Author Archives: Aaron Rogers

Rhinitis of Pregnancy

Stuffy nose during pregnancy is very common, especially during the third trimester.  Circulating hormones cause the internal nasal tissues to swell, blocking breathing through the nose and creating a constant “drip”. This does not usually indicate an infection, but sometimes an infection can overlap the symptoms. The big question is “What do we do about […]

OTC’s that can cause post-surgical bleeding

Avoid high doses of these over the counter medications and supplements before surgery and invasive procedures.  Ask your doctor when it is safe to resume. Medications: Aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Nuprin, many others), naproxen (Aleve), Vitamin E. Many combination headache and cold medications also contain the above medications as well, so check the label! Natural […]

Q&A: Snoring & Sleep Apnea

Question: “Every night my husband snores very loud. I have trouble falling asleep when it is real bad.  Is this serious? My friend said he needs to lose weight, what does weight have to do with this?” – Leslie Answer: Thanks for sharing Leslie.  Simple snoring or “stertor” or “stertorous breathing” is extremely common amongst […]

Q&A: What is Balloon Sinuplasty?

Thanks for the question SDinPenn.  Balloon Sinusplasty is a term used to describe opening up the sinus channels by inflating strong balloons instead of more traditional ways of cutting away the bones.  It has several advantages, including safety, less bleeding, and less pain – leading to quicker recovery.  The problems with the balloon include difficulty […]

Q&A: Did my Toothbrush give me Strep Throat?

Answer: Probably not! It has been shown that the bacteria causing strep throat, and recurrent tonsil infections, do tend to colonize your toothbrush (or dental retainer). However other studies show that the disease is just as likely to return whether or not you switch brushes. So I’m certain that hearing this gross tidbit will have […]

Q&A: Tonsil Stones

Question: Are tonsil stones painful? Answer: No, tonsil stones themselves are not usually painful.  The “stones” are actually accumulations of debris within the crevasses of the tonsils.  Usually this debris is dried saliva, food particles, and bacterial bi-products.  The tonsils can have deep in-folds that allow trapping of the debris and formation of these little […]

iPad Brings Scans to the Patient

iPAD brings CT’s to the patient (photo)   Just a quick snapshot of my first day on the job with the OsiriX software for the iPad (actually an iPhone release running on the iPad).  We have a server in our office where we can retrieve 95% of our patient’s imaging (CT’s, MRI’s, and PET scans).  The iPad […]