of the pandemic response, especially now countries are gradually lifting social distancing restrictions. This requires widespread, early, accurate and sensitive diagnosis of infected people, both with and without symptoms. Our review looked at the results of three different studies, in Hong Kong, the nearby Chinese mainland city of Shenzhen, and Italy. All three studies found SARS-CoV-2 is indeed present in the saliva of COVID-19 patients (at rates of 87%, 91.6%, and 100% of patients, respectively). This suggests saliva is a potentially very useful source of specimens for detecting the virus. Saliva <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016041202031254X">spreads the SARS-CoV-2 virus</a> via breathing, coughing, sneezing, and <a href="https://www.nap.edu/catalog/25769/rapid-expert-consultation-on-the-possibility-of-bioaerosol-spread-of-sars-cov-2-for-the-covid-19-pandemic-april-1-2020">conversation</a>, which is why guidelines suggest we maintain a distance of at least 1.5 metres from one another. We also know <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7094991/">SARS-CoV-2 can survive in tiny droplets of saliva</a> in an experimental setting. Saliva is an attractive option for detecting SARS-CoV-2, compared with the <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/coronavirus-covid-19-seeing-a-doctor-getting-tested-faqs#diagnosis">current tests</a> which involve taking swabs of mucus from the upper respiratory tract. Saliva is easy to access, which potentially makes the tests cheaper and less invasive. Saliva can hold up a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19726214">mirror to our health</a>, not just of our mouth but our whole body. For this reason, saliva has already been widely investigated as a diagnostic tool for chronic systemic diseases, as well as for oral ailments such as periodontal disease and oral cancers. But less attention has been given to its potential usefulness in acute infectious diseases such as COVID-19, perhaps because researchers and clinicians don’t yet appreciate its full potential. What a mouthful When we get sick, much of the evidence is present in our saliva – from the germs themselves, to the antibodies and immune system proteins we use to fight them off. Saliva also contains genetic material and other cellular components of pathogens after we have broken them down (for the full biochemical breakdown of the weird and wonderful things in our saliva, see pages 51-61 of our <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/10/5/290">review</a>). Saliva is also hardy. It can be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=High-yield+RNA-extraction+method+for+saliva">stored at –80℃ for several years with little degradation</a>. This means it would be relatively straightforward to track the progression of COVID-19 in individual patients, by collecting saliva at various times during the disease and recovery. Saliva tests from recovered patients could also tell us if they have encountered the disease for a second time, and how strong their immune response is. However, there is no research yet available on using saliva to monitor immune responses. This will be well worth investigating, given the pressing need for a reliable and cost-effective way to monitor the population for immunity to COVID-19 as the outbreak continues. Could saliva testing replace nasal swabs? An ideal saliva test would be a disposable, off-the-shelf device that could be used at home by individuals, without exposing them or others to the risk of visiting a clinic. One drawback with the research so far is that it has involved small numbers of patients (each of the three studies we reviewed involved no more than 25 people), and there is little published detail on exactly how these studies collected the saliva – whether from the mouth or throat, whether by spitting, drooling or swabbing, and whether collected by the patient or by a clinician. Nevertheless, based on the modest amount of research done so far, saliva looks like a promising candidate for COVID-19 testing. More research is now needed, in larger groups of people, to learn more about how to confidently test for SARS-CoV-2 in the saliva of both symptomatic and non-symptomatic people. Earlier this month the US Food and Drug Administration <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/08/health/fda-coronavirus-spit-test.html">approved the sale</a> of saliva-based COVID-19 test kits that will allow people to collect their own samples and send them to a lab for analysis. A reliable test would offer a cheaper, less invasive and potentially even more accurate way to detect the virus, which would also reduce the risk posed by routine COVID-19 checks to both patients and front-line medical professionals. Written by Pingping Han. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/keep-your-nose-out-of-it-why-saliva-tests-could-offer-a-better-alternative-to-nasal-covid-19-swabs-138816">The Conversation.</a>

