Be honest. When was the last time you saw a young person on the street, or anywhere, without earbuds in their ears? Whether it’s walking down the street, jogging, on their way to work, or just relaxing, they are distracted by the noise in their ears. As technology improves, so does noise induced hearing loss. It’s just a fact, which leads us to the question: how can teens avoid noise induced hearing loss. Continue reading “How Can Teens Avoid Noise Induced Hearing Loss”
Author: Coastal Ear, Nose & Throat
Sinus Infections: What Parents Need To Know
Respiratory illnesses, whether in adults or children, are among the most common reasons patients visit the doctor. From allergies to sinus infections, understanding the symptoms, triggers, and treatment options is very important for managing allergies and sinus infections effectively. We’ll explore the differences between allergies and sinusitis, what triggers them, and how you can treat and manage these conditions both at home and with medical care.
What Are The Symptoms of Allergies and Sinus Infections
The symptoms of allergy are generally sneezing, watery eyes, hay fever, sometimes eye issues, and sometimes things like asthma. Sinus infections are usually more illness, like being sick, not going to work, that sort of thing. Fevers, thick discolored mucus, headaches, even dental pain. The way you figure out which one you have besides allergy and sinusitis has all to do with allergy. Whether this is a nuisance like sneezing, water ice, hay fever, thin secretions as opposed to thick secretions and more really illness.
Allergies are the body’s immune response to triggers like pollen, dust mites, mold, or pet dander. The most common symptoms of allergies include sneezing, watery or itchy eyes, a runny or
congested nose, and sometimes mild coughing or wheezing. The symptoms for allergies are often seasonal, such as during spring or fall, or they can occur year-round if the trigger is present at your home, place of work or outdoor activities you do. Allergies typically cause clear, thin mucus and are present as long as you are exposed to the allergen.
Sinus infections (or sinusitis) typically occur after a cold or sometimes nasal polyps or a deviated septum. Unlike allergies, sinus infections are caused by a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection that enters your sinuses leading to inflammation of the sinus cavities. The symptoms of a sinus infection include thick, discolored mucus, facial pain or pressure (especially around the forehead, eyes, and cheeks), headaches, and sometimes even dental pain. Sinus infections can also cause fever, bad breath, and a reduced sense of smell. The symptoms of a sinus infection are more severe and often make you feel unwell enough to miss work or daily activities.
What Triggers Allergies
What can trigger allergies is what we inhale out of the environment. There’s a lot of things that are airborne that we don’t even really see. When we inhale that, it gets stuck to the lining of our nose and it causes a reaction.
Now sometimes the allergies can then go into sinus infection, but the sinus infection causes are generally One, long term allergy symptoms, and others are actually anatomic problems, like septal deviations, or polyps, or other things that would require surgery.
It’s a fact that we can have allergies throughout the year, but the seasons generally are in the spring, we have tree allergies, pine and oak, that’s abundant here, in the summer it’s all the different grasses, and then in the fall, it’s weeds.
And then throughout the winter, you know, we’re homes more. So then we get more of the mold, dust, pet exposures. The busiest time of the year for sinus infections can be year round. When you really have serious sinus problems, it’s not seasonal. Then what you’re doing is you’re seeing your doctor frequently for antibiotics and getting this and that.
Sinusitis and Allergy Treatment
The treatment of allergy and sinusitis. Both start with one simple thing, and that’s saline irrigation. So some of the things that you do, basically, when your nose is exposed to bad things in the environment, it gets stuck to your nose.
So if you wash your nose, you don’t have a reaction. That is the first thing to do, regardless. Then there’s nose sprays. It’s better to treat, if you’ve got just a nasal problem, it’s really just best to treat the medicine just directly into your nose. So rather than taking a pill that has to go all over your body to help your nose.
Managing Sinus Infections and Allergies
Things that you do at home, such as looking for obvious signs of mold, checking if you have a particularly dusty environment, or managing your cats and dogs, can make a significant difference. If you have a sinus infection, taking a hot shower or using steam can help open up your sinuses and improve drainage. Breathing well and staying clear are essential for good sleep and rest.
Breathing well and regular exercise are key to maintaining good health. It’s also important for children to learn good hygiene at home, such as washing their hands, using hand sanitizer, and being mindful of sneezing to protect themselves. We offer allergy testing and treatment with immunotherapy.
We also perform CT scans here to help us understand what’s going on in their sinuses. Even children can have a CT scan at Coastal Ear, Nose and Throat. Additionally, we provide hearing tests and audiology services to ensure their hearing health is in good shape.
