Do you have breathing problems such as wheezing, shortness of breath, a chronically stuffed nose, or throat tightness? If so, you should seek a consultation with your local ENT physician. These doctors have numerous ways to diagnose and treat your breathing problems associated with the nose and upper airway so you can function well and get on with your daily life.

The symptoms of breathing problems

Breathing problems associated with asthma, pneumonia, COPD, or bronchitis usually differ from those stemming from the nasal passages, larynx, or trachea. For respiratory difficulty associated with the lungs, patients see a pulmonary specialist. For the upper airway, people see an otolaryngologist.

What are the symptoms of upper airway breathing problems? You may experience some or all of the following:

• Wheezing which is noticeable to other people
• Persistent coughing
• Mouth breathing
• Voice hoarseness
• Fatigue to the extreme, particularly on exertion
• Throat tightness
• Constant nasal congestion and frequent nose blowing

What could be the cause?

According to Michigan Medicine, chronic or acute sinusitis (aka sinus infection) affects millions of people in the US. If left untreated, sinusitis leaves patients feeling fatigued due to the increased symptoms of coughing, congestion, and nose blowing.

Common causes for acute sinusitis include inflammation from allergies and exposure to viruses and bacteria from environmental pollution. Chronic sinusitis may stem from exposure to tobacco smoke, although it arises more commonly from nasal polyps, inflamed sinus turbinates, and deviated septums.

Diagnosing and treating breathing problems

As related to the upper airway, your ENT will ask you to describe your symptoms. Then, your nasal passages and sinuses will be examined with an endoscope, a thin, lighted tube which contains a small camera.

The otolaryngologist takes images of structures which could be obstructing your airway and causing your symptoms. Precise CT scanning gives the doctor more views of what's happening inside the air-filled cavities that we call sinuses.

Common treatments include steroidal sprays, oral steroids, antibiotics, allergy testing, pain treatment, and sinus surgery (a last resort option). Additionally, simple nasal irrigation with a Neti pot can flush out excess mucus, open passages, and reduce breathing difficulties.

Tackle your breathing problems

Your ENT doctor can help relieve your discomfort by listening to your symptoms, carefully performing a full assessment, and curating a treatment plan tailored to your needs. Make the call today!

Do you need head and neck surgery? With these treatments, your Washington D.C. otolaryngologist, Dr. William Bond, Jr. M.D., treats both benign and malignant conditions that affect the head and neck. Here are 5 reasons why you may need one of these procedures!

1. Head & Neck Cancer: Your otolaryngologist may recommend a specific surgical procedure depending on the type and stage of your head and neck cancer. Types of surgery for head and neck cancer include laser surgery, excision, flexible robotic surgery, lymph node removal, and reconstructive microsurgery. During surgery, the goal is to remove the tumor and some surrounding healthy tissue.

2. Parotid Tumor: Parotid tumors are the most common type of salivary gland tumors. While the majority of parotid tumors are benign, the parotid glands are where almost 25 percent of malignant tumors develop. If you have a parotid tumor, you may notice a lump in the jaw area. In most cases, surgery to remove part or all of the parotid gland is the preferred treatment for parotid tumors.

3. Neck Lump: All neck lumps in adults and children should be checked right away by a doctor. There are many causes of abnormal lumps in the neck, although most lumps generally turn out to be enlarged lymph nodes. These can be caused by viral or bacterial or viral infections, cancer, or other causes. If the cause is a mass or cyst, you may need surgery to remove it.

4. Oral Cancer: Oral cancer can develop in any part of the mouth, with only a biopsy able to give a definitive diagnosis. During a biopsy, your doctor will remove a small amount of tissue for laboratory analysis. A pathologist will examine the cells under a microscope to see if they're cancerous. If oral cancer is detected early, it is almost always curable through surgery.

