Q. My blood pressure was always high when it was taken at the beginning of a visit to the doctor. The second reading, at the end of the visit, was usually normal. But I discovered it wasn’t really white-coat hypertension one day when I arrived early for my appointment.

The hour-long drive had been stressing me out. When I allowed enough time to get there 15 minutes early, I was fine, and so was the first blood pressure reading. That’s a lesson learned for all of my meetings and appointments, not just the medical ones!

A. Stress can definitely raise blood pressure. Even the very mild stress of having a full bladder can ratchet the reading up. We appreciate the reminder to factor in a bit more time to our appointments so we don’t end up under pressure.

The guidelines recommend that people be allowed a few minutes to sit quietly before blood pressure is measured. Few medical practices follow that recommendation, though. Your solution is excellent.

Q. A couple of years ago, one of your readers wrote that she had used Listerine for dry skin on her arm, and it worked. It sounds illogical, but I was intrigued.

I tried an experiment: In January and February, the worst months for my problem with dry skin, I applied Vaseline every night to my right leg and Listerine to the left. Both legs were treated from knee to ankle. To my surprise, the treatments worked equally well — I could not tell a difference in the results.

A. We, too, are surprised. Listerine is a popular remedy for many different problems, but we’d not thought of dry skin. When we did a quick search of the research on PubMed, we found that skin has transient receptor potential channels called TRPV3 (Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, January 2019).

These calcium channels on nerves contribute to inflammation and itch when they are overactive. They react to carvacrol, a compound in thymol, which is one of the ingredients in Listerine. Other Listerine ingredients, such as eucalyptol and menthol, might also affect skin TRP channels.

Q. I just read your article on the possible consequences of “just the flu” and the effectiveness of antivirals. Someone with whom I volunteer had to leave the venue early last night feeling unwell. She reported this morning that her symptoms are consistent with the flu, so I am sharing your information with her.

Thankfully, I haven’t had the flu since I started getting an annual vaccine more than 30 years ago, but I’m glad to know my options if I do.

A. There are now rapid flu tests available without a prescription in most pharmacies. Having such a test kit on hand is advisable.

There are several antiviral medications, such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and baloxavir (Xofluza), that can reduce influenza severity and modestly shorten the duration of the flu. To learn more about ways to combat respiratory infection, you may appreciate our “eGuide to Colds, Coughs & the Flu.” This online resource can be found under the Health eGuides tab at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. In it, you will learn more about calming coughs naturally and utilizing antiviral medicines against influenza.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 300 W. 57th Street, 41st Floor, New York, NY 10019, or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.”