Congestion and other nasal issues can make you feel miserable and affect your ability to breathe easily. Here are five common nasal problems and discusses treatment options.

Allergic rhinitis

Your nose is particularly sensitive to the effects of allergens in the air. Exposure to pollens, grass, weed, or mold can trigger uncomfortable symptoms, including:

• Frequent sneezing

• Congestion that makes breathing more difficult

• Runny nose

• Pain and pressure in your sinuses

• Itchy nose, eyes, ears, and throat

• Watery eyes

• Scratchy throat

Allergy medications or shots, prescription nasal sprays, decongestants, and antihistamines can help prevent or reduce your symptoms.

Non-allergic rhinitis

Non-allergic rhinitis isn't caused by airborne allergens, even though the symptoms are the same. Exposure to strong irritants, such as smoke, dust, pollution, and strong odors can cause the problem. Saline nasal spray can help wash away irritants, reducing your symptoms. Decongestants and prescription corticosteroid or antihistamine nasal sprays may also be helpful.

Nosebleeds

Nosebleeds happen to nearly everyone occasionally and are usually caused by dry nasal passages or a blow to the nose. Saline nasals sprays and water-based nasal gels help moisten your nasal passages. If your nosebleed is severe, it may be necessary to cauterize the blood vessel to stop the bleeding.

Deviated septum

Your septum is a layer of bone and cartilage that separates your nostrils. Very few people have perfectly proportional septums. Although many of us have deviated septums, in most cases the deviation is minor and doesn't affect breathing. If the deviation is severe, you may experience:

• Congestion

• Difficulty breathing

• Frequent sinus infections

• Nosebleeds

• Headaches

• Postnasal drip

• Snoring and sleep apnea

Nasal polyps

Nasal polyps are small growths that occur on the lining of your nose. Although they're usually benign, they can make it more difficult to breathe, cause runny noses and sinus pain, and increase your risk of sinus infections. Nasal corticosteroid strays can help shrink polyps, and antihistamines may be useful in reducing chronic nasal inflammation. If your polyps are large and other treatments haven't been unsuccessful, your ENT may recommend surgery.

Not sure what's causing your nasal issues? An ear, nose and throat doctor can diagnose the problem and offer treatments that will help you breathe easier. Call your ENT to schedule your appointment.

Having trouble breathing or catching your breath can certainly be a cause for concern. While it’s normal to be out of breath after an intense workout there are times when symptoms such as chest tightness, persistent coughing, wheezing and trouble breathing appear and any of these symptoms are usually signs that something more serious is going on.

As you might imagine, most breathing problems are associated with lung or respiratory conditions. These are problems that an otolaryngologist can easily help you treat or manage. Common lung conditions that can affect breathing include:

Asthma: a chronic condition that affects millions and causes inflammation and airway constriction, which results in coughing, wheezing and chest tightness. Symptoms can range from mild to life threatening.

Pneumonia: an infection of the respiratory tract that causes inflammation and fluid buildup in the lungs. It’s important to see an otolaryngologist immediately for treatment, as untreated pneumonia could be dangerous (and also highly contagious). Symptoms of pneumonia include:

• Shortness of breath
• Shallow breathing
• Productive cough, often with yellow or green mucus
• Chest pain that occurs when breathing deeply or coughing
• Chills
• Muscle aches
• Sweating and fever
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): this is a group of chronic inflammatory lung diseases that cause airway obstructions within the lungs. The most common types of COPD are chronic bronchitis and emphysema, a condition that most often occurs in smokers. Common symptoms of COPD include:

• Wheezing
• Mucus production
• Persistent cough
• Trouble breathing
• Chest tightness

This is a progressive condition that will make breathing even more difficult as the condition advances. It’s important to see an ENT doctor right away if you notice any symptoms of COPD. Early symptoms include exercise-induced rapid breathing, a persistent cough, and clearing your throat often (usually in the morning).