5. Thyroid Nodules: Thyroid nodules are lumps that form within the thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck. Most thyroid nodules are harmless and do not cause symptoms. However, about five percent of thyroid nodules do prove to be cancerous. A thyroid nodule that's benign may require surgery, especially if it's so big that it makes it hard to swallow or breathe. Surgery may also be recommended for patients with large multinodular goiters, particularly when the goiters constrict airways, blood vessels, or the esophagus.

Give Us a Call!

Ready to take control of your health? If you think you may need head and neck surgery, call the William Bond, Jr. M.D. office at (202) 726-7770 right now to schedule an otolaryngology consultation in Washington, D.C. Make an investment in your health now and for your future—you’re worth it!

Do you find yourself dealing with persistent sinus infections? Have nasal congestion and facial pressure become the norm? If so, then it’s time to turn to an otolaryngologist who can provide you with the relief that you need! While acute sinusitis is usually nothing to worry about and will go away fully after a few weeks of treatment, chronic sinusitis often needs a more proactive solution. If you have been battling a sinus infection for over 12 weeks and it’s not responding to treatment, then it’s time to consider other treatment options. Read on to learn more!

How to Treat Chronic Sinusitis

One of the ways to treat chronic nasal inflammation and blockages is through a simple endoscopic sinus procedure. Unlike traditional surgery, this procedure is minimally invasive and doesn’t require major incisions or removal of bone or tissue.

While this procedure isn’t necessary for patients dealing with acute bouts of sinusitis, if you are someone dealing with a true chronic form of sinusitis, then it might be time to consider endoscopic sinus surgery.

When you come in for a consultation, an ENT doctor will perform a physical exam and talk to you about your symptoms. Common symptoms of chronic sinusitis include,

• Nasal drainage
• Nasal obstruction and congestion
• Facial pressure or pain
• Post-nasal drip
• Frequent headaches
• Reduced smell or taste

Along with a physical exam, an otolaryngologist will insert an endoscope (a small tube with a camera) into the nostrils to look for drainage, blockages, or signs of infection or inflammation. Sometimes a CT scan is necessary to diagnose your infection.

When it comes to treating chronic sinusitis, your doctor will first turn to non-surgical treatment options like prescription steroids, antibiotics, nasal sprays, or allergy treatments (e.g. antihistamines).

If these treatments aren’t giving you the symptom relief that you need, then we will talk to you about whether minimally invasive sinus surgery is the right way to treat your chronic sinus symptoms.

How Minimally Invasive Sinus Surgery Works

During this procedure, an ENT specialist will insert an endoscope into the blocked or inflamed nostril and guide it gently through the sinuses. There are different methods involved in this type of sinus surgery. Sometimes at the end of the endoscope is a camera, which allows us to carefully remove enlarged tissue to improve breathing. Any pus or signs of infection are also drained out. Once this procedure is performed, certain medications are prescribed for long-term management.

Balloon sinuplasty has become another popular minimally invasive sinus procedure because it does not require any tissue removal. Instead of a camera at the end of the endoscope, there is a deflated balloon that is inflated once it’s placed into the blocked or inflamed nasal cavity. As the balloon is inflated, it opens up the blocked passageway so it can properly drain. Then the doctor will clean out the sinuses with a saline solution to remove any remaining pus or bacteria.

Give Us a Call!

Minimally invasive sinus surgery is extremely effective at treating chronic sinusitis. If you are dealing with this condition, then it’s time to talk to your otolaryngologist about whether this procedure is right for you.

Find out which type of hearing aid will help you get back in the conversation again.

