MSN/Health.com: Does sticking garlic up your nose clear the senses?
UC ear, nose and throat expert advises against the practice
Some sufferers of sinus congestion are considering putting garlic cloves into their nostrils to relieve clogged passages. Katie Phillips, MD, assistant professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery in UC College of Medicine, told Health the practice has some safety hazards. Garlic isn’t active topically and won’t break down congestion.
"You're putting something in your nose that has the potential to get stuck there," which could do damage to the nasal cavity, Phillips told Health. It could pose a choking hazard if it travels down the back of your throat or a breathing problem if the garlic travels to your trachea (aka windpipe) and you accidentally inhale it.
Whether it's something they've heard about or read about, many people seem to think garlic is the solution to their stuffiness. "I'll say that I've taken garlic out of people's ear canals, and it did not help with congestion," says Phillips.
Read the full story in Health.
Learn more about Katie Phillips, MD, online.
Featured image of Katie Phillips, MD, taken by Colleen Kelley/UC Creative + Brand.
Related Stories
How are tariffs impacting your retirement plans?
May 15, 2025
WVXU sat down with University of Cincinnati’s Michael Neugent for a look into how tariffs impact the markets, retirement funds and inflation. Neugent, associate professor-educator at Lindner College of Business and Director of the MS Finance Program, said that investors in the stock market prefer certainty in fiscal policy to help them map out investment decisions. “Right now, that lack of certainty is providing some angst within the market and investors,” he told WVXU. Many U.S. companies will face challenges from tariffs, but pauses on tariff plans can sometimes lead to more questions than answers.
University of Cincinnati project aims to aid people with spinal...
May 15, 2025
Spectrum News and Fox 19 highlighted University of Cincinnati research designing a user-centered, easy-to-use assistive device to help restore hand grasping motions for people with spinal cord injuries/diseases.
Hoxworth Co-Director David Oh, MD, named to America's Blood...
May 14, 2025
Hoxworth Blood Center, University of Cincinnati, is proud to announce that David Oh, MD, interim co-director and chief medical officer, has been appointed to America’s Blood Centers (ABC) Board of Directors.