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ENT DOCTOR BLOG
As kids, most of us loved putting out our arms and spinning and spinning until we fell dizzy. Of course, experiencing a spinning world around us when we are planted firmly on earth or aren’t on an amusement park ride, can feel incredibly scary. Welcome to the world of those with vertigo. Vertigo is a condition that makes you feel off-balance, lightheaded, and perhaps a bit disoriented. If this is happening to you here’s what you should know.Vertigo and dizziness are different
Vertigo makes you feel as if you are moving even though you are standing still. The room around you may spin. You may feel nauseous, or you may even vomit if the vertigo is severe. Dizziness, on the other hand, occurs when you simply feel off-balance or lightheaded. Vertigo truly makes you feel as if you are spinning.
Vertigo is typically the result of a health problem
Vertigo is usually a symptom of an underlying medical condition that impacts the function of the inner ear. How do we know that? Within our inner ears lie our vestibular system, which helps us stay oriented and balanced. Every day, an ENT doctor diagnoses and treats a variety of conditions and diseases that impact the vestibular system and cause vertigo. Some of the most common causes of vertigo include,
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
- Labyrinthitis
- Meniere’s disease
- Vestibular neuritis
- Head injuries
- Stroke
- Multiple sclerosis
- Colds
Vertigo may be acute and simply go away on its own, while other causes will require treatment from an ear, nose, and throat doctor. If your vertigo is severe, is persistent, or is accompanied by hearing loss or vision changes, you must see your doctor immediately.
There are many ways to treat vertigo
It’s important for an ENT doctor to first determine the cause of your vertigo before prescribing any medications or treatments. We need to treat the underlying cause effectively to get rid of your vertigo. Some of how we may treat your vertigo include,
- Medications: Antibiotics or steroids are prescribed to treat infections or inflammation, while other medications may help alleviate nausea and vomiting caused by the vertigo
- Vestibular rehabilitation: If you deal with chronic or recurring bouts of vertigo your ENT may recommend vestibular rehab to help retrain the vestibular system to be able to better recognize the spatial orientation
- Canalith repositioning maneuvers: This technique is most often used to treat benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and uses certain head movements to reposition calcium deposits within the canal of the inner ear
If vertigo or dizziness is happening to you or a loved one, an ENT doctor may be the perfect doctor to turn to for answers and an evaluation. Don’t ignore your symptoms of lightheadedness and dizziness. An ENT professional can help.
We’ve all experienced it: that nasty feeling when mucus drains down your throat. This problem is known as postnasal drip and it can also kick-up a variety of other unpleasant symptoms. While our throat and nasal passages are always producing mucus to protect against foreign invaders and to fight infections, sometimes the body produces too much mucus, which results in postnasal drip. Find out what causes postnasal drip and how an ENT doctor can help you manage this unpleasant symptom.What are the signs of postnasal drip?
Along with extra mucus draining from the nose into the back of your throat, other signs of postnasal drip include:
- Hoarseness
- Persistent cough, often worse at night
- A need to constantly clear your throat
- Scratchy or sore throat
- Painful ear infections
- Sinus infections
- Bad breath
- Nausea (due to mucus going into the stomach)
What causes postnasal drip?
So, what is triggering all that unwanted and excess mucus that’s now draining down your throat? There are a few possible reasons such as:
- A cold or flu
- Allergies
- Sinusitis
- Dry, cold air
- Changes in weather
- Deviated septum (a common malformation in the nasal wall that separates the two cavities)
- Pregnancy
- Certain medications (e.g., blood pressure medication; birth control)
- Chemicals and environmental irritants (e.g., perfumes; smoke)
How is postnasal drip treated?
At-home care and over-the-counter medications such as antihistamines may alleviate your postnasal drip, especially if it is caused by allergies. Saline nasal sprays and neti pots can also provide moisture to the nasal passages. Sleep with your head slightly propped up and make sure that you are staying hydrated throughout the day.
If you’re dealing with recurring postnasal drip, postnasal drip that lasts more than 10 days, or postnasal drip that’s accompanied by fever or green discharge (signs of a bacterial infection), you must turn to an ENT doctor for the appropriate medication and treatment. If a bacterial infection is present, your ENT will prescribe a round of antibiotics. Structural issues such as a deviated septum can only be corrected through surgery.
If other conditions such as acid reflux could be to blame, a doctor can run the right diagnostic tests to determine the cause and to provide you with a custom treatment plan to get your postnasal drip in check.
Sore throats are incredibly common. In fact, most of us will deal with at least one, if not more, during our lifetime. From scream-singing your way through a concert to catching a viral infection, there are many reasons why you may be dealing with a sore throat. While the problem is typically nothing serious, our ENT doctors know that you also want relief from that raw, scratchy throat. Here are some simple at-home methods for easing your sore throat.Rinse and gargle with saltwater: Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of sea or table salt to an 8-ounce glass of warm water. Gargle with this concoction for several seconds, multiple times a day (just don’t swallow it!). The salt can quickly reduce inflammation and swelling. You may also choose to replace salt with baking soda. Baking soda can kill bacteria, so it could be good if your sore throat is due to a bacterial infection such as strep.
