The Signs and Symptoms of Swimmer's Ear

When the temperature starts to rise, there’s only one place you can go to escape the heat — the water! So it’s no surprise that swimmer’s ear — an infection of the inner ear canal, caused by excess water — is at an all time high in the summer. Keep yourself and your children safe this summer by knowing the warning signs of swimmer’s ear, and what you can do to prevent it.

Symptoms 
Swimmer’s ear is a very common infection, and the symptoms are typically mild at first.

• Itching deep in your ear.
• Your inner ear appears red. 
• Drainage of a clear, odorless liquid. 
• Feeling like your ears are clogged. 
• Muffled hearing. 

How to Protect Yourself 

Don’t let the fear of swimmer’s ear keep you from enjoying the water this summer. Instead, there are several things you can do to reduce your likelihood of getting swimmer’s ear.

• Dry your ears after swimming and bathing: For the best results, stand up and tilt your head to one side, allowing the water to drain from your ear. Then, dry the outside of your ears with a dry towel or cloth. 
• Don’t swim in contaminated water: If you have a pool, check its chemical levels frequently. If you know a body of water has a higher than normal bacteria count, don’t swim there. 
• Cover your ears: If you frequently get ear infections, wear earplugs while in the water. Plugs will prevent water from getting and staying in your ear canal. 
• Keep your ears clear of foreign objects: Despite its name, you can get swimmer’s ear without going in the water. Sticking things like cotton swabs and hairpins in your ear can irritate your inner ear canal and cause it to become infected.

 At Florida ENT, we are committed to helping patients who suffer from hearing loss and inner ear damage. Utilizing the latest advances in medicine and state-of-the-art techniques, our goal is to treat our patients with comfort and compassion. To learn more about the services we provide, please call us today at 407-944-3340 to schedule an appointment. 

Drink More Water This Summer With These Easy Tricks

8 glasses of water — somewhere along the line that became the standard for drinking enough water. While that has been debated from time-to-time, there’s no denying that drinking plenty of water is essential for your health. But when sweet, sugary options like soda and lemonade are sitting in the refrigerator, it can be hard to always choose water. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of easy ways to drink more water everyday.

1. Carry water around with you. Carrying a water bottle with you or leaving one at your desk will automatically encourage you to drink more throughout the day.
2. Have a glass before each meal. Not only will this get you drinking more water, it will also prevent you from overeating.
3. Track your cups. Yup — there’s an app for that! If you want to get really technical, there are a number of apps that will let you track your glasses and give you advice about how much you should be drinking, based on your age, weight, and activity levels.
4. Add flavor to your water. Over time, water can get bland and boring. Spice it up (literally) by adding spices, fruits, and herbs.
5. Choose seltzer or sparkling water. If you don’t feel like making your own infused water, you can buy zero-calorie, flavored sparkling water.
6. Eat water-rich foods. If you’re one of those people who truly doesn’t like water, you can trick your body by eating water-rich foods. Cucumber, zucchini, watermelon, and grapefruit are all over 90-percent water.
7. Follow the one-to-one rule when drinking alcohol. Alcohol, especially when mixed with soda, leaves your body dehydrated. The next time you go out for margaritas, drink a glass of water after each alcoholic drink.

One of the best ways to improve your allergies, keep your skin clear, and open your nasal passages is to drink more water. But if water alone isn’t enough to keep your sinuses clear, it might be time to visit Florida ENT! We offer the most advanced allergy screening, allergy management, and immunotherapy treatments available. To schedule an appointment, give us a call at (877) EAR-NOSE.

The 5 Best Herbs and Spices for Respiratory Cleansing

Have you ever taken that first bite of food and instantly felt your sinuses open up? If so, odds are you were eating something pretty spicy. For just as long as herbs and spices have been used to add flavor to our favorite foods, they've been used for medicinal purposes. In honor of this past National Herbs and Spices Day, we’re moving these five ingredients out of the spice drawer and into the medicine cabinet.

