If you’ve ever watched a boxing or MMA fight on television then chances are good that you may have noticed something a bit odd and maybe a bit disturbing about some of the fighters—their ears. Some fights have what is called “cauliflower ear” in which the outer ears have become deformed due to blunt-force trauma. This is most common in athletes who wrestle, box or are involved in contact sports (e.g. rugby). When someone develops auricular hematoma the goal is to always treat the problem right away to prevent cauliflower ear from happening in the future.

While wearing the proper headgear and protection can often prevent an auricular hematoma, sometimes injuries to the outer ear can still occur. When this hematoma surfaces the blood starts to collect, causing the cartilage and the connective tissue around it (perichondrium) to separate. If left untreated, the cartilage of the outer ear no longer gets the blood flow it needs, which leads to cartilage death (necrosis).

If this happens to you or someone you know it’s important that you seek treatment right away so that the ear can be properly drained and to prevent blood from collecting inside the ear. By coming in right away for medical care, an ENT doctor can prevent complications such as cartilage necrosis, infection, tympanic membrane rupture and cauliflower ear.

In order to properly drain the hematoma, this minor procedure is performed with a local anesthesia. Once the ear is numb, a small incision is made to the outer ear to drain the blood that has collected. Once the procedure is finished, there are several methods for which to bandage the ear.

Of course, one of the most common ways is to use thermoplastic splints, which prevent blood from re-accumulating within the ear. In other instances, a simple mattress suture is placed, which also prevents blood from collecting but doesn’t need to be removed (unlike splints). Once the sutures or splints have been placed, the ear will be covered with clean gauze. Finally, the head is wrapped in order to hold the gauze in place.

Before you leave, your ENT doctor will provide you with all the information you will need for how to keep the ear clean and protected as it heals. Just know that this kind of damage to the ear can be serious if left untreated. If you experienced this kind of trauma it’s important that you seek the guidance of an otolaryngologist right away so that we can tend to this traumatic injury and prevent complications.

Has your otolaryngologist told you that you have a deviated septum? If so, you may be wondering what this condition is, what issues it could possibly cause and when it might be time to have the issue corrected.

A deviated septum is a structural abnormality within the nose in which the wall that separates the two nasal passages deviates more to one side. As a result, one nasal passage is much smaller than the other. In more severe cases, the deviated septum can even completely block one passageway, making it more difficult to breathe out of your nose.

Those who have a deviated septum may find that they deal with more frequent nosebleeds or swelling of the nasal tissue. You may also experience facial pain and pressure. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms or finding it difficult to breathe out of your nose then you will want to visit an ENT doctor who can perform a thorough evaluation and determine whether your symptoms are caused by a deviated septum or another issue.

If we determine that you have a deviated septum there are a couple different courses of action in which we can take. If the deviated septum isn’t causing severe issues then the first defense will be to better manage your symptoms through the use of steroid nasal sprays, decongestants or antihistamines. While these medications won’t correct the problem it will help to reduce nasal congestion and swelling within the nasal passages to help you breathe better.

Of course, if your symptoms are severe and not controlled through medication then the next step will be surgery to repair the structural deformity. This procedure is called septoplasty, in which an ENT specialist will make incisions into the septum so that it can be repositioned into the proper place. In some cases, a rhinoplasty (“nose job”) may also be performed during the septoplasty to correct the shape, size or alignment of the nose and improve its appearance.

If you think you may be suffering from a deviated septum this is the perfect time to pick up the phone and call an otolaryngologist who can help manage your symptoms and help you breathe better.

Sleep Apnea: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder that occurs when your breathing is interrupted during sleep. Otolaryngologists, also known as ENT doctors, specialize in the treatment of disorders that affect the ear, nose, and throat. and have received the proper education and training needed to treat sleep apnea. Read on to learn more about sleep apnea. 

About Sleep Apnea 

Sleep apnea causes your breathing to become shallow or stop completely during sleep, sometimes repeatedly in a night. For individuals with sleep apnea, the combination of oxygen starvation and disturbed sleep may lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and memory problems. There is also evidence that individuals with moderate to severe severe sleep apnea die prematurely. 

Causes of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea has many different possible causes, with excessive weight and obesity being the most common. In adults, smoking, the use of sedatives, and alcohol use are also often associated with the condition. Sleep apnea can strike people of all ages, sexes, and body types, but people who are obese, smokers, older, or postmenopausal are the most at risk. According to a recent study, although the prevalence of sleep apnea increases with age, the severity of sleep apnea decreases with age. 

