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
Sugar overload killing hearts
November 10, 2025
Two in five people will be told they have diabetes during their lifetime. And people who have diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease. One of the deadliest dangers? Diabetic cardiomyopathy. But groundbreaking University of Cincinnati research hopes to stop and even reverse the damage before it’s too late.
Is going nuclear the solution to Ohio’s energy costs?
November 10, 2025
The Ohio Capital Journal recently reported that as energy prices continue to climb, economists are weighing the benefits of going nuclear to curb costs. The publication dove into a Scioto Analysis survey of 18 economists to weigh the pros and cons of nuclear energy. One economist featured was Iryna Topolyan, PhD, professor of economics at the Carl H. Lindner College of Business.
App turns smartwatch into detector of structural heart disease
November 10, 2025
An app that uses an AI model to read a single-lead ECG from a smartwatch can detect structural heart disease, researchers reported at the 2025 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association. Although the technology requires further validation, researchers said it could help improve the identification of patients with heart failure, valvular conditions and left ventricular hypertrophy before they become symptomatic, which could improve the prognosis for people with these conditions.