Add honey to your tea: You may already be consuming cup-after-cup of tea, hoping that it alleviates your sore throat. While there are certain teas on the market that are designed to numb and soothe a sore, scratchy throat, you may also want to start adding manuka honey into your tea. Honey is full of antimicrobials, to help fight infection, and can also provide natural healing properties and suppress your cough. Have a cup of tea with honey before heading to bed and see if that helps soothe your throat so you can get some shuteye.
Invest in a humidifier: If you find that your sore throat occurs when the air around you is dry, or if dry air makes your current symptoms worse, it’s a good idea to add a humidifier to your home. You may also want to take a hot, steamy shower every day to help add moisture to the mucus membranes of the nose and throat. This can help to loosen and clear out some of that mucus.
A sore throat can be caused by a variety of things. It’s important to know the cause before you start trying your hand at at-home remedies, since some may be useful for certain causes but not for others. If you aren’t sure what’s causing your sore throat, you should see an ENT doctor for an evaluation.
Common causes of acute sore throats include,
- Viral infections such as a cold, flu, or mono (causes about 90 percent of sore throats)
- Strep infection and other bacterial infections
- Dry air
- Smoke and other irritants
- Strain, overuse, or injury
However, if you are dealing with chronic or recurring sore throats this could be a sign of acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease. Other causes of a persistent sore throat include,
- Allergies
- Mouth breathing
- Postnasal drip
- Tonsillitis
- Environmental irritant and pollutants
- Gonorrhea
- Smoking
You must turn to a qualified ENT specialist if your sore throat doesn’t go away, is severe, or makes it difficult to swallow. While some sore throats will go away on their own, sometimes you’ll need antibiotics or other medications to get rid of the infection.
Dealing with a buildup of earwax? Find out how earwax impaction can affect your hearing.Earwax is important for the health of the ear, as it helps trap bacteria and other particles that could affect the health and function of the eardrum. So, while you might think that earwax is simply a nuisance that you need to get rid of, it’s best to leave your ears alone. After all, your ears are self-cleaning. In fact, using Q-tips in your ears can simply just push earwax further into the ear canal, leading to impaction. If you are dealing with impacted earwax you may experience,
- Muffled hearing
- A feeling of fullness in the ears
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Ear pain
- Dizziness
If an infection develops you may notice a severe earache, drainage comes from the ear or a fever. If you develop symptoms of an infection, you must see your ENT as soon as possible for treatment.
What should I do if I have an earwax impaction?
If you have impacted earwax you may try over-the-counter kits to rinse out the ears and remove the earwax; however, it’s best to have a qualified ENT doctor examine your ear and not just determine if your symptoms are due to impacted earwax but also to safely remove the excess wax.
If you are dealing with impacted earwax you mustn’t stick a cotton swab or other tools into your ears to try and remove the earwax, as this could damage or puncture the eardrum.
Your ENT doctor has special tools and suction devices to be able to flush out the earwax buildup and to clean out the ears. Some people are prone to earwax buildup, particularly seniors. If this is something that you deal with regularly then your doctor may recommend special ear drops that can break up the earwax.
If you’re having trouble with impacted earwax, or earwax buildup talk with your ENT specialist about safe strategies to keep your ears clean. While there are tools that can be effective and safe, when used properly, you may wish to turn to a qualified doctor to find out the best way to keep your ears clean.
Know the signs that it’s time to visit an ear, nose and throat doctor.
While you may turn to your regular doctor if you are dealing with minor issues such as an earache or a sore throat, there are certain conditions and diseases that require the specialized treatment and care that only our Washington, DC, ENT doctor Dr. William Bond, Jr. can offer. Wondering whether it might be time to see an ENT doctor? It might be if….
You notice changes in your hearing
Yes, our ENT doctor can test for hearing loss here at his Washington DC practice and also provide you with hearing aids and implants to help improve hearing. It’s important that you see an otolaryngologist as soon as possible if you notice changes in your hearing. If you find yourself having to turn the volume up in order to hear the TV or radio, if you have trouble hearing people on the phone, or if you find yourself having trouble hearing people in loud environments then you could very well have some degree of hearing loss.
You are dealing with persistent sinus problems
While most of us will deal with sinus pain and pressure from an acute infection at some point during our lifetime, if you notice sinus pain that lasts weeks or months, you could be dealing with chronic sinusitis. Chronic sinusitis can be a bit more challenging to treat, but our ENT doctor will be able to offer stronger medications and even specialized procedures in order to open up the blocked sinuses and improve your symptoms. If you’re having trouble getting sinus pain under control, call us.
You experience severe or chronic sore throat
Most of us will deal with a sore throat at some point. While a sore throat is often from an infection that will go away on its own if you are dealing with a sore throat that’s so severe that you can’t swallow then you absolutely need to consult your otolaryngologist right away. Recurring or chronic sore throats could be a sign of a more serious issue such as gastroesophageal reflux disease. It’s important to see an ear, nose, and throat specialist to find out what’s going on.
If you are experiencing any issues that are affecting the health and/or function of your ears, nose, or throat here in Washington, DC, it’s important that you have a qualified ENT doctor that you can turn to for care. Call our office today at (202) 726-7770 to schedule an appointment.
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