Dr. Anjan Jyoti Bhuyan

Nose bleeding happens because of the presence of a lot of blood vessels in the nose and the reasons for nose bleeding are nose picking, low levels of Vitamin K, colds and allergies and nose membrane getting dry along with so many other reasons. But there are ways with the help of which it can be prevented and stopped.

Let’s first learn how it can be instantly stopped.

1. Sit comfortably: When your nose starts bleeding, you should sit in a comfortable position. Do not stand or lie down because in these positions, blood may pass on to your throat which could be harmful. Tilt your face forward and let a piece of cloth soak in all the blood.
2. Hold the nose: During nose bleeding, one should hold and pinch the nose for at least 10 minutes continuously. If it still doesn’t stop bleeding then hold it for 5-7 minutes more. Holding or pinching the nose is necessary because bleeding can stop if direct pressure is put on nose for a longer time.
3. Apply ice: Applying ice can be a great way of instantly stopping nose bleeding. Ice usually compresses and tightens the blood vessels because of which bleeding stops. Ice should preferably be applied on cheeks and nose. Alternatively, you can keep the ice in your mouth also for short intervals.

Nose bleeding can be prevented by taking the following measures:

1. Elevate the nose while resting. Take 2-3 pillows while sleeping.
2. Do not blow or scratch your nose forcefully.
3. Keep your blood pressure in control because it will help in preventing nose-bleeding to a great extent.
4. Avoid smoking because it delays the healing process.
5. Make sure the room you sleep in isn’t dry. Keep a check on humidity of your room.
6. Need to take special care in winters because the nose membrane gets dry mostly in winters.
7. Drink plenty of water and citrus food to keep your nose moist and avoid milk, wheat and fried food.
8. Do not overuse cold and allergy medicines.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

There are a number of parts in the human body, which cannot be easily accessed. In times of disease or other complications, it becomes difficult for doctors and other medical practitioners to access those areas of the body in order to facilitate proper treatment. This not only leads to aggravation of the disease and further complications, but also prolongs the agony. However, technological advancements have made it possible for surgeries and other medical interventions to become easier.

Surgery for the skull base using endoscopy has become the chosen path these days. The reasons for these are as follows:

1. The intrusion is minimum.
2. There are no ugly scars or stitch marks.
3. The patient feels the least amount of pain as compared to any other method of operation.
4. It is likely to be far more effective.

The people who choose to go for this sort of an operation are most likely to be suffering with problems with regard to:

1. Skull
2. Spinal cord

Since bones and cartilages makeup a major part of the skull structure, the medical practitioner who will be entrusted with the job of taking care of the complexity should be well-versed with the history or cause of the development of the following:

1. Cysts that have developed over the years
2. Problems which a person may be born with
3. Cancerous swellings which may aggravate as the years go by
4. Tumours which may not be that harmful as long as they are taken care of swiftly
5. Fluid leaks which may make their way to other parts of the body

Different skull bade surgeries are done through nasal endoscope by an ENT surgeon. For example pituitary tumor surgery, repair of brain fluid leakage surgery, etc.​ Usually, below given are two types of endoscopic skull base surgery, which may be required for a person:

1. The minimally invasive type, which does not cause much of an opening
2. Open surgery where an incision has to be made in the facial area or somewhere in the vicinity of the complication

Nonetheless, both these measures are equally beneficial and effective as far as outcomes are concerned. Patients who come up with such complaints usually have symptoms like inability to hear properly, numbness, headache and dizziness, and facial pain. These are some of the preliminary signs when a person should get a check up immediately. Also, chemotherapy and radiation therapy can be considered to be some of the options that can be used in conjunction with the endoscopy method of skull base surgery. That way, the chances of a positive outcome will be higher. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can ask a free question.

The ear has three parts – outer, middle, and inner – through which sounds waves pass through. On reaching the inner ear, the sound waves are transmitted through a fluid medium which is carried through to the brain to produce “sound.” Hearing loss can be due to problems anywhere in this circuit – from the outer ear to nerve issues in the middle ear.

There are two main types of hearing loss
Conductive hearing loss, where problems in the outer or middle ear cause problem conducting sound waves into the inner ear
Sensorineural hearing loss, where there is a problem in the nervous portion of the hearing process

Causes

Conductive hearing loss occurs due to poor conduction of sound waves to the middle ear, where it is processed to perceive the sound. Conductive hearing loss can happen due to the following reasons:

1. Wax: Excessive wax accumulated in the outer ear can prevent passage of sound into the middle ear
2. Infection: The outer or middle ear could be infected, affecting passage of sound waves
3. Tear in the eardrum: The eardrum is a membrane through which sound waves pass. A tear due to trauma or injury can hamper this process, leading to hearing loss.
4. Impact: When there is a bang on the head, there could be temporary hearing loss due to disruption of the hearing system
5. Hereditary: A lot of times, hearing loss is hereditary and an exact cause may not be traceable
6. Ear tumor: Middle ear tumors can also cause conductive hearing loss
7. Abnormal growth: Abnormal bone growth in the middle ear can cause blockage, leading to hearing loss
8. Post-surgical: The ear is a highly complex structure, and while surgical corrections are being done to treat a condition, it is very likely that other parts can be damaged

Symptoms

In most of the conditions mentioned above, there are some sound waves which pass through, so conductive hearing loss is often partial, wherein the person can hear but it is faint. Very rarely, it is complete where the person goes completely deaf.

Management

This would depend on the cause of the hearing loss.

1. Clearing up the wax can lead to improved hearing
2. A tear in the eardrum or fluid buildup would need surgical repair to restore hearing
3. Infections might require treatment with antibiotics and pain killers
4. Tumors or bone growths would also require surgical correction for restoring hearing
5. For outer ear blocks, audiometry is done only after the blocks are cleared
6. If post correction, the hearing is not completely restored, hearing aids can be used, which often results in complete restoration. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ent Specialist.

