The Facts About Wax: New Medical Guidelines Recommend Avoiding Ear Wax Removal
Most people feel the need to remove ear wax or cerumen, which is the mixture of secretion, hair and dead skin. But new guidelines released by the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Foundation state that, as long as the ears are functioning properly, people should leave ear wax in its place. Highlights from the report include: Overall, ear wax is beneficial and self-cleaning. Each year, 12 million people in the United States seek medical care for impacted ear wax. Ears should only…
Minimally Invasive Sinus Surgery Provides Relief Of Nasal Polyps Where Other Surgeries Failed
This spring marked the first pain-free allergy season in five years for Glenn Israel. After years of suffering from chronic sinusitis and nasal polyposis, he finally found relief at CornerStone Ear, Nose & Throat. Prior to coming to our practice, Glenn underwent two sinus procedures in 2002 and 2004, one of which included septoplasty. These surgeries did not relieve his condition and caused significant pain. He was unable to eat for three days following the procedures. “The packing was miserable,” said Glenn. “I had two…
Surgical Intervention Restores Normal Hearing And Balance After Inner Ear Trauma
Damage to the inner ear can lead to permanent hearing loss, vertigo and other severe balance problems. Immediate attention from an otolaryngologist, along with the proper treatment and follow-up, can make the critical difference between life-long profound deafness and a return to normal hearing. With a recent case of inner ear trauma at Cornerstone Ear, Nose & Throat, we were able to restore a patient’s normal hearing although he only returned for follow-up when his conditioned had worsened. A Dramatic Case This 35-year-old man suffered…
Vertigo: A Balanced Approach To Diagnosing And Treating Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is the most common form of vertigo and occurs most often in the elderly population. Symptoms include brief episodes of dizziness, lightheadedness, imbalance, and occasionally even nausea in response to positional changes. BPPV occurs when detached otoliths, often referred to as “crystals” or “ear rocks,” cause a deflection of the sensory hair cells in one of the semicircular canals. This sends false messages to the brain that the patient is spinning. Head movement such as getting out of bed, or…
Audiology Testing Crucial To Treating Imbalance or Dizziness
Balance is in part controlled by the vestibular system of the inner ear. The main organ for hearing, the cochlea, is also contained here. Because these organs are both housed within the temporal bone space and share fluids, there are many disorders of the vestibular system that will present with both hearing and balance symptoms. A comprehensive audiologic evaluation is obtained on every patient who is referred to Cornerstone Ear, Nose and Throat for issues with dizziness or vertigo. The results of our hearing test…
Treatment Recommendations For Acute Sinusitis
While it is very difficult to distinguish between bacterial and viral sinus infections, many primary care physicians choose to treat acute sinusitis with antibiotics. To help determine the effectiveness of antibiotics, a recent study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association1 utilized amoxicillin and topical budesonide in treating acute, nonrecurrent, maxillary sinusitis. In the study, primary care patients were divided into four treatment groups: oral amoxicillin and budesonide nasal, placebo antibiotic and the nasal steroid, oral antibiotic and placebo nasal steroid, or placebo…
Breathing, Sleeping & Smiling Better Than Ever: Early Intervention Helps This Child Avoid A Lifetime Of Problems
To look at Trinity Minor today, you wouldn’t guess what this sweet two-year-old has endured. Enlarged adenoids led to chronic nasal obstruction and many sleepless nights for her and her family. Fortunately, CornerStone Ear, Nose & Throat was able to help. From the age of one, Trinity suffered from constant nasal congestion. At first, her pediatrician thought she was experiencing a series of colds. “It was very frustrating,” said Trinity’s mother, Anissa Lanning. “We’d go to the doctor but nothing seemed to help.” After multiple…
About Face: Preventing Adenoid Faces In Children
In 1872, C.V Tomes coined the term “adenoid faces” to describe the long lean mid-face with high arched palate and dental crowding present in children with chronic nasal airway obstruction. Traditionally, orthodontists and pediatric dentists are heavily relied upon to correct these predictable and often-avoidable facial changes; however, there are preventative measures that can be highly effective for these children. At CornerStone Ear, Nose & Throat we believe that a proactive approach, particularly in children from 18 months to four years old, can reduce the…
10 Indications For Referring Patients With Chronic Nasal and Sinus Problems
These recommendations for patient referral are all based on the premise that the problem is recurrent or chronic over a long period of time. The parent or patient can usually clarify the chronicity of the problem more easily and accurately than reviewing the medical record because these problems alone often don’t prompt office visits. Adults with chronic post-nasal drip, nasal congestion and facial pressure. You may have to ask them since most patients probably believe nothing more can be done for this. Any patient who…
Sinus Surgery Ends Decades Of Chronic Sinus Problems For One Married Couple
Congestion & headaches disappear; sleeping & blood pressure improve After 20 years of nasal congestion, constant and severe post-nasal drip, antibiotics, nasal sprays and over-the-counter decongestants, 70-year-old Joe Helms and his wife Louise finally found lasting relief from their chronic sinus problems at CornerStone Ear, Nose & Throat. While medications had provided a temporary remedy, sinus surgery was the answer. “We tell everyone,” said Louise. “There’s no reason to be afraid to have this surgery,” she says, adding, “It changed our lives.” Joe and Louise…
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