Tag Archives: for doctors

Hold the Steroids for Acute Sinusitis

Acute sinusitis on CT

Acute sinusitis is on the rise again this time of year.  The common prescription for an antibiotic and ‘steroid pack’ is probably WAY overdone.  Most sinus infections start as a virus, usually a common respiratory virus causing symptoms for around a week before resolving.  The unlucky of us will then get a secondary bacterial infection […]

Cryoablation Treatment for Non-Allergic Nasal Drip

Beginning in 2021, centers for Medicare and Medicaid services have approved a treatment for nonallergic rhinitis. Nonallergic rhinitis can cause chronic runny nose or chronic postnasal drip in the absence of allergies. Many patients with nasal allergies might also have a component of nonallergic rhinitis. For decades ENT doctors have been postulating that blockage of […]

Pulsatile Tinnitus – The heartbeat in your ear

An ENT's Operating Otoscope

A whooshing, pulsating, or swooshing sound in the ear is called pulsatile tinnitus and usually just affects one side.  Often this may sound like a heartbeat in your ear – and often you are in fact hearing your heartbeat or turbulent blood flow through the vessels that passed through your skull near your ear.  These […]

Salivary Swelling & Duct Blockage

Location of Parotid Gland

We have 3 sets of major salivary glands, the parotid gland, the submandibular or submaxillary glands, and the sublingual glands.  In addition to these glands there are thousands of other small microscopic glands that line the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat.  The major salivary glands each have a sizable duct or channel that […]

Keeping Your Data Safe with Encrypted Drives

#hipaa Today I am reminded of a significant medical information privacy risk. Nearly all of my ENT colleagues occasionally perform image guided sinus surgery. This requires transferring patient CT scan images over to a hospital computer for use during surgery. The typical way these images are transferred as with an unencrypted CD or DVD drive. […]

Can Yoga Cause Vertigo?

Vertigo and Dizziness treated at Advanced ENT Associates

A certain kind of vertigo, or a “spinning dizziness”, could be triggered by certain yoga positions.  Benign paroxysmal position vertigo (“BPPV“) is a condition of the inner ear where tiny crystals become dislodged and incorrectly stimulate the wrong balance nerves in one ear.  This classically causes spells of dizziness lasting 30 seconds or so when […]

Specific Bacterial & Fungal ID with PCR

Wild enough, now “PCR test” or “rtPCR” is almost a household name thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.  PCR testing is a highly specific and sensitive way to test for genetic material from all sorts of living things.  It is used in forensics, microbiology research and most importantly in healthcare. Not only are we testing nasal […]

Antihistamines and Your Heart Risk

Runny Nose / Vasomotor rhinitis

Every week I see allergic patients who are avoiding antihistamine medications because of a concern about their heart or blood pressure. But Most of this worry is outdated and unneeded. Firstly, let’s discuss the antihistamines themselves: (a) older generation antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl), hydroxyzine (Ararat, Vistaril) or chlorpheneramine (Chlor-Trimeton) are messier chemicals with more side […]

Salivary Tumors – that lump by your jaw!

Nodules or masses of the salivary glands are some of the more common “lumps and bumps” we see.  The major salivary glands include the parotid, submandibular and sublingual glands and may produce abnormal salivary tumors.  These glands are responsible for creating saliva to keep the mouth lubricated and help keep the teeth healthy.  The glands […]

Ear Pressure Injury & Scuba Diving

Hemotyympanum

Ear problems are some of the most common medical issues affecting scuba divers, swimmers and freedivers.  Scuba diving is an awesome sport with “professionals and amateurs but no competition”.  However as every diver knows, the issues affecting ear pressure is amongst the toughest challenges for enjoyable and successful scuba diving. When diving under water the […]