Many patients suffer from common ear, nose, and throat conditions including sleep apnea, voice disorders, salivary gland disease, nose bleeds, nasal congestion, or taste and smell abnormalities. Though these conditions are common, they can cause a significant impact on a patient’s quality of life and may require more attention than that of a primary care provider. With the specialized expertise of an Otolaryngologist, we are able to diagnose and treat various causes of these common conditions.
Sleep apnea is a common condition indicated by abnormal breathing during sleep. More than 50 million adults in the U.S. are affected by sleep apnea and about 20-25% of adults age 30-70 are estimated to have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a serious condition that not only affects the quality of your sleep but affects the body’s oxygen level. Severe sleep apnea is known to be associated with other health conditions such as high blood pressure, increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, increased risk of motor vehicle accidents, and early death.
Hoarseness is when your voice sounds raspy, strained, breathy, or just changed from your usual voice. Nearly everyone has experienced hoarseness, whether it is a result of a cold, allergies, or cheering at a sporting event. The hoarseness is from swelling or inflammation of the vocal cords which is laryngitis. Rapid onset of hoarseness – also called acute laryngitis - will resolve in a few days to a couple of weeks with simple self-care such as drinking fluids, taking in lozenges or hard candy, and resting the voice.
Our salivary (spit) glands are what helps us keep chew and eat and keeps our teeth and mouths clean. Sometimes there can be a problem with one of the spit glands that can cause problems with these functions or pain. These include blocked salivary ducts, salivary stones, salivary gland infections, dry mouth, and tumors or growths. The providers at Otolaryngology Associates can help you discover the causes of these problems and discuss the options on how to fix them.
Nosebleeds, otherwise known as epistaxis, are usually minor events that can be controlled with pinching of the nose. However, patients can develop nasal bleeds that are either recurrent or severe, which require medical attention. Most patients with nosebleeds are either children or the elderly.
Nasal congestion and nasal blockage are common problems that cause patients to seek help from an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor. These problems can be divided into two groups: fixed mechanical blockage and inflammatory obstruction.
Taste and smell are two of the 5 basic human senses. When there is a problem with taste and smell, this can be extremely distressing. Taste and smell are intimately related where taste is picked up by gustatory receptors in our tongue and mouth and linked with olfactory receptors in our nose. Taste and smell disorders can be both partial or complete loss of smell or taste, or even different or unpleasant odors or taste. Taste and smell abnormalities can also be a sign of other underlying health conditions or diseases.