Lung cancer: this type of cancer develops anywhere in the lungs, allowing abnormal cells to multiply until a tumor forms. While many people who develop lung cancer are smokers, this form of cancer can also develop in those who have never smoked a day in their life. Early warning signs of lung cancer include:

• Vocal changes
• Hoarseness
• Chronic cough
• Bloody mucus when coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Feeling weak
• Unexpected weight loss

Since the early warning signs associated with lung cancer can also be caused by other respiratory conditions it is important to turn to an ear, nose, and throat doctor who will be able to perform the proper diagnostic tests to determine the cause of your symptoms.

If you are having trouble catching your breath it’s important that you find out why this is happening to you. Call your ENT doctor today for an evaluation.

Head and neck surgery is utilized for treating a range of conditions that impact the head, mouth, throat, sinuses, and glands, as well as cancerous or malignant and non-cancerous or benign neck and head tumors. In most cases, it also usually entails reconstructive surgery that’s conducted for restoring function or appearance following a medical condition or injury. Whether you or someone you love requires head and neck surgery, our ENT here at our Washington, D.C., practice, Dr. William Bond Jr., can develop a treatment plan that will best fit your requirements.

Why You May Need Head and Neck Surgery

In general, ENTs will recommend head and neck surgery if conservative treatment options for your specific condition are not available or failed to work and your quality of your life is already being affected by your condition. Surgery will also help prevent further complications. ENTs usually recommend surgery for the following conditions:

• Head and neck cancers
• Congenital deformities
• Cranial base disorders and tumors
• Balance and hearing disorders
• Facial nerve conditions
• Nasal disorders
• Mouth conditions and cancers
• Swallowing disorders
• Sinus conditions and cancers
• Thyroid disorders and cancers
• Throat, esophageal, and voice box conditions and cancers
• Traumatic injuries

Common Types of Head and Neck Surgeries

Our Dr. William Bond Jr. our ENT here at our practice in Washington, D.C., can perform these common head and neck surgical procedures:

Thyroid Surgery

You may require head and neck surgery if you have a malignant or benign thyroid gland tumor. Although some thyroid disorders or conditions don’t cause any issues, you should visit your ENT if you feel any symptoms of thyroid cancer, thyroid nodule, or thyroid disorder to figure out whether you need surgery. Warning signs to watch out for include:

• Swelling in the neck
• Pounding heart
• Muscle weakness
• Irritability
• Sudden weight gain or loss
• Nervousness
• Difficulty swallowing and/or breathing
• Sleeping issues

Surgery for Neck and Head Cancers

These cancers are usually treated using a combination of chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery. The most crucial thing to remember about cancers of the neck and head is that caught early on, they are usually treatable and oftentimes curable. There are many kinds of cancers that affect the neck and head, with the most common type being oral cancer, thyroid cancer, nasal or sinus cancer, and throat cancer.

Salivary Gland Surgery

You might need surgery if you have a tumor in your salivary gland. Common symptoms usually include:

• Trouble swallowing
• A swelling or lump around your mouth, neck, or jaw
• Pain or numbness near the salivary gland or part of the face
• Muscle weakness on just one portion of the face

Do note though that salivary gland tumors are usually benign and rare. But you should speak to your doctor the instant you feel any of the symptoms just to be on the safe side.

Need Head and Neck Surgery?

Arrange an appointment with our ENT, Dr. William Bond Jr. here at our office in Washington, D.C. Call (202) 726-7770 to schedule your consultation date.

It’s normal to experience bouts of dizziness if we are stressed, taking certain medications or haven’t eaten in a while; however, what might be going on if your dizziness persists? Dizziness isn’t an uncommon symptom. In fact, most people will experience dizziness that is serious enough to warrant seeing a doctor. While you may visit a family physician to find out what’s going on, don’t be surprised if you end up being referred to an ear, nose & throat doctor.

What causes dizziness?

Dizziness refers to a serious of sensations that make you feel lightheaded, off balance, unsteady or feeling like the world around you is spinning (vertigo). Sometimes dizziness may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting, particularly during more severe episodes. These symptoms can be unnerving but an otolaryngologist can often help.

