Antibiotics for middle ear infections SMH, By Thomas Maugh THE consensus on whether to give antibiotics to young children with ear infections has been swinging from one extreme to the other as conflicting evidence has pushed doctors first towards administering drugs, then towards a hands-off approach. Two new trials reported on Wednesday in the New […]
Archives for May 2012
Regimens: Antibiotic Use for Sinusitis Is Questioned
Antibiotics for Sinusitis NYT, By Nicholas Baralar Antibiotics are commonly used to treat sinusitis, but a new clinical trial has found that a placebo works just as well. Scientists randomized 166 adults, all of whom met the diagnostic criteria for sinusitis, to receive the antibiotic amoxicillin or a placebo three times a day for 10 […]
Why antibiotics can be health risk
Antibiotics for ear, nose, throat or chest infections SMH, By Amy Corderoy NEARLY 100 years after antibiotics were discovered, a study has found most Australians are confused about when they should take them and how they work. And this ignorance could be putting our health at risk, doctors say, with deadly superbugs on the increase […]
Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) for Base of Tongue Neoplasms
Robotic surgery The Laryngoscope, Bert W. O’Malley, Jr., MD; Gregory S. Weinstein, MD; Wendy Snyder, BS; Neil G. Hockstein, MD Over the past 10 years, there have been increasing reports of the use of primary radiation or combined chemotherapy and radiation for tongue base neoplasms. The key factor driving this movement away from primary surgery […]
Sleep Apnea Tied to Increased Cancer Risk
Sleep apnoea cancer risk New York Times, By Anahad O’Connor Two new studies have found that people with sleep apnea, a common disorder that causes snoring, fatigue and dangerous pauses in breathing at night, have a higher risk of cancer. The new research marks the first time that sleep apnea has been linked to cancer […]
Can Chewing Gum Can Prevent Ear Infections?
Really? The Claim: Chewing gum can prevent ear infections? New York Times, By Anahad O’Connor In a meta-analysis published in the Cochrane database, a University of Toronto team analyzed several studies of 3,100 healthy children at day-care centers. They found that children chewing xylitol gum were 25 percent less likely to develop acute ear infections. […]
When Sinus Problems Won’t Go Away
Chronic sinus problems New York Times, By Ingfei Chen The humble sinuses, those hollow cavities hidden in the bones around the nose, usually draw little appreciation. But nothing makes one yearn for clear sinuses like sinusitis, a condition that can make the head feel as if it were filled with cement and can render every […]
The Claim: Humming Can Ease Sinus Problems
Humming and sinus problems New York Times, By Anahad O’Connor Dealing with a cold is bad enough, but when it leads to a sinus infection, the misery can double. Some researchers have proposed a surprising remedy: channeling your inner Sinatra. Sinus infections — which afflict more than 37 million Americans every year — generally occur […]
Overview of Nasal Septoplasty for Correcting a Deviated Septum
Nasal Septoplasty for Correcting a Deviated Septum The two nasal passages in your nose are separated by the nasal septum. This thin wall made of cartilage is ideally located almost equally between your two nostrils. However, some people have a deviated septum that they were either born with or developed somewhere along the way. While a slightly […]
Nasal septoplasty and turbinate reduction surgery
Nasal septoplasty and turbinate reduction surgery Nasal septoplasty and turbinate reduction surgery are commonly performed procedures. They are performed by ear nose and throat surgeons to alleviate breathing problems. Patients who are experiencing chronic nasal congestion, blocked breathing through their nose, nosebleeds, sinus infections, and/or problems breathing at night should see an ENT specialist. In […]
Symptoms of Acid Reflux Disease and When to See an ENT Specialist
Symptoms of acid reflux Acid reflux disease is a condition in which acid backs up from the stomach causing the esophagus to become inflamed or irritated. Normally, the stomach valve, known as the lower esophageal sphincter, prevents stomach acid from backing up. However, if this stomach valve opens too often or does not close all […]