Has an ENT doctor or audiologist determined that you have hearing loss? If so, you may be wondering, “What now?” Well, the next step is to get fitted for a hearing aid. Of course, with all the advancements in technology there are now so many options when it comes to hearing aids that it can be a bit confusing. Here are some things to consider when shopping for a hearing aid,

The Style

Discretion is usually one of the most important factors that someone mentions when getting a hearing aid (we know being able to hide your hearing aid from others is important). Of course, there are other factors to consider that can help you determine the right style for you. Common hearing aid styles include:

• Invisible-in-the-canal
• Completely-in-the-canal
• In-the-canal
• In-the-ear
• Receiver-in-canal
• Behind-the-ear (often the most versatile hearing aid to accommodate all severities of hearing loss)

Special and Advanced Features

Hearing aids now come with some pretty awesome features and while some may not apply to you or be particularly important for your lifestyle, there are other features that you may wish to have. Top features include:

Noise reduction

This feature separates out dynamic sounds (e.g. television; conversations) from static sounds (e.g. running water) and increases the dynamic sounds while reducing static sounds, making it easier to hear what you actually want to hear.

Directionality

Noisy environments can be a real pain for people with hearing loss. Here’s where the directionality feature on a hearing aid comes in handy. Instead of just “turning up” the volume on all sounds around you, this feature allows you to hear what’s in closer proximity and help you turn your attention and focus on the person in front of you rather than the noisy environment around you. This is particularly helpful for those who work in loud environments such as restaurants.

Multiple channels

Just because a hearing aid has more channels than another doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better. What it means is that these different channels offer ways to adjust different frequencies. Therefore, those dealing with both low-end and high-end pitch problems can adjust the volume on one without necessarily adjusting the volume on another. The idea is that these different channels help even out what a person can hear.

Your Hearing Loss

Of course, the type and severity of your hearing loss will also play a factor in which kind of hearing aid will truly give you the best opportunity to understand those around you. This is something that your otolaryngologist can discuss with you during your evaluation and fitting. There are many options available for those dealing with everything from mild to profound hearing loss.

Are you ready to sit down with an ENT specialist to discuss your hearing aid options? Don’t put off addressing your hearing difficulties. The sooner you treat your hearing loss the better.

For the most delicate and important disorders of the head and neck, seek the diagnostic and treatment skills of ENT doctor, Dr. William Bond. In his Washington, D.C., practice, Dr. Bond specializes in disorders of the ears, nose and throat, using a variety of treatment modalities to help patients achieve optimal wellness and function. Do you need head and neck surgery?

The first step

Most patients come to Dr. Bond's ENT practice in Washington, D.C., with a variety of symptoms. Perhaps it's blocked nasal passages, a sluggish metabolism, sleep apnea or a suspicious lump in the area of the salivary glands. Whatever the complaint, Dr. Bond will:

• Review the symptoms
• Review the medical, surgical and prescription history
• Do a complete physical examination of the ears, nose and throat
• Order lab work as needed

Then, the doctor may perform in-office diagnostics such as endoscopy (a lighted tube introduced into the esophagus, or food pipe) to visualize interior structures or even take tissue samples for biopsy. While Dr. Bond and other otolaryngologists strive to use the most conservative treatment methods possible (medications as an example), sometimes head and neck surgery is the best option. Dr. Bond performs a variety of procedures both in the office and in the local hospital.

Common head and neck procedures

Rest assured you will be informed fully on your condition and treatment options. You will receive pre-operative instructions and discharge and after-care instructions so you know what to expect before, during and after your procedure.
Common head and neck surgeries include:

• Removal of the thyroid and parathyroid glands
• Excision of tumors and cancerous lesions (about four percent of all cancers involve the head and neck, says the American Society of Clinical Oncology)
• Treatment of voice and swallowing disorders
• Soft tissue removal and reconstruction for treatment of sleep apnea
• Removal of benign nasal polyps
• Tonsillectomy
• Septoplasty to alleviate a deviated septum, the divider between the right and left nostril

Find out more

If you're in need of head and neck surgery, come see the expert: otolaryngologist Dr. William Bond. He and his professional and caring staff will give you the information you need so you are fully prepared for your important procedure and can expect the best of outcomes. Phone our office in Washington, D.C., at (202) 726-7770 for an appointment.