Lawrence Chow / ENT Doctor
An Overview of Anosmia due to inability to smell
A strange word for a sense taken for granted by many. The complete loss of smell is called anosmia and it may be temporary or permanent. There is also a condition where loss of smell may only be partial meaning you can smell but not quite called hyposmia.
There may be not much of a complaint for partial inability to smell but a total loss of smell is a matter to be really concerned with since it may put you in a very precarious situation. Making a mountain out of a mound?
You are alone at home having anosmia for a couple of days and the gas tank is leaking in the kitchen. Or, you are so hungry, you’d try anything out of the fridge and the salsa you picked had been sour for a day already.
Sense of Smell
Like the other senses, smelling is triggered by a process. A molecule from a hot soup enters your nose and excites the olfactory nerves that transmits a signal to the brain where the specific smell is identified.
Any disruption in the process may cause one to lose the ability to smell, be it partial or complete and may either be temporary or permanent. The loss of smell, in consequence, affects the sense of taste.
Without smelling, tasting is watered down or limited to a few flavors which, in turn, nips on the quality of your life.
Causes
Several factors cause the disruption of the process of smelling, but the most common ones are allergy, nasal congestion due to colds, or just plain poor air quality; forest fires and smog included. However, the list of causes may be longer than you think:
- medications for Alzheimer’s’ or Parkinson’s diseases, hormone imbalance;
- old age;
- polyps inside the nose;
- head trauma;
- chemical exposure;
- medicines such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, or antidepressants;
- radiation for head or neck cancer.
Symptom
There is just one and palpable sign in the inability to smell and that is the absence of smell. You begin to doubt that you may have anosmia when certain familiar things to you suddenly smell nothing.
Better yet, Pierre Cardin should have an effect on you; if not, then it is on you, indeed.
Treatment
Once you know you do have anosmia, know how it came to be is the next step. Starting from the bottom of the stairs, if anosmia is caused by nasal congestion due to cold or simple allergy, no fuss is needed but decongestants.
Other than the first two causes of anosmia, or you have had the lack of smell for a week or two, a necessary visit to a health care professional must be done. It may be infection or polyp growth.
Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.
For details of the ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
http://www.hkentspecialist.hk
What is the Kissing Disease (Mono)?
Kiss me once and I’ll kiss you twice and then there’s mono. Mononucleosis or the kissing disease or simply mono, as it is otherwise known, is an infectious disease. You might have to ease up on your affections but catching a cold is more likely than getting infected with this one.
The Guilty One
Mono is to be taken seriously for it is no slight infection with symptoms that range from mild to severe. The complications that come along with it, however, makes it even more hazardous.
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the cause for this disease which may lay dormant in your saliva, blood or semen. You can get the virus through kissing, sex and blood or organ donation.
Being dormant, it may become active and once it is active you may get sick or not, but you will certainly be contagious. Many people have the virus but don’t get sick.
Medical Analysis
There are three basic symptoms of the Mononucleosis which do not, by themselves, announce the presence of EBV in your system:
- fever;
- fatigue;
- sore throat.
These symptoms may even point to a separate ailment or disease that is why a visit to a medical professional will state that EBV is a clear and present danger for you. The doctor will check you for:
- puffy spleen;
- engorged liver;
- blood test for antibodies;
- white blood cell test.
Treatment and Home Care
Like all viruses, Mononucleosis can be treated with antibiotics but can also disappear on its own without treatment in a matter of weeks. These, obviously, is a mild case scenario. Nonetheless, it is sensible to:
- rehydrate daily, not just 8 glasses, if possible;
- limit down your household chores to rest more than usual;
- nibble on sore throat candies or ice or gargle to ease that discomfort;
- pop fever medicines.
It is advisable, upon feeling generally better, to ease up at school or at the workplace. Also, for your spleen to fully recuperate, avoid strenuous activities like sports. Proper cleaning of utensils, drinking glasses, the separation of toothbrushes, among other things, must be done.
Emergency Signals
In severe cases, urgent medical attention should be resorted once:
- a sharp and unexpected pain on the left side of your tummy is felt; your spleen may be having some problems;
- you are dehydrated; evidence is only drips of urine;
- you have breathing troubles or trouble in swallowing; call emergency immediately.
The persistence of the disease, like it has been with you for more than three weeks, deserves and audience with the doctor also.
Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.
For details of the ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
http://www.hkentspecialist.hk
A Quick Look At Throat Ulcers
It was an intramural of activity you had yesterday with a crowd of people all the time; and it was fun. Now you wake up with a niggling feeling in your throat and you take no notice of it until you get back home, and it is now really bothering you.
