Do you have a condition that may require head and neck surgery? Our Washington, DC, ear, nose and throat specialist, Dr. William Bond, discusses head and neck surgery and explains symptoms you shouldn't ignore.

When is head and neck surgery needed?

Head and neck surgery is used to treat both benign (non-cancerous) and cancerous tumors. Cancer can affect any area of your head and neck, but typically develops in your parotid gland, submandibular gland, larynx, ear, eye, thyroid or parathyroid glands or tongue.

What symptoms will I notice if I need head or neck surgery?

In some cases, you'll actually see and feel a lump on your head or neck. In others, the symptoms will be much more subtle. Everyone experiences pain in the head or neck from time to time, but when it occurs often, it may be a sign of a problem. Cancer can cause a chronic cough or hoarseness or may even make it difficult to breathe or swallow. You can have cancer even if you don't have a large lump. For example, sores that won't go away or canker sores in the mouth that don't heal may be caused by cancer, although other conditions or diseases may be responsible for the problem, such as a blood disease or vitamin deficiencies. If you notice any of these symptoms, it's important to schedule an appointment with our Washington office as soon as possible.

What other types of surgery do ENTs perform?

Surgery may be recommended for other ear, nose and throat conditions when more conservative treatment methods aren't effective. If you have chronic sinusitis, a minor surgical procedure can remove inflamed tissues in your sinuses and remove blockages. In addition to sinus surgery, ENTs also use surgery to treat other infections and facial trauma, correct facial deformities and place tubes in the ears of children who suffer from frequent ear infections.

Are you concerned about a lump, chronic hoarseness, difficulty swallowing or other symptoms? Find out if you need head and neck surgery by scheduling an appointment with Washington, DC, ear, nose and throat specialist Dr. Bond at (202) 726-7770.

If you think you might be losing your hearing, you’re not alone. In fact, according to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) more than 30% of adults over 65 have some degree of hearing loss. That includes 14% of people between the ages of 45 and 64 have some degree of hearing difficulty.

• Hear muffled speech or sounds
• Have a problem understanding individual words
• Need people to speak more loudly or slowly
• Have to turn up the television or radio
• Withdraw from social events or conversations

• Protect your ears by wearing earplugs or earmuffs if you are in a loud workplace
• Have your hearing tested by an audiologist or ENT specialist. Current recommendations are to have your hearing tested at least every 10 years through age 50, and every three years after age 50.
• Protect your ears from damaging loud noises in your daily activities and recreation, especially listening to rock concerts, shooting guns or riding in loud vehicles.
• Take breaks from continuous loud noises.

How your ENT specialist in Washington, D.C. can help

If you snore, it can be annoying to the people around you, but if you wake up gasping for breath, it can be a sign of a much more serious condition. You could have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea affects over 18 million people in the United States, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Fortunately, sleep apnea can be treated. Dr. William R. Bond Jr. in Washington, D.C. wants to share the facts about this serious medical condition.

There are definite signs and symptoms of sleep apnea which include:

• Loud snoring
• Morning headaches and a sore throat
• Daily fatigue and sleepiness
• Suddenly waking up with a gasping or choking sensation

Sleep apnea results in the soft tissue at the back of your throat relaxing and blocking your airway while you sleep. When your airway is blocked, your vital organs and your brain don't receive enough oxygen. Without an adequate supply of oxygen, your body doesn’t function as well as it should. Sleep apnea can lead to an increased chance of:

• Impaired mental function
• Impaired physical ability
• Memory problems
• Stroke
• Heart failure

You can decrease the chances of experiencing sleep apnea by following a few simple steps, including:

• Taking a nasal decongestant
• Sleeping on your side
• Avoiding alcohol or sedatives

You should also try to give up smoking and maintain a healthy weight. Tobacco use and excess weight can also contribute to sleep apnea.

If you think you may have sleep apnea, you should visit a specialist like Dr. Bond. He can fit you with a Continuous Positive Air Pressure machine, called a CPAP. The CPAP delivers a continuous flow of oxygen through your mouth and nose while you sleep by way of a nosepiece which fits comfortably over your mouth and nose.

If you snore or are experiencing sleep apnea symptoms, don’t ignore them! Early treatment of sleep apnea can help you live a healthier, longer life. For more information on sleep apnea treatment, call Dr. William R. Bond Jr. in Washington, D.C. Start getting a better sleep by calling today!

Everyone, at one time or another, has suffered with sinusitis. However, many people don’t know exactly what sinusitis is or how best to treat it; a lot of misinformation exists. Our doctors want to clear up these misunderstandings. For example, sinusitis, while often caused by the common cold, is not a cold. A cold, which is a viral infection, presents with a number of symptoms, of which sinusitis may be one.

What is sinusitis?

What causes sinusitis?

What are the symptoms?

How long does a typical bout of sinusitis last?

What are my treatment options?

You may have allergies that show up in the spring when plants are flowering and grass is growing. You’ve grown used to the itchy, allergies watery eyes and sneezing. But now, you have allergies in winter too, when you’re indoors because of bad weather. Your ENT specialists want you to know that allergies aren’t just seasonal. They can affect you all year long.

Hay fever, also called allergic rhinitis, is common during the spring and summer months and is caused by an allergic response to tree or grass pollen and various other flowering plants. But allergies aren’t confined to just spring and summer. When you are indoors during the fall and winter, you can experience allergies to pet dander, dust mites, mold and many other indoor irritants. You can also be allergic to certain foods and not even realize it.

Your first step in dealing with allergies is to learn what you are allergic to. Your ENT doctors can test you for food allergies and a variety of both indoor and outdoor allergens. Once you’ve found out what you are allergic to, your doctors may prescribe:

Allergy shots—typically given once a week with either a single injection or multiple injections depending on how many things you are allergic to.

Sublingual drop therapy—a convenient option for people on the go, or those who don’t want injections; your doctors mix up a custom treatment solution which you can take at home and use daily, as a drop under your tongue.

There are also some remedies you can try at home to get relief from allergy symptoms, such as:

• Irrigating your nasal passages with a saline solution
• Over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants
• Using allergy-proof pillowcases and linens
• Using allergy or HEPA filters in your house, especially in the bedroom
• Vacuuming your carpets regularly
• Keeping your pets off of furniture and out of your bedroom

If you have irritating allergies, you already know they can affect your life. They can keep you from doing the things you like, and worst of all, they may not be just seasonal. But now there’s help just a phone call away from your ENT specialists. Call today and get some relief from your allergies!