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Loud snoring is the most common sleep apnea symptom. However, not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. The symptoms of sleep apnea also include episodes of no breathing, breathing through the mouth, and loud breathing. People who have sleep apnea may also experience fatigue, daytime sleepiness, insomnia, sleep deprivation, dry mouth, headache, irritability, or mood swings. If you think that you might have sleep apnea, see an ENT doctor. Treatment can ease your symptoms. 

Sleep Apnea Treatments 

For a mild case of sleep apnea, your ENT doctor may recommend lifestyle changes, such as avoiding alcohol or losing weight. Sleep apnea is also treated with oral appliance therapy, a Thornton Adjustable Positioner (TAP), a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device, or an Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure (EPAP). 

Sleep apnea can take a serious toll on your emotional and physical health, but you can take steps to treat it today. Call our office at (202) 726-7770 right now to schedule an appointment with our talented ENT Dr. William Bond Jr. Our sleep apnea treatments can immediately change your life for the better!

A cleft palate is a birth defect that affects the shape and formation of the roof of the mouth, causing a split in either the soft tissue or the bony portion. This condition occurs early on in pregnancy as the baby is developing. Of course, a cleft palate will not be detected until after a baby is born. While this malformation can be disheartening and stressful for parents, it’s important to understand this birth defect and how it can be repaired.

Depending on the severity of the cleft palate, your otolaryngologist will be able to determine how many surgeries will be necessary. The first surgery alone can improve the function of the middle ears, improve how the palate functions and even ensure that teeth and certain bones within the face develop properly.

In some cases, your child may also require bone grafting surgery at some point during childhood to improve the health of your gums and to make sure that permanent teeth are properly supported. As you might imagine, getting cleft palate surgeries early on will also improve your child’s speech and prevent impediments.

Additional surgeries may also be required to improve certain areas of the face such as the nose, as well as to improve breathing or to realign the jaws. After the surgeries are complete, other procedures may be performed in order to reduce the appearance of the scar.

It’s important to know that despite the lengthy treatment process and multiple surgeries that children who undergo cleft palate repair early on in life can achieve a greater quality of life. Not only do these surgeries provide a more natural appearance, but they prevent certain health problems (e.g. hearing loss) while also restoring proper speech and chewing.

If your baby was born with a cleft palate or cleft lip it’s important that you find an ENT doctor that you can trust to discuss surgery and to find out if this is the best option for your little one.

If you’ve ever suffered from a stuffy nose, facial pain, and pressure around the nose, cheeks, and eyes, or experienced postnasal drip (in which nasal mucus drains down your throat), then you’ve experienced a sinus infection before. A sinus infection, also known as sinusitis, occurs when the nasal passages become inflamed or irritated. Sometimes an infection can be so bad that the inflammation can actually block these airways. Acute forms of this infection often come about after a cold; however, those with nasal polyps or a deviated septum may be prone to recurring bouts of sinusitis.

Acute sinusitis can last anywhere from two to four weeks and the condition will often clear up by itself. Of course, sometimes it’s necessary to see an otolaryngologist for treatment. For example, it’s a good idea to call a specialist if you’ve been trying to handle your symptoms at home but they haven’t improved after a few days. You should also schedule an appointment if symptoms get worse.

To manage symptoms of acute sinusitis you may try over-the-counter decongestants and nasal sprays to help reduce inflammation and drain the sinuses. If these medications don’t improve symptoms within a couple of days then you may need a stronger medication such as corticosteroids. In some cases, antibiotics may actually be necessary to clear the infection.

Chronic sinus infections last more than 12 weeks and most sufferers experience the exact same symptoms as those with acute sinusitis such as nasal congestion, facial pressure, or a partial or complete blockage of the nasal cavity. It’s important that you visit an ENT doctor as soon as possible to find out what your treatment options are. In some cases, a prescription medication along with over-the-counter medications and alternative remedies can help ease symptoms until the problem subsides. In more severe cases, the patient may need to consider more aggressive measures.

In the past, the only option for those dealing with severe and chronic sinus infections was to undergo surgery. Luckily, technology has come a long way and now ENT specialists can also offer a simple non-surgical procedure known as balloon sinuplasty. No incisions or cutting is required; the only tool used is a small flexible tube with a deflated balloon at the end of it.

The tube is carefully guided into the obstructed nasal passage where the balloon is inflated to open up the airways and drain the sinuses. Once this occurs, the scope is removed but the airways remain open. The side effects from this procedure are minimal and most patients can return to their normal activities 2 days later.

Of course, sometimes it’s necessary to perform sinus surgery to effectively treat chronic sinusitis. To decide the right treatment option for you, it’s important to schedule a consultation with an otolaryngologist you trust.