You brush it off as sore throat that nothing a pack of lozenges cannot handle. You cannot be more mistaken in presuming it is so when it may even be more than that. Looking at the bright side of things, it may only be bacterial or viral from yesterday’s event.
Throat Ulcers at a glance
This ulcer may not only be anywhere within the oral cavity but also at the surface linings of the esophagus. As such, throat ulcers may not be visible from the mouth and a professional examination would be required. Knowing the cause of the ulcer will ascertain the treatment needed.
Before you head on for a doctor and if you find yourself hard in swallowing food, check for these symptoms:
- fever;
- patches of red or white in your throat;
- mouth sores;
- pain;
- a swelling in your neck;
- hampered jaw movement;
- bad breath;
- pain in the chest.
Treatment
Throat ulcers may occur at your vocal cords or anywhere down your esophagus. Location and determination of the cause is important for a healthcare professional to arrive at a fitting treatment regimen.
Wherever the ulcer may be and whatever the cause was, any of the following treatment may be prescribed by the doctor.
Vocal cord ulcers treatment
- desistance from speaking;
- vocal therapy;
- gastroesophageal reflux treatment (stomach acid flows back up to you esophagus that cause lacerations on your throat);
- pain reliever;
- surgery as last resort.
Esophageal ulcers treatment
- antacids;
- antibiotics or antiviral medications for infection;
- proton pump inhibitor;
- pain reliever such as acetaminophen.
Pointers at home
Before and after consulting a medical professional, it is only prudent to observe means to stave off aggravation of the effects of throat ulcers that may take a week at least to taper and vanish. Your cravings for food and consequently your diet may suffer but it is for a good cause.
- Spicy food and snacks must be avoided;
- Cold or iced drinks to soothe the pain;
- Certain medicines must also be avoided to avert acid reflux;
- Gargle with warm brine solution;
- Take in more water than usual;
- Alcohol can exacerbate the open sore;
- Smoking dries your throat and enlarges the sore.
Throat ulcers may also be caused by chemotherapy treatment and radiation therapy that may disappear when treatment is completed.
Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.
For details of the ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
http://www.hkentspecialist.hk
How is a Hoarse Voice Treated?
A celebration of exultation and yelling or a mere exposure to the presence of crowd may lead you to a sudden awakening of hoarseness in your voice. Dry throat and a croaking voice or some hoarseness in your speech greet your day.
In all manifestations, croaky or hoarse voice originates from the larynx and you may have laryngitis of inflamed vocal cords from strenuous karaoke, passionate speeches or just plain infection from someone dear.
How it may have chosen you as a quarry, here is an enumeration of remedies you can take to talk sweetly through the day.
- Take a break. Not a break like a recess at school but you just have to cease from speaking for a while; let the vocal cords have some respite.
- Salinity in a drink. Gargle your inner throat thoroughly with warm water mixed with salt. An application more may be done accordingly.
- Humid as possible. If you have no humidifier, use a blanket and cloak over a small basin of hot water and inhale the steam orally as well.
- Candies for throats. Lozenges are candies you can play in your mouth all day long without having to be reminded that you are an adult.
- Vinegar from apples. Apple Cider Vinegar has antimicrobial ingredients beneficial to washing and cleaning your throat. Add in a dash of honey to make a powerful drink.
- Honey and Chamomile tea. A potent combination of the power of honey and the antioxidants in chamomile for a better immune system.
- Slippery Elm. This is a tree where its bark is ground to powder and made the main component of tea amongst the many it is used for; add in lemon to spike more vitamins.
- A most versatile and dependable root vegetable that can be used as tea or gargle for easing throat problems. Combine with lemon or honey or both and you have more than a medical concoction.
- Essential Oils. These extracts from plants can transform the ambiance of a room and tickle your senses to appeasement. Eucalyptus or peppermint oils are best to smell with a bothersome throat.
- As old as any culture that had evolved, garlic is proven to be a medicine on its own. Mix it diced in hot tea or gargle with water long soaked with garlic will work wonders not only for your throat but also your total well-being.
- Drink as much daily. Eight glasses of water a day but even more when you are at a quandary of an illness; would never hurt much.
Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.
For details of the ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
http://www.hkentspecialist.hk
How to Treat Ear Congestion
There is a drumming or ringing, a throb in strange cadence, in your ear. It may not get your slightest consideration, but it does get a bit of your attention, would it not?