Legal

Doctors uncover disgusting find in man’s unbearably blocked nose

Zhang Binsheng, 30, went to the doctors after struggling to breathe for the last three months. His symptoms were so severe that he could not sleep properly at night and reported smelling “decay” out of one nostril. The doctors advised him to undergo an X-ray, where a shadow of ‘high density’ material was uncovered at the back of his nasal cavity. Zhang was left stunned when medics explained that it was his own tooth. “(It) looked a lot like a tooth,” Dr Bai Zhibang, a deputy director at the hospital’s ear, nose and throat department, told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.pearvideo.com/video_1620810" target="_blank" title="www.pearvideo.com">Pear Video</a>. The tooth had been knocked out of Zhang’s mouth when he fell from the fourth floor of a mall at the age of ten and had managed to root and grow in his nasal cavity. This means that the tooth had been growing in Zhang’s nose for the last twenty years. Doctor Guo Longmei explained that the reason that the body hadn’t rejected the tooth was because it was Zhangs and not a ‘foreign object’. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7832417/tooth-body.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/05204a0162064ff59685b602d25dcaea" /> The tooth measured at 1cm and was removed from Zhang’s nose in a 30-minute surgery. He is said to be recovering well. According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://metro.co.uk/2019/11/11/mans-blocked-nose-caused-tooth-growing-nostril-11080867/" target="_blank">Metro</a>, having a tooth growing inside your nose is considered to be rare, with less than 0.1 per cent of the population likely to be affected.

Body

Is this Australia’s most expensive pile of rubble? Vacant block on Sydney Harbour hits the market

A mystery owner of an abandoned lot in one of the most expensive streets in Australia, has hit the market for $25 million - only seven months after it was sold for $22.5 million. The vacant block of land is part of a residential street that might just be one of the most exclusive in the world, on 42 Wolseley Road, Point Piper. Just stretching 740 square metres - no bigger than three tennis courts - the property has changed hands eight times in the last 20 years. Before the mysterious proprietor took ownership, their were a number of high profile buyers including Hugh Huang, son of Chinese shipping magnate Shannian Huang, who purchased it from Sydney FC chairman, Scott Barlow for $14.35 million in 2013. Before abruptly abandoning the plan to rebuild a new mansion, Huang knocked down the original 1970’s built home. He went on to sell the slab of land for $22.5 million to an unknown buyer, who put the home under his accountant, Peter Wyer. The buyer added a U-turn and then put it back on the market, and is asking for the original purchase price back -plus a $1.5 million stamp duty, and a $1 million profit. Selling agent Bill Malouf of LJ Hooker Double Bay told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7351295/Australias-expensive-pile-rubble-goes-sale-25million.html" target="_blank">The Daily Mail</a> the property was “a bargain”. “You’re not going to get on this street under this sort of money.” Mr Malouf said if he had been selling a newly built home on the slame block of land, it would go for a much higher price. “You’d have to say the median price of Wolseley Road is in excess of $40 million,” he said. “You don’t even get a look in on the waterfront side for less than $40 million plus. Everyone considers Wolseley Road as the most expensive street in Australia and it is. “We’ve got stuff down there that we’ve sold at $60 million and above, so this is an attractive purchase. There are properties there worth $100 million plus.” Other former owners of the property include hotelier Damien Reed, wholesaler Look Sharp co-founders Rosena and Eddie Yip and Bushells Tea heir Amber Pavlik. The luxurious Wolseley Road is home to the likes of Aussie Home Loans founder John Symond, Westfield chairman Frank Lowy and Hungry Jack’s owner Jack Cowin. Scroll through the gallery above to see the home.

