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.

Pain, pressure, drainage--it's a familiar scenario. You have a sinus infection again, and you must address it. Dr. William Bond Jr. treats scores of sinus infections--both acute and chronic--in his Washington, DC otolaryngology office. With precise diagnostic skill and accurate treatment, you can feel better and breathe easier.

What are sinuses?

Your sinuses are air-filled spaces in the skull above your eyes, between your eyes and at the sides of your nose. Called the maxillary (the biggest), frontal, ethmoid, and sphenoid sinuses, these cavities provide humidity to the air we breathe, make our voices distinctively ours and lighten our heavy skulls.

Lined with moist mucous membranes, sinuses become irritated from airborne pollutants and allergens and may stay inflamed after a cold or the flu. They trouble us when injured or are congenitally malformed. Sometimes, polyps, small benign tumors, grow in the sinuses because of chronic irritation from allergies.

The details on sinus infection

The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology says 31 million Americans suffer from some form of sinus infection every year. They experience symptoms which include:

• Headache and facial pain
• Pressure
• Congestion
• Runny nose
• Tiredness
• Bad breath
• Fever

When symptoms last more than two weeks, or infections repeat over and over again, see Dr. Bond in his Washington, DC office. Sinus infections may be acute, or of limited duration, or they may be so frequent as to be chronic and difficult to relieve at home.

Treating sinus infections

Treatment begins with a review of symptoms and other diagnostics such as nasal examination (nasal endoscopy) with a lighted scope and/or a sophisticated CT scan. Dr. Bond looks for nasal polyps, inflammation, structural problems such as a deviated septum (which divides one side of the nose from the other) and other problems. He may wish to perform allergy testing if he feels allergens, such as pet dander, trigger chronic infections.

Based on his findings, he'll present a customized care plan which may include:

• Antihistamines to reduce symptoms of allergic rhinitis
• Antibiotics to heal infection
• Nasal irrigation, or lavage
• Decongestants
• Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen

Plus, as the patient, you track your symptoms, noting how they start, how long they last and what, if anything, relieves them. This information helps Dr. Bond understand more about your sinusitis.

Finally, as you recover, rest and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. If you smoke, consider stopping as cigarettes irritate the lungs and nasal passages, setting the stage for sinusitis.

Contact us

If you're struggling with your sinuses, look into examination and treatment with board-certified otolaryngologist, Dr. Bond. Together, you can find a solution and feel better. Call the office today at (202) 726-7770.

It started as a small itch, but now it’s completely bloomed into a sore throat. Do you know the best way to treat it? No matter the cause, your doctor can help you alleviate the pain.

What Could Be Causing Your Sore Throat

The first step in figuring out how to treat your sore throat is determining its source. A sore throat can be a symptom of many different issues, such as smoking or allergies, but the three most common causes are—

A cold: Often, a sore throat is just the first sign of a viral cold. You’ll know if this is the case for you if the pain subsides after a day or two and if you begin exhibiting other cold symptoms, like a runny nose or cough.

Strep throat: Caused by an infection of the streptococcus bacteria passed through saliva and nasal secretions, strep throat is a more severe cause of a sore throat. Other symptoms common to it are white spots on your throat area, fever, and swollen lymph nodes in your neck.

Tonsillitis: This is a very painful sore throat caused by an inflammation of the tonsils from an infection by viruses or bacteria. Tonsillitis’s biggest additional symptom is swollen tonsils with white or yellow spots, but others are bad breath and an impaired voice from the swelling.

What You Can Do at Home

If your sore throat is caused by a virus, there isn’t much you can do other than let the virus run its course. But no matter what is causing your sore throat, there are steps you can take at home to ease your pain and help you get better, including:

• Get plenty of sleep and avoid speaking more than necessary
• Drink lots of fluids to keep your throat moist and you hydrated. Just avoid dehydrating liquids like coffee and alcohol.
• Stick to soothing foods and beverages. This includes warm liquids like soup or water with honey and cool treats like Jell-O or ice cream.
• Gargle with saltwater—¼–½tspn sea salt to 4–8oz warm water.

Lozenges and over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen can also help alleviate a sore throat, but be cautious if you’re treating your child.

Treatment from Your Doctor

You should see your doctor as soon as possible if you are dealing with a severe or persistent sore throat. A rapid strep test is often needed to diagnose strep throat, and only your doctor can tell for sure if you have tonsillitis and if it is from a bacteria or virus. If the cause of a sore throat is bacteria, your doctor will prescribe you antibiotics like penicillin or amoxicillin to kill it. Always take all of the medication as prescribed, even if you already feel better, and stay home until 24 hours after starting the antibiotic.

Sore throats can definitely be painful but they don’t have to be frustrating or a cause for worry. If you have any questions or concerns about a sore throat or any other symptoms, don’t hesitate to call your doctor today.

Have you ever had a sore throat (pharyngitis)? Ir's a common symptom of a cold or the flu, and Medical News Today says that sore throats take many people to the doctor. Your ENT doctor in Washington, DC, Dr. William Bond Jr., regularly sees many cases of pharyngitis, can diagnose yours accurately and render proper treatment.

Causes of sore throat

For many people, pharyngitis results from the inflammation, coughing, sneezing, and postnasal drip of the flu or a cold. In particular, children find it hard to eat when their throats are sore, making swallowing and even talking difficult. Additionally, many individuals get sore throats when allergies, asthma, or chronic sinusitis flare up.

Some sore throats simply resolve after an acute illness or allergy issue. Others, however, are more serious and require medical intervention.

Strep throat is one such condition. Untreated, Strep infections affect the lymph nodes in the neck and can infect the tonsils, too. A throat culture pinpoints the cause, and typically, your Washington ENT doctor prescribes an antibiotic to cure the infection and reduce the sometimes drastic inflammation in the throat.

Additionally, constant exposure to indoor or outdoor pollution, allergens (such as grass pollen or animal dander), or tobacco smoke cause sore throats. People who have weakened immune systems are susceptible, too.

Finally, you may be surprised to know that acid reflux, or GERD, often creates a chronic sore throat. As the acidic stomach contents back up into the esophagus, the lining of this food pipe become irritated, causing a cough, raspy voice, and pharyngitis.

What you can do

Most sore throats are uncomfortable, but in the end, no big deal. However, some are worrisome (such as Strep throat) and can even lead to serious complications such as meningitis, pneumonia, kidney infections, and tonsillar abscess.

In rare cases, patients present with symptoms of dangerous epiglottitis, which leads to significant swelling of the larynx and airway. This can be a medical emergency if breathing becomes obstructed.

As such, you should know when a call to your primary care physician or otolaryngologist is warranted. Phone Dr. Bond if your sore throat:

• Lasts more than seven days
• Is accompanied by a headache, fever of 101, earache, or a lump at the side of the neck
• Makes you unable to open and close your mouth properly
• Is accompanied by blood in the sputum
• Keeps coming back
• Causes your throat to be extremely hoarse on a continuing basis

Still not comfortable?

Then, please don't wait. Contact Dr. Bond's office for an appointment in Washington, DC, and get to the root of your sore throat issues. Call (202) 726-7770.