IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN HELP ME WITH ALLERGIES?

Complete allergic management for ear, nose and throat along with related allergy problems include:

• Management with environmental control
• Medications
• Allergy testing
• Desensitization

Allergy testing
This type of testing is used in diagnosing allergic conditions by two different methods.

Skin testing
The standard test consists of 20 of the most common allergens. When testing is concluded, we will be able to tell what things you are allergic to and how severe the allergy may be.

RAST Testing
This test is performed by having a vial of the patients blood drawn in our office. It is then sent to a special lab where the actual allergy testing is done. The standard panel consists of 30 allergens, which include some common foods.

Allergy Management Program
We endeavor to make our allergy patient as comfortable as possible by offering the following:

Allergy Injections
The allergy serum is mixed according to the patient's individual test results. The patient is given the choice of in-office injections or at home injections once a maintenance dose is established.

Environmental Controls
Specific instructions and literature are given on how to reduce factors that may increase allergic symptoms.

ARE MY HEADACHES CAUSED BY SINUS TROUBLE?

Headaches may be caused by many different factors. These include stress, smoking, environmental allergens, inhalant allergens, sinusitis, and heredity. It is recommended that a specialist evaluate all cases of chronic persistent or recurrent facial pain. Referrals may include neurological and dental evaluations.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE SINUS PROBLEMS?

Sinusitis is suspected if antibiotic treatment fails or complications are noted such as inflammation about the eye or persistent headache. Recurring infections 3 or more times a year suggest a chronic sinus condition. Persistant abnormal symptoms and or abnormal x-rays warrant ENT evaluation.

SHOULD MY CHILD HAVE TUBES PLACED IN HIS/HER EARS?

Pressure equalizing tubes are indicated or drainage is required when any of the following occur:

• Severe acute ear infections
• Hearing loss greater than or equal to 30 db in patient with otitis media with fluid
• Poor response to antibiotic for otitis media
• Impending mastoiditis
• Otitis media with fluid for 3 or more months
• Recurrent episodes of acute otitis media (more than 3 episodes in 6 months or more than 4 episodes in 12 months)
• Chronic retraction of tympanic membrane.

SHOULD MY CHILD HAVE THEIR ADENOIDS AND/OR TONSILS REMOVED?

Indications for adenoidectomy and/or tonsillectomy are when any of the following occur:

• A patient with 3 or more infections of tonsils and/or adenoids per year, despite adequate medical therapy.
• Enlargement causing dental malocclusion or adversely affecting oro-facial growth documented.
• Enlargement causing upper airway obstruction, severe dysphagia, sleep disorders, or cardiopulmonary complications.
• Peritonsillar abscess unresponsive to medical management and drainage documented by surgeon, unless surgery performed during acute stage.
• Persistent foul taste, or bad breath due to chronic tonsillitis not responsive to medical therapy.
• Chronic or recurrent tonsillitis associated with the streptococcal carrier state and not responding to proper antibiotics.
• Unilateral tonsil enlargement presumed to be a tumor.
• Recurrent suppurative or otis media with effusion.

WHAT CAN BE DONE FOR HEARING PROBLEMS?

A fair evaluation will be needed to determine the cause of the hearing problem to properly treat the problem. This will include taking of a history, physical examination, audiometric test, and possibly x-rays will be required.

AM I A GOOD CANADATE FOR A HEARING AID?

After proper evaluation and if medical/surgical treatment cannot improve the hearing, a properly fitted hearing aid may be the best choice. Hearing aids have improved considerably in the past year with the development of very small, almost invisible digitally programmable aids. There are even hearing aids available that are directional. Special hearing aids are available for people who experience continuing noise exposure, including gun shot noise due to hunting.

WHAT CAN BE DONE FOR DIZZINESS?

Dizziness may be caused by inner ear problems, metabolic problems, disorders of the central nervous system or spinal cord, smoking, drugs (prescription and non- prescription), hardening of the arteries, head injury, and infections ... as well as with many other reasons. An evaluation will be needed to determine the cause of dizziness. This will include taking of a history, physical examination, audiometric test, sophisticated test of the balance system, which may include neurological evaluation, MRI and or CT scan.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE FOR SNORING?

Snoring may be socially unacceptable but may or may not be a symptom of more serious sleep apnea. Evaluation may include study of obesity, hypothyroidism, hypertension, cardiac disturbances, poor general physical condition, use of alcohol or other drugs, and anomalies causing obstruction of the nose and or throat. This can be frequently treated in the office through many techniques such as somnoplasty.

WHAT CAN BE DONE FOR SLEEP APNEA?

Sleep apnea may be present if you have disruptive snoring, restless sleep due to breathing difficulty, daytime sleepiness, witnessed breath holding or gasping during sleep, or cardiac arrhythmia related to upper airway obstruction.This requires taking of a history, evaluation of the breathing passages including the nose, throat, larynx, and trachea. It also involves a sleep study.