How to Protect Your Hearing From The Sounds of Summer
The Sound of Silence is the title of an old song, but not something we associate with during the summertime. Instead, it’s lots of leaf blowers, fireworks, and lawn mowers. Noise, noise, and more noise; not so silent, and not so beneficial for our hearing. How to protect your hearing from the sounds of summer.
Seeking Safe Decibels In Summer
Sounds are measured in decibels, and anything over 100 is too loud and can potentially damage your hearing. So how do you
know when something is too loud? Since we spend a lot of time outdoors as the weather gets warmer, there are countless sounds everywhere. Many of them are dangerous whether we are young or old. It’s called “noise-induced hearing loss.”
The damage to our hearing is based on both intensity and duration. Keep you and your family safe from hearing loss, and pay attention to summer sounds that are just plainly too loud.
Baseball Games
“Take me out to the ballgame” is a fun activity, especially if your team is winning. But…the sounds of the crowd, music, and fireworks afterward can be more than your ears can take. One study found that the decibel levels at major league games averaged 94dB but could go up to 114dB. Bring earplugs for you and your children.
Motorcycles
What fun to be on a motorcycle in the summer! Without a helmet the sound of the wind and the motor can reach 103dB. That is louder than a chainsaw.
How about a speedboat? The sound of the wind and engine can reach the same decibels. If you are exposed to just 15 minutes of 115 dB, you can damage your hearing for life.
Outdoor Concerts
This has got to be one of our favorite pastimes. One simple clue that it’s too loud is if you must shout to be heard. Move away from the speakers and bring your earplugs to stay safe.
Target Practice
With more people having guns for sport and protection, this is extremely dangerous. Pay attention, firearms create noise levels at 140 dB. This will cause immediate hearing loss. The more protection you have, all the better.
Road Work And Construction
When does your town work on the roads? Of course, during the summer. The sounds of construction, drilling, power tools and road work are everywhere. 80 to 90dB is common.
Other dangerous sounds include:
- Fireworks at more than 150dB. Watch from afar and wear ear protection if too close.
- Sound from landscaping and lawn care with mowers and blowers can reach 80 to 105dB.
- Sirens at 110 to 129dB.
Enjoy the summer but contact David S. Oliver, MD FACS at Coastal Ear, Nose and Throat for a hearing test if you notice any new or worsening issues.
What Causes Summer Sinus Infections?
What causes summer sinus infections? Well, many of the same causes of winter sinus infections. Sinus problems do not discriminate between the seasons. It is an inflammation for all seasons, and many factors can contribute to it. Let’s learn more.
What Can Cause Tonsillitis in Children?
Tonsils are lymph nodes in the back of the throat which on occasion can become inflamed and infected. Children are especially vulnerable and can suffer with a sore throat and difficulty swallowing. It is a common pediatric problem, but what can cause tonsillitis in children?
Why You Have Seasonal Allergies
Like we don’t have enough to contend with right now, we are in the middle of spring and summer allergy time. That’s the itchy watery eyes, congestion, sneezing, and runny nose seasonal allergies to be precise. If you have suffered with this before, or maybe you are a newbie to this nuisance, we can summarize why you have seasonal allergies and what to do about it.
How to Preserve and Protect Your Hearing As You Grow Older
If you have ever attended a large rock concert, you know how it affects your hearing. You probably enjoyed the music, but it takes a while to recover your normal hearing. That should be your first clue. High volume is detrimental to your hearing. If you are around loud music, machinery, or excessive environmental noises for any length of time, you are doing damage to your hearing no matter your age. Let’s consider how to preserve and protect your hearing as you grow older.
Continue reading “How to Preserve and Protect Your Hearing As You Grow Older”
How to Get Rid of Recurring Sinus Infections
If you have ever had a sinus infection, you vividly remember the pressure and pain in your eyes and forehead. It becomes so bad you can’t focus on anything, and all you want to do is close your eyes and sleep. Forget about trying to work or do anything normal. What could be worse than that? Worse is when you finally get relief and several weeks later, it’s back! It’s a common problem to suffer from these infections multiple times a year. Let’s look at how to get rid of recurring sinus infections.
Continue reading “How to Get Rid of Recurring Sinus Infections”
Find Relief From Ringing Ears & Tinnitus
If you are searching to find relief from ringing ears and tinnitus, there’s a big chance that you’re constantly looking for some sort of relief. Keep reading for suggestions and proven tips on how to fix this annoying problem!
Signs Your Child May Need Ear Tubes
If there are any signs your child may need ear tubes, they certainly won’t be alone. Ear tube surgery, also known as tympanostomy, is the most common childhood surgery performed in the United States each year. It is typically performed by an otolaryngologist (ENT) like Coastal Ear, Nose & Throat in Savannah. Let’s look at the reasons ear tubes may be needed.