Symptoms, risk factors, and treatment options for common ENT conditions ranging from chronic sinus infections to balance disorders and pediatric ear health.
Many people view ear wax as a mere annoyance, but it actually plays an important role in protecting your hearing. Produced by your ceruminous glands, ear wax serves to keep bacteria and foreign particles from entering your ears.
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Nasal polyps are small benign growths in your sinus cavities. They may develop if you’ve had chronically inflamed sinuses due to asthma, allergies, recurring infection or sinusitis. If they grow large enough, they may cause breathing difficulties and infections.
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Earwax or cerumen plays an integral role in protecting a baby’s hearing. In addition to lubricating and cleansing the ear canal, the wax prohibits foreign objects, such as dust and bacteria, from coming in contact with the delicate parts of your baby’s inner ear.
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The outer ear is made up of cartilage. The thin layer of tissue surrounding the cartilage is called perichondrium. Perichondritis is infection of the skin and tissues surrounding the cartilage of the ear. Initially, ear cartilage infection appears like a skin infection.
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The outer part of your ear canal has special glands that secrete a waxy substance called cerumen. According to MedicineNet, the purpose of ear wax is to protect the ear from water and infection. Normally, the ear canal cleans itself, leading to a slow buildup of dried ear wax at the opening, where it falls out.
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Laryngitis is the loss of your voice or hoarseness that occurs when you have swelling or irritation of your larynx, or voice box. Your voice box contains your vocal cords and is located at the top of your trachea, which is the airway to your lungs.
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A sinus infection, or acute sinusitis, causes the sinuses around your eyes and nose to be inflamed and swollen. The swelling interferes with drainage and causes mucus to build up. You may be congested, have a headache or even have fever.
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Hearing impairment is a common but serious problem affecting children of all ages. According to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, roughly 2 percent of children suffer from some degree of hearing loss.
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Tonsillitis is a condition where the tonsils, clumps of fleshy tissue located on each side in the back of the throat, become infected by a virus or bacteria.
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One of the first symptoms of a cold in children is usually a runny nose, with clear, thin mucous, followed by aches, a sore throat or coughing. As the child recovers, the mucous may become brown or green, and usually becomes thicker.
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Removing earwax usually requires nothing more than wiping loose wax from the opening of the ear, but in some cases the wax or cerumen collects in the ear canal, creating a health condition known in medical circles as cerumen impaction.
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A sinus infection, also called sinusitis, may be caused by a virus or a bacteria. Most of the time, according to Mayoclinic.com, antibiotics are not necessary to treat sinusitis because the infection usually clears up on its own.
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The American Rhinologic Society defines a sinus cyst, or nasal polyp, as small non-cancerous growths in the sinuses. Sinus cysts can cause minor to severe nasal obstruction leading to conditions such as chronic sinusitis or chronic post-nasal drip.
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The inside of your nose has many tiny blood vessels that allow your nose to detect smells, tastes and sensations. These blood vessels are very easily irritated, which can often lead to nose bleeds. Winter’s cold temperatures and dry air increase the likelihood of getting a nose bleed.
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Earaches have many causes, almost all of them painful for the patient. There may be sharp, stabbing pains or a dull ache extending into your head and sinuses.
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Sore throats are a common occurrence in people of all ages and are the primary symptom of pharyngitis, which is inflammation of the throat or pharynx. Sore throats are usually the result of a viral infection; however, they may be caused by a bacterial infection.
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Vaseline is a type of petroleum jelly that is often used as a lubricant, so it would make sense that Vaseline would be a good solution for a dry nose. Your nose may become dry for several reasons, including allergies, a cold or the weather.
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The glands in the nose and throat produce mucus on a continuous basis. The American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery points out that the secretions typically amount to between one and two quarts per day.
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Regular, moderate-intensity exercise can boost your immune system, reducing your frequency of colds and infections. Exercising with a stuffy nose is not likely to make your condition worse and may even make you feel better by relieving nasal congestion.
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A sore throat and swollen tonsils are the symptoms of a condition called tonsillitis. The tonsils are lymph nodes located in the back of the mouth that are responsible for trapping bacteria and other potentially harmful substances and preventing infections in the body.
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