Nose & Sinus
At North Shore ENT, we specialize in all medical and surgical aspects of the nose and sinuses, which cause difficulty with nasal breathing, sinusitis, hearing loss, and dizziness.
NASAL OBSTRUCTION
Nasal obstruction is a common problem affecting many people. Loss of sense of smell, mouth breathing or difficulty breathing through the nose, nasal congestion and runny nose are some of the many symptoms that contribute to blocked nasal passages. Causes of nasal obstruction include allergies, chronic sinus infections, deviated septum, or nasal polyps. Our physicians will evaluate your nasal problem and suggest a medical treatment that suits your diagnosis. When standard medical therapy fails, surgical treatment may be recommended to correct the underlying problem and restore airflow through the nasal passages.
SINUS INFECTIONS
Nasal congestion, yellowish or greenish nasal drainage, facial pressure and pain, and chronic post nasal drainage-- these are all signs that you may have a sinus infection. Sinus infections typically are caused by a prior upper respiratory infection. However, any disorder that causes inflammation of the nasal passages, such as allergies, may predispose you to a sinus infection. Inflammatory nasal polyps, which result from chronic inflammation of the nasal passages, can also block nasal breathing and cause sinus drainage, resulting in symptoms of chronic sinusitis.
When standard medical therapy fails to relieve symptoms, it may be time to consult the physicians at North Shore Ear, Nose, and Throat Associates. After a complete examination using advanced fiberoptic tools to clarify the cause of your chronic symptoms, our physicians can recommend the best treatment options for you. This may include aggressive medical therapy, allergy treatment, or surgical intervention. Our physicians are trained in endoscopic sinus surgery, which is the gold standard for establishing permanent drainage pathways for the sinus cavities to relieve the symptoms of persistent sinusitis.
NOSEBLEEDS
Unpredictable and always inconvenient, nosebleeds can sometimes result in serious blood loss. Generally, most episodes are caused from drying out of the nasal mucosa (lining of the nasal cavity). Nosebleeds usually occur in clusters, and are worsened by blood thinning medicines including aspirin, Ibuprofen, Plavix, Coumadin, and Vitamin E as well as high blood pressure.
Most nosebleeds will resolve with preventative measures and time. Rarely, nosebleeds can be the first signs of a cancer in the nasal cavity. Any recurrent nosebleeds should be evaluated by a physician to rule out any serious cause of the bleeding as well as to prevent recurrence. Sometimes, an in-office cauterization of the offending blood vessels can stop the recurrent nosebleeds.
If you or your child has a nosebleed at home, you can try and stop it yourself as follows:
- Place your head in a neutral position (do NOT place head forward or lie flat)
- Hold pressure on the soft, bottom part of the nose for at least 20 minutes WITHOUT PEEKING.
- Ice on the hard portion of the palate or nasal bridge for 20 minutes may help. Do not leave ice in contact with the skin for prolonged periods of time.
NASAL FRACTURES
If you or your child has experienced a nose injury, it is important that you treat the fracture in a timely manner to avoid more serious problems later. Typically, the nose should be evaluated within 3-7 days of the injury after the swelling subsides and before the bones begin to heal. Initial swelling can be minimized with ice and elevation. If surgery is indicated, it should be performed between 10 days and two weeks from the date of injury. If this treatment window is missed, the nose can still be repaired, but rhinoplasty may be required.
Benefits from Surgery
Cartilage or bone may be broken, out of place, or injured. To restore your appearance, these may need realignment. Many individuals have prior injuries, distortions, or asymmetries that have gone unnoticed. We ask that you bring a pre-injury photograph to help see what your nose was like before injury. A fracture reduction will not improve old deformities. Even if the nose is made symmetrical it may drift back into the pre-injury position. After the structures have healed, a rhinoplasty (surgery on the nose) can help correct deformities.
Alternative Care
The choice is either no evaluation or evaluation, treatment or no treatment. You could let an injured nose just heal as it is. Deformities would not be corrected and problems that might be improved would not be not addressed.