Having an abnormal, sharp pain in your ears may be a clear indicator that you are suffering from what is known as an earache.
While earaches are very common in both children and adults and may make you feel uncomfortable, they can easily be treated with over-the-counter medication and subside within a couple of days. If untreated, however, you risk the chance of developing recurring symptoms and turn it into something worse.
Today, our Weslaco otolaryngologist, Dr. Frank R. Glatz of the Glatz Group, explores what may be causing your earaches and recommends what services are effective at curing this painful nuisance.
Aside from some of the more obvious symptoms such as ear pain, both children and adults may suffer from some of the same symptoms that are involved with earaches, including, but not limited to:
In more severe cases, sufferers of earaches may feel:
If you have experienced any of the minor to major earache symptoms, reach out to the Glatz Group today to schedule an appointment.
A bevy of circumstances exist that can cause an earache, but the most common include:
1. Excessive Earwax
Even though earwax is supposed to be your ear canal’s top defender, an excessive amount of it can cause you ear discomfort. If left untreated, the earwax can turn into a blockage, trapping bacteria in your ear that can cause an infection.
Although earwax blockages can be treated easily, an attempt to clean it out can go the wrong way. If you stick a cotton swab too far into the ear canal, it could possibly worsen the current condition and become extremely sensitive.
Looking into over-the-counter ear drops will reduce the severity of an earache caused by an overproduction of earwax and can, in time, help clean out the impacted areas in a natural way.
2. Circumstantial Infections
Several different infections, sometimes even outside of the ears, can also play a role in causing earaches. These types of infections include:
This type of infection usually occurs when a cold, allergy, or a sinus infection blocks the eustachian tube within your middle ear. This can lead to negative pressure, causing pain and swelling.
3. Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Syndrome
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome is known as the discomfort or pain within the hinge of the jawbone next to your ears. This is commonly caused by ongoing teeth grinding or even from an existing arthritis condition.
It is treatable through over-the-counter medication or any other form of treatment that has prescribed by our Weslaco ENT doctor of the Glatz Group.
4. Air Pressure
While it is not as common as the previous causes per se, it may be a factor in certain instances.
During ascension--regardless of whether you are riding an elevator or traveling via airplane--your ears might not be used to the elevation and can begin to pop. This pop can feel unusual and can lead to irritation and slight hearing loss but after a few moments, your ear pressure should ease out and restore to normal.
If your ears don’t pop, however, it could cause fluid to build up within the ear, causing infection and earaches. In this worst-case scenario, that buildup of fluids can lead to a perforation of the eardrum, resulting in hearing loss.
If your earache symptoms last longer than a few days, do not hesitate to schedule an appointment with our Weslaco otolaryngologist, Dr. Frank R. Glatz, of the Glatz Group.
Our sinus relief specialists can properly assist you and examine your current symptoms in order to prescribe the right medication and treatments you need to take care of your or your child’s earaches.
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As the summer season has now fully transitioned into fall, a number of notable changes come along with it.
With over 60 million reported Americans suffering from common allergy symptoms on a yearly basis, the fall season can bring in some of the harshest seasonal allergies we can be forced to endure.
Our Weslaco balloon sinuplasty specialist at the Glatz Group explains some of the main causes of fall allergies in today's blog, bringing awareness to some of the possible solutions to help relieve symptoms in the long run.
Dealing with seasonal allergies can leave us feeling irritated and annoyed. They tend to creep up during the most unexpected instances and can even affect the way we perform our respective day-to-day duties.
Some of the most common fall allergy symptoms include:
Since the weather and environments can drastically change, a lot of unwanted dirt and pollen in the air makes its way into our sinuses, causing irritation.
The most common allergens that affect people in the fall include the following:
There are many different options when it comes to allergy relief that are both short-term and long-term.
Some short-term over-the-counter medications that will maintain allergy relief for a few days include oral antihistamines, nasal sprays, and decongestants.
If any of these short-term options don't work for you, you may consider looking into nasal surgery such as balloon sinuplasty to provide long-term relief.
To accurately find out what specific treatment is suitable to treat your case, consult with our Weslaco otolaryngologist, Dr. Frank R. Glatz, at the Glatz Group to properly recommend medication and/or services based upon your needs.
Balloon sinuplasty is a safe and effective procedure that is designed to slightly alter the affected sinus passageways and help them drain better without needing to remove any bone or tissue.
It is usually performed on those who suffer from severe cases of chronic sinusitis--which include similar symptoms to the ones mentioned earlier--and is a relatively quick procedure that can be administered by our trusted ENT in our Weslaco office.
A balloon sinuplasty is effective at opening up your nasal passages, creating enough space for them to properly drain and avoid developing sinus infections caused by fall season allergens.
In order to determine if your symptoms qualify for a balloon sinuplasty, schedule a consultation with our Weslaco sinus relief specialists of the Glatz Group today.
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Knowing just what causes sinus infections is the key to finding lasting relief through relevant treatment, especially for a condition that affects over 30 million Americans a year. While the most common symptoms are short term, they can eventually evolve into long-term complications if not treated correctly.
Our experienced McAllen otolaryngologist, Dr. Frank R. Glatz, and his team of sinus relief specialists at the Glatz Group firmly believe that sinus health is important to your overall wellbeing and it is their responsibility to share their knowledge with you on how your sinuses properly function, what the most common causes of sinus infection are, and how they can be treated.
Your sinuses are an intricate system. There are eight total sinus cavities that lie behind your nose, cheeks, and lower forehead. These air-filled cavities are responsible for producing mucus, which helps defend you from unwanted particles such as dirt, pollen, and dust while keeping your inner nasal passage moist.
So whenever there’s something interfering with the mucus production, your sinuses are unable to drain out, leading to a number of temporary, or even long-term, health issues.
When the sinuses are blocked, they eventually become clogged up with fluids, which then leads to unwanted bacterial grow within these chambers.
Some of the symptoms may include:
Individuals that have a weaker immune system are more likely to develop sinus infection from bacteria or mold.
The causation of sinus infections varies depending on its root cause. Listed below are several variants with recommended treatment options:
Other potential factors may also include:
It can be caused due to allergies, repeated infections, or immune disorders. Nasal polyps may affect your ability to breathe and smell and may even lead to more nasal infections.
Seek advice from Dr. Glatz if any of these affect your way of living. Surgery might be required if necessary.
Upon scheduling an appointment with our McAllen otolaryngologist at the Glatz Group, Dr. Glatz and our staff will carefully evaluate your symptoms in order to diagnose your condition and recommend applicable treatment designed to provide maximum sinus relief.