Having a foreign object stuck inside a child’s ear or nose is an issue many parents encounter, especially while their child is a toddler. At the early developmental stages, it’s natural for children to be curious and attempt such things. It is also quite common for children as well as adults to get insects caught inside their nose or ear. In situations such as this, it’s best not to worry, as people tend to aggravate the situation when they panic.
The first thing you should try if you have any foreign object stuck inside your nose is to blow your nose. Be careful not to push too hard so as to not risk injury. Often children will be able to expel foreign objects from their nose only when asked to blow their nose.

If the foreign object in question is not stuck up the nose, but up the ear, or if blowing your nose has not helped, you should try and remove the object with a pair of clean tweezers. Do not try to use household items other than tweezers, as they might push the object further up the cavity. Do keep in mind to have someone help you while removing foreign objects from your own ear as well as to keep in mind to be extra careful not to be too harsh as you might puncture your ear drum. If the foreign object is stuck up your child’s nose or ear and they refuse to keep still, it’s best to take them to a professional.

What can an ENT specialist do?
If you have a foreign object stuck in your nose or ear and can’t get it out easily, it’s safest to go to the doctor rather than risk hurting yourself or your child. An Ear-Nose-Throat Specialist can use a local anesthetic to numb the area and use their expertise to better navigate the cavity and remove the object from the ear or nose. If the object is too far up the nose to reach, the ENT Specialist can administer medication to induce nose bleeding which will naturally dislodge the object from the cavity without having to insert anything into it.

When faced with problems such as a foreign object stuck in the ear or nasal cavity, it’s best to consult a professional as soon as possible instead of leaving the problem untouched for a long duration of time, as activities such as sniffing or scratching may further aggravate the issue. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an ENT specialist.

An abnormal swelling in the neck can be symptom of various problems. While it can be something as non-threatening as a swollen gland due to a cold that can be cured with simple medication, a swollen neck can also turn out to be a cancerous lump in the neck. When faced with an irregular swelling in the neck, it is best to not panic or jump to conclusions until you consult with an Ear-Nose-Throat Specialist. The possible problems that a swelling in the neck can indicate are:

1. Swelling or enlargement of the salivary glands: The salivary glands may become enlarged due to an infection or due to foreign materials getting stuck in them. While foreign objects or formation of stones in the salivary glands might require surgical removal, they can often be dissolved with medication and other non-invasive treatments. And infection in the salivary glands is often treated with antibiotics or other medication. These treatments can be prescribed and administered by ENT Specialists.
2. Thyroid disease: The thyroid gland may swell up and cause a swelling of the neck. These are often called goiters in colloquial language and are a result of thyroid diseases such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. They usually require a series of medication and treatment and are not considered an ENT problem despite the swelling of the neck.
3. Benign cysts: Benign cysts can form in any part of the neck or in the glands, much like it can form in any part of the body. An ENT Specialist can prescribe a surgical removal of the cyst lest it turns cancerous later in life. It should also be removed in case it grows or relocates, going on to cause other problems.
4. Lumps in the muscles: Lumps in the neck muscles are formed by injury or torticollis. These usually aren’t considered ENT problems and can be treated by general physicians and sometimes chiropractors.
5. Cancerous cysts or growths: One of the most daunting problems posed by a swelling of the neck is the possibility of cancer. While thyroid cancers as well as cancerous growths in the salivary glands are slow to develop, a swelling in the neck should immediately be investigated by an ENT Specialist in order to rule out all possibilities.

Sinus disease leads to chronic illness reducing the productivity of life grossly for years. Any ailment can cause a breakdown of one's overall well-being due to the onslaught of related symptoms, and sinus problem is no different. Sinusitis refers to inflammation or swelling of the tissue that lines the sinus, which are passages filled with air and lie in the nasal tract. 

Sometimes, these passages get blocked with germs, fluid and other elements that can give rise to infections and allergic reactions. Here are the ways in which this condition can affect your health:

1. Related ailments: One of the most common outcomes of sinus blockage is common cold, which can happen when the passages do not get proper movement of air. Further, it can also cause allergic rhinitis which is also known as hay fever and comes with its own set of symptoms like a runny nose, blocked nose and ears, watery eyes and other signs. A build-up of nasal polyps can also take place in the blocked path of the sinus, while the nasal cavity can also shift, causing a deviated septum. 
2. Pain: We have many sinuses that are located in various parts of our head, including the areas above and below the eyes. As a part of the sinus attack, one may experience pain and fluid fullness in these areas. These regions can ache when there is a sinus infection. This pain can also be caused by the dull pressure exerted by inflammation, and the pain can then travel down to jaws, teeth and even between eyes. 
3. Headaches: The constant pressure and persistent pain in the various areas containing the sinus can lead to long term headaches which will be at their worst in the mornings. This is due to the fact that the fluids have been accumulating throughout the night. These headaches can get worse if there is a change in the temperature. 
4. Congestion: Congestion is also a common symptom of sinus infection. The swollen sinuses can lead to constrictions in the nasal passage, which can obstruct normal breathing. This will lead to congestion, which can also affect the senses of taste and smell. 
5. Cough and discharge: A patient suffering from a sinus infection may end up blowing his or her nose more often than normal. This will usually happen because a yellowing greenish discharge will drain into the nasal passages on a regular basis during the infection. When this discharge bypasses the nasal tract and reaches the throat, it can also cause persistent coughing. It is best to ask for medical intervention and practice steaming to relive the painful symptoms of this condition.