Auditory congestion may happen because of some circumstance you are in or may have come into or as some consequence of a prior or concurrent condition. It may even set it off by some accumulation inside the ear itself, wax.
There is some importance to know why you have ear congestion, truthfully, since persistence of this would entail professional intervention. That would make a mountain out of a mere mound which is unnecessary.
HANDLING EAR CONGESTION
If you do get to have that discomfort, here are a few things you can do for relief upon knowing how you got to be where you are.
- Sinus-related condition. The neighboring nose might cause some mumbo jumbo to your ear, and it is time to do something.
- Blow your nose; relieving pressure inside your nose may ease your ears.
- Nasal decongestant; rhinitis relief may lead you to comfort in your ears.
- Irrigate that nose; put saline solution into each of those nostrils, one at a time.
- Feel the steam; humidify the nasal passages and do this not just once.
- Rehydrate; drink up lots of water to replenish and fill up the other organs.
- Buildup of fluids. You swam at the beach or at the pool like you won’t be back there again in your life. What a time that is with your friends, but then you can’t hear them suddenly.
- Tilt your ear towards your shoulder then pull the ear lobes or jump to drip the water out.
- Apply hydrogen peroxide for ears into your ear, or any over-the-counter alcohol-containing ear drops, lie down with ear ground-wise and wait for a few minutes.
- Travel by any means. Car, train or plane; it does not matter which, but the elevation is of concern.
- Open your mouth as elevation progression is ongoing; pressure relief.
- Do the Valsalva maneuver: pinch nose, close mouth, exhale as if in bowel (go to the proper receptacle if something do comes out). Do this twice.
- Wax accumulation. Some have it, some don’t; others come in waxy, some have it dry and flaky; to each his own. Soften the wax with ear drops, olive/mineral oil, or saline solution then scrape it out.
- The girl or boy that sat next to you in the bus with unclear intentions caused these. Pop in antihistamines or anti-allergens will do you good but follow wisely the stated instructions.
Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.
For details of the ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
http://www.hkentspecialist.hk
How to Treat Nose Congestion
A condition as old as man himself and a discomfort everyone experiences at one time or another. The young to the aged, from the north to the south, across the seven seas, it smitten those at certain kinds of weather or situation: a stuffy nose.
Nasal congestion or, as the health professionals prefer, rhinitis is nothing serious but can last up to ten days. The word “rhinitis” comes from the Greek word “rhino” for the smelling organ and “itis” that means inflammation.
It can be so stuffy you need to breathe through your mouth, or it can be watery you will be weary of wiping it that you feel your nose has gotten bloated twice its size. It has become uncomfortable you don’t bother if it is a virus, or allergy, or temperature change. You want it out.
Treatment
There may be variations of one or two of the items listed below which actually is a reflection of practice and culture. Be that as it may, relief from stuffy nose may be done by:
- A humidifier is a help. The machine produces mist from water for you to inhale that soothes those irritated nasal tissues and blood vessels nearby that, if present, liquifies mucus.
- Savor the hot shower. Fundamentally, the heat of the steam is of the same effect as the first treatment that dilates and soothes nasal tissues and blood vessels all the same.
- Hydration is imperative. Drink as much as you can with recommendations by professionals to be at least 2 liters a day. Water, without you knowing, actually is essential in the bodily functions of m
- Not just water. Steam from simple water is very much effective but water may alone be questionable. Why do we not put salt into it and make a steamed saline solution to put it higher than simple water.
- Drain that nose. You will need a squirt implement called “neti pot” to flush out mucus and water out. This is an augmentation to the nose blowing that splatters everywhere.
- Compress it warmly. Done in a bag or a wet cloth, warmth will open stuffed up nerves and vessels. By allergy, virus, or temperature change, this is a sure shot if done always.
- Decongest is well. This is an alleviation that will need OTC (over the counter) medications such as nasal sprays and pills. Nasal sprays may come as complicated as they come.
- Medication. Serious medication for this discomfort may happen if you have allergies or viruses and bacteria that exhibit abnormalities; consultation is necessary then.
Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.
For details of the ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
http://www.hkentspecialist.hk
Different Treatments for Oropharyngeal and Esophageal Dysphagia
Treatment for dysphagia depends on the type or cause of the swallowing disorder.
Oropharyngeal and esophageal dysphagia are two types of condition with different causes and treatment.
Oropharyngeal Dysphagia
Oropharyngeal dysphagia is a problem with swallowing that involves the mouth and the pharynx. The pharynx is the part of the throat behind the mouth.