Eucalyptus. Instead of reaching for cough drops the next time you have a scratchy throat, try grabbing some eucalyptus oil — the main ingredient in cough drops. Eucalyptus oil will soothe your throat just as well as a cough drop, but doesn’t contain all the artificial colors and flavors. Best of all, eucalyptus contains antioxidants. This means it won’t just make your throat feel better, it will actually help you heal faster.

Oregano. Oregano isn’t just for your pizza anymore. The next time you’re feeling congested, take a teaspoon of organic oregano. While oregano has plenty of vitamins and minerals, its main health benefits come from its carvacrol and rosmarinic acid content. Combined, these two ingredients can help treat a respiratory tract infection, sore throat, and congestion.

Lungwort. It may not be the prettiest looking plant (as it actually resembles a pair of lungs) or the nicest sounding name, but none of that matters when congestion is keeping you up at night. Lungwort has been used since the 1600s to promote lung and respiratory health.

Elecampane. Since the 1800s, the Greeks, Romans, and Chinese have used elecampane to soothe a sore throat and enhance their lung capacity. Elecampane’s two main ingredients, inulin and alantolactone, work to soothe your bronchial passage while simultaneously flushing your system of mucus.

Peppermint. Who says candy can’t be good for you? Peppermint and peppermint oil both contain menthol — an ingredient that relaxes your muscles and promotes easy breathing. Best of all, you can benefit from peppermint just by smelling it.

If these natural remedies just aren’t cutting it or the pain worsens, we encourage you to schedule an appointment at our Sinus & Facial Plastics Institute. With locations in Orlando and Kissimmee Florida, we’re dedicated to the complete medical care of your nose and throat, both cosmetically and functionally. To learn more about our sinus institute, give us a call at 407-944-3340.

Tips for Recovering from a Septoplasty

Between your nose, there's a bridge of cartilage that divides your nostrils. For most of us, this cartilage is relatively straight, allowing air to flow evenly through both nostrils. But if you have a deviated septum, the bridge between your nose may be crooked or out of position. While it may not seem like a big deal, this can cause difficulty breathing, frequent nosebleeds, and pain. That’s why many people with a deviated septum decide to have a septoplasty — a procedure that straightens your septum.  

If you’ve recently had a septoplasty, here are a few tips on how you can make sure your recovery is as smooth as possible.

Week 1:

Stay in bed the day of your surgery.

Most patients are surprised by how well they feel after the procedure. But because patients have to be placed under either local or general anesthesia, they are usually still groggy.

Keep your head elevated.

Patients should keep their head elevated while sleeping for at least one week after the procedure (many surgeons advise two weeks). This will keep the swelling down and help you breathe easier.

Wear clothes that are loose or button in the front.

To avoid pulling clothes over your head, you should try to wear shirts that button in the front. If you don’t have any button-up shirts, wear clothes with a loose collar. These won’t press against your nose when you put them on.

Month 1:

Don’t travel by plane.

If you’ve ever felt your ears “pop” during a flight, than you know that pressure changes greatly affect your sinuses. Pressure changes soon after nasal surgery can cause two problems — bleeding and sinus blockage. Changes in atmospheric pressure can cause you to suffer a bleed. Though rare, a major bleed may be difficult to control on a plane.

Avoid blowing or touching your nose.

Forcibly blowing your nose can cause damage to the new bridge between your nostrils, so you should avoid doing it all together. If you have to blow your nose, do so very gently. If you feel any pain afterwards, you should contact your surgeon.

Don’t play sports.

Even non-contact sports, like soccer, swimming, tennis, and baseball can damage your nose.

If you’re considering a septoplasty, make sure to consult the experts at Florida ENT. We can quickly and accurately assess your symptoms and design a treatment plan that is specialized to your needs. To schedule an appoint, give us a call at (877) EAR-NOSE!