With more people wearing goggles to protect themselves against COVID-19, experts warned that wearing ill-fitting goggles could cause headaches.
Sui Shan-chung (隋善中), a doctor at Nantou Hospital, said that pericranial soft tissues are repeatedly squeezed or pulled whenever a person wears a hat, helmet, face shield or goggles, which could lead to supraorbital neuralgia, also known as “goggle headaches.”
People experience “goggle headaches” after swimming if they wear ill-fitting goggles, Sui said, adding that the symptoms ease when they take off the goggles.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
“When people buy protective or swimming goggles, they should check if the goggles are too tight to wear, which could squeeze nerves and subsequently cause headaches. Should the headaches persist, they would need to take painkillers,” Sui said.
If patients continue experiencing headaches after taking painkillers, they can be treated with nerve hydrodissection, he said.
Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration also advised people on the correct way to wear a mask to avoid damaging the skin.
Wearing a mask with too many layers would leave marks on the face and irritate the skin, the agency said, adding that people should use medical masks that are certified as safe to use.
To avoid chafing behind the ears, people should apply petroleum jelly and cover the skin behind ears with gauze before putting on a mask, it said.
People should refrain from repeatedly removing their mask and putting it back on, and touching their face with their hands, the agency said, adding that they should also avoid wearing thick makeup or using oily skincare products if they have to wear a mask for a long time.
People should wear a new mask if their mask becomes damaged or tainted, it said.
Non-medical workers should not wear an N95 mask, as it could cause a reddened and oily face, it added.
People should quickly remove their mask and clean their face thoroughly when they return home, the agency said, adding that they should consult a dermatologist if wearing a mask causes pimples, skin infections or allergies.
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