Oropharyngeal dysphagia may be caused by stroke , Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis or Huntington disease, brain or spinal cord injury, tumors in the mouth or throat, Infection such as sore throat , tonsillitis, strep throat , or acute epiglottitis, or a narrowing or blockage.
Whoever has this condition, may have difficulty moving food or liquid from the mouth, to the back of the throat and liquid may be harder to swallow than food. There is a feeling
that food is stuck in the throat and there will be regurgitation, drooling, coughing, choking. The patient will have problems getting enough fluids for nutrition.
The doctor may refer the patient to a speech or swallowing therapist for treatment who will teach how to do exercises that may help coordinate the swallowing muscles or restimulate the nerves that trigger the swallowing reflex.
They will also teach swallowing techniques. The patient will learn ways to properly place food in his mouth and to position his body and head in a way that can help him swallow.
If his dysphagia is caused by neurological problems such as Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease, he will be taught exercises and new swallowing techniques to help compensate for the dysphagia.
Esophageal Dysphagia
When you have esophageal dysphagia, it’s hard to get food down the tube that goes from the mouth to the stomach.
Esophageal dysphagia can be caused by the following diseases of the throat – Achalasia, a condition where food or drink doesn’t move toward the stomach as it should;
Nerve damage that hinders the muscles in the throat; esophageal cancer; or esophagitis or GERD.
Esophageal dysphagia may be treated by esophageal dilation.
The doctor may use an endoscope with a special balloon attached to gently stretch and expand the width of the esophagus or pass a flexible tube or tubes to stretch the esophagus for dilation. This is what is done for cases of achalasia, a tight esophageal sphincter or an esophageal stricture.
Surgery may be needed if it involves esophageal tumor, or pharyngoesophageal diverticulum. A surgery is needed to clear the esophageal path.
If the difficulty in swallowing is caused by GERD, oral prescription medications for an extended period may be prescribed to reduce stomach acid.
For those who have eosinophilic esophagitis, corticosteroids can be taken as well as muscle relaxants for esophageal spasm.
Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.
For details of the ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
http://www.hkentspecialist.hk
6 Warning Signs that Can Indicate A Child May Have Tracheitis
Tracheitis or an infection of the trachea is usually occurring when someone has an upper respiratory infection. It causes the airways to narrow.
The airways of small children can swell quickly, making it difficult for them to breathe. If your child’s trachea becomes completely blocked, it can lead to respiratory arrest and death
The trachea of little children can swell and narrow very quickly and it can be very difficult for them to breath. If a child’s airway becomes completely blocked, it can result to shock, respiratory arrest, organ failure and even death.
It is imperative that the child be brought right away to the doctor once they exhibit the following signs:
Croup Sounding Cough
If the child is recently having an upper respiratory infection, an increasing deep or barking croup cough may be something to watch for as this may be a sign of an inflamed trachea. It is likely that the bacteria may be causing tracheitis.
Difficulty in Breathing
It can be observed that children who have tracheitis are in a state of labored breathing. This means they put in too much effort just to breathe. Without helping it, they may be unable to do so.
Stridor
Inspiratory stridor is already considered a medical emergency as it signifies a blockage in the airways.
This must be treated right away to prevent the airway from closing completely.
The ones at a higher risk of airway blockage are children because they have narrower airways than adults.
Foreign objects, swollen tissues of the throat or upper airway, or a spasm of the airway muscles or the vocal cords may be blocking the airway.
Tracheitis is one of the most common causes of acute stridor in children.
Wheezing
Wheezing when breathing out is a symptom of tracheitis.
It is often confused with stridor or a single pitch, inspiratory sound that is produced by large airways with severe narrowing. The difference is that wheezing is like a musical sound and is produced expiratory by airways of any size.
Wheezing is a sign that the child is having breathing difficulties.
Fever Higher than 39°C
High fever may be accompanied by croup-like symptoms like barking cough and stridor but patients with bacterial tracheitis do not respond to standard croup therapy.
A fever is usually a sign that your child’s body is trying to fight an illness or infection. In the case of tracheitis, the child is fighting of the bacterial infection.
Cyanosis
When the skin becomes a bluish color, the symptom is called
cyanosis or blue lips is caused by a shortage of oxygen in the blood. This usually occurs drastically when somebody is choking.
If it is subtle and gradual, it may be due to chronic underlying conditions such as lung diseases or chronic heart defects.
Blue lips can indicate that the child has tracheitis and his ability to breathe is deteriorating
Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.
For details of the ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
http://www.hkentspecialist.hk
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另所有文章內使用的人名均為化名。