International Travel

5 steps to stop a nosebleed

Nosebleeds (or epistaxis) are fairly common, especially in children. They usually happen as a result of a minor injury, nose picking, or nose blowing. Occasionally, nosebleeds can signal underlying illness or injury. Very rarely, a nosebleed can be life-threatening, especially in older people. Treating a nosebleed incorrectly can prolong bleeding and make things worse. Follow these five steps to handle a nosebleed. 1. Sit the patient down. Ask them to lean forwards (not backwards) so that the blood drains away from the nose, not down the throat. Wear disposable gloves if you have them to protect yourself and the patient. 2. Pinch the nose. Tell the patient to breathe through their mouth and pinch the soft part of their nose to help reduce blood flow, blocking the nostrils. He or she can lean over a sink or a bowl so that they can spit out any blood as swallowing it can make them sick. Advise them not to sniff, swallow, or cough, as it can disturb the clots that are forming. 3. Check the nose. After ten minutes, release the pressure and check the nose. If still bleeding, pinch the nose for another ten minutes. 4. Offer a cold compress. Give the patient an ice or cold pack to hold against the bridge of their nose to help reduce blood flow. 5. Check the nose again. Once the bleeding has stopped, let the patient clean around their nose with a damp cloth. Tell them not to blow their nose and avoid strenuous activity for up to 12 hours. Seek medical advice for a nosebleed if you have: <ul> <li>Frequent nosebleeds (more than once a week) – this can be a sign of high blood pressure.</li> <li>Persistent nosebleeds in a person who is on blood-thinning medication such as Warfarin.</li> <li>Thin watery blood from the nose following a blow to the head, which can indicate a possible skull fracture.</li> <li>Frequent nosebleeds accompanied by bleeding gums as well as bruises that develop for no apparent reason.</li> </ul> This article first appeared in <a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/tips/5-Steps-to-Stop-a-Nosebleed">Reader’s Digest.</a> For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRN93V">Here’s our subscription offer.</a> <img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" />

Caring

Taking selfies makes your nose look bigger than it is

It is the inescapable 21st-century vexation of the vain. Smartphones allow a person to take selfies as fast as the index finger can click, yet from a dismayingly close distance that may leave the subject dissatisfied. Don't fret, a team of researchers from Rutgers and Stanford says in a new analysis published recently. The culprit is distortion. Using a mathematical model, the group found that in a selfie taken from 30cm away, the nose appears 30 per cent wider than in a photo taken from 150cm. The researchers undertook the analysis because plastic-surgery patients - who spent more than US$16 billion on cosmetic procedures in 2016, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons - often cited their appearance in selfies as justification for getting a nose job. Boris Paskhover, an assistant professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School's department of otolaryngology, wanted to set the record straight. "Young adults are constantly taking selfies to post to social media and think those images are representative of how they really look, which can have an impact on their emotional state," Paskhover said in a Rutgers news release. "I want them to realise that when they take a selfie, they are in essence looking into a portable funhouse mirror." To calculate the degree of nasal distortion in up-close photos, Paskhover worked with Ohad Fried, a research fellow in Stanford's computer science department. In addition to the 30 percent increase in the apparent width of the nose in selfies, the team also found that the close vantage point made the tip of the nose appear 7 per cent wider. Their findings were published in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery. In this social-media-obsessed world, Paskhover, who specialises in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, is not alone in seeing patients who are unhappy with their selfies. In a 2017 poll, 55 per cent of surgeons reported they had seen patients who sought plastic surgery in order to look better in selfies, the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons said. Yet nose jobs, formally called rhinoplasty, appear to be on the wane, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Surgeons performed 218,924 of the procedures in 2017, down 2 per cent from the year before, and down a whopping 44 per cent since 2000. Maybe selfie-snappers are coming to grips with reality. Do you agree with this work? Written by Tom Avril. Republished with permission by <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>.

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Is this Australia’s most expensive pile of rubble? Vacant block on Sydney Harbour hits the market

5 steps to stop a nosebleed

Taking selfies makes your nose look bigger than it is