The most common causes of dizziness that we see include:

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV): This problem affects the inner ear and can lead to persistent episodes of vertigo. Symptoms usually last no more than a minute and will typically come and go. Unfortunately, there often is no cause of BPPV; however, sometimes migraines or inner ear damage may be to blame. Sometimes this condition will go away on its own but an ENT doctor can also provide you with treatment options such as physical therapy that can get rid of symptoms sooner.

Vestibular neuronitis: Inflammation of the eight cranial nerve, known as the vestibular nerve, results in severe vertigo episodes that may cause you to lose balance. This condition can also cause nausea and vomiting. Symptoms usually last anywhere from 7 to 10 days and become milder over the course of several months. A viral or bacterial infection is usually to blame for inflammation of the vestibular nerve.

There are certain medications that can be prescribed by an ENT specialist to help lessen the severity and duration of your symptoms. Sometimes a special type of physical therapy is performed to treat this condition.

Labyrinthitis: This inner ear disorder occurs when one of the two vestibular nerves becomes inflamed. Along with dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and nausea you may also lose hearing in one ear. Any changes to your hearing warrant immediate medical attention. Viral, respiratory, and bacterial infections can all cause this disorder.

Medications such as corticosteroids, sedatives and antihistamines may be prescribed to help with your symptoms. Just like with vestibular neuronitis, a type of physical therapy known as vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) may also be recommended.

Meniere disease: This progressive inner ear condition also causes similar symptoms to labyrinthitis including tinnitus, hearing loss, pressure in the ears, and dizziness. Symptoms will gradually get worse over time, and these attacks may also cause a rapid pulse, blurry vision and anxiety.

While there is no cure, there are treatment options that can effectively manage your dizziness and also reduce fluid in the ear. Medications such as steroids, motion sickness medicines, and diuretics are often used, as well as rehabilitation, therapy, hearing aids, and sometimes surgery.

If you are dealing with dizziness or any other warning signs of an ear problem it’s a good time to turn to an ENT doctor who can help you find the right treatment to get you back on two steady feet again.

Find out the different ways to get your sleep apnea symptoms under control.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder that causes pauses in breathing while a person sleeps. This occurs when the tissues in the back of the throat collapse or relax, thus blocking the airways. This condition not only impacts the quality of sleep, but also causes low blood oxygen levels. Over time, untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious health problems such as diabetes and heart attack. Consequently, it's important to recognize the warning signs of sleep apnea so that you can schedule an appointment with our Washington, DC, ENT specialist, Dr. William Bond, Jr.

What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?

One of the telltale warning signs of sleep apnea is chronic, loud snoring. While not all chronic snorers have sleep apnea, the vast majority of those with sleep apnea do snore. Along with chronic snoring, you will also notice a feeling of intense and lingering exhaustion in the morning.

Furthermore, even if you do get a full night’s rest, you will often wake up groggy and sleepy which may affect your concentration/memory, lead to irritability, and might even cause you to fall asleep behind the wheel. It’s important that if you are experiencing any of these symptoms that you schedule a sleep study with your Washington, DC, ENT doctor as soon as possible.

How is sleep apnea treated?

Once you have received a diagnosis from our doctor, we will map out a treatment plan for you that will help you get your symptoms under control. The preferred method for treating sleep apnea is continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP) therapy, where a facemask is worn over the nose and/or mouth and pressurized air travels through it to keep airways open while you sleep. This device only needs to be used while you sleep.

Of course, your doctor will also discuss lifestyle changes that you can make to also alleviate symptoms. These lifestyle changes include,

• Losing excess weight
• Quitting smoking
• Avoiding alcohol and sedatives
• Change sleep positions
• Exercising regularly

Those with mild sleep apnea may benefit from wearing a custom oral appliance, which repositions the jaws to keep the airways open while sleeping. Those with milder cases may only need this device to manage their symptoms while those with more severe symptoms may find better relief through both oral appliance therapy and CPAP.

Concerned? Give us a call

If you or someone you love is living with sleep apnea in Washington, DC, call our office today at (202) 726-7770 to schedule a consultation with your ENT specialist, Dr. William Bond, Jr.