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Treating Chronic Sinus Infections: Is surgery the answer?

Hammering facial pain and pressure. Nasal congestion. Thick postnasal drip. Coughing. Do you recognize these symptoms? They’re all signs of sinusitis. Acute sinusitis is often marked by a thick, green or yellow nasal discharge and can last up to four weeks or more. Most cases respond well to antibiotics and decongestants, and people can resume normal activities quickly. But what happens when sinusitis becomes chronic? The Surgical Solution Today, many chronic sinusitis sufferers are finding relief by undergoing a minimally … Continued

Overcoming Ear Infections: Six-Year-Old Finds Relief With Surgery

Emily Schadt is all too familiar with ear surgery. Although she is only six years old, she’s already experienced five surgical procedures. Prior to her most recent surgery at CornerStone Ear Nose & Throat, ear infections and eardrum perforations seemed to be a constant presence in her life. Her father, radio personality Paul Schadt, and mother, Kathy, both credit CornerStone Ear, Nose & Throat with this dramatic improvement. Emily was first referred to CornerStone Ear, Nose & Throat at the … Continued

Canker Sores (Aphthous Stomatitis): A Common Problem Of Unknown Origin

Aphthous stomatitis, commonly referred to as canker sores, is the most common form of oral ulcerative disease, but its cause is still uncertain. Aphthous ulcers can range from minor to severe in pain and occur in otherwise healthy patients. Etiologic factors such as stress, physical or chemical trauma, food sensitivity and infection related to Helicobacter pylori and herpes simplex virus have been investigated, but no consistent link has been determined.This has led to treatments that focus on symptom reduction, including: … Continued

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 … Continued

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,” … Continued

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 … Continued

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 … Continued

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 … Continued

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 Association 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 … Continued

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 … Continued

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