Dos and Don’ts of Good Ear Health

When it comes to physical health, ear health tends to take a back seat to things like your heart, lungs, stomach, and muscles. But when you think about all that your ears do, it’s crazy that we don’t all try to take better care of them. In addition to being the reason why you can hear the world around you, your ears are also responsible for balance.

If you want to improve on your ear health (and who doesn’t!) we’ve got a few simple dos and don’t you should follow.

Do… 

• Use earplugs or noise-canceling headphones any time you’re around loud noises. 
• Follow medication labels, Some common, over the counter medications can contribute to hearing loss if taken too often. 
• Keep your ears dry. Excessive moisture is all that bacteria needs in order to grow. 
• Stay active. We all know exercise is good for your heart, lungs, and muscles, but it’s also necessary for good ear health. Cardio exercises (like running, walking, and swimming) pump blood to your ears and help keep them healthy. 
• Get regular checkups with a specialist. Because hearing loss is very gradual, you may not realize how poor your hearing has become over the years. Regular visits with an ENT will help keep everything in check. 

Don’t….

• Turn the volume on your electronics all the way up. 
• Use cotton swabs. Their thin shape might make them seem like the ideal solution for cleaning your ears, but cotton swabs are the cause of thousands of busted ear drums every year. 
• Leave your ears exposed in the cold. 
• Let your stress levels get too high. A little bit of stress is normal, but too much is bad for all aspects of your physical health, including our ears. Very high levels of stress have even been known to cause “phantom ringing” — a high pitch noise only you can hear. 

If you have any questions about our office or are interested in making an appointment, please give us a call at 877-EAR-NOSE or visit us online for more information. To keep up with the latest from our office, be sure to visit our Facebook page.

10 Ways to Stay Healthy While Traveling

Airports, train stations, bus stops, and fuel stations are never more crowded than around the holidays season. If you’ll be traveling to a loved one’s house for the holidays this year, you’ve probably got things like food and presents on your mind, but have you stopped to think about health?

Why Traveling Negatively Affects Your Health 

• The number of people you’re near drastically increases. Bottom line is that more people = more germs. 
• Your sleep schedule is off. Waking up at 4 a.m. for a 6 a.m. flight can have serious effects on your circadian rhythm. 
• Your diet is different (and usually different in a bad way). Fast food and car snacks do not a healthy diet make. 

10 Ways to Stay Healthy While Traveling 

1. Get to sleep early and try to sleep as often as you can. 
2. Stay hydrated by always carrying a reusable water bottle. 
3. Once you get to your (hopefully sunny) destination, don’t forget to put sunscreen on! Even if you’re going somewhere cold, you should still put a small amount of sunscreen on your face every day. 
4. If you do have to buy food on the go, stick with healthier options, like wraps, salads, and granola bars. 
5. Set an alarm to remind you to take any important medications you may have forgotten about. 
6. Keep your alcohol intake to a minimum while on holiday. 
7. Wash your hands several times a day — after you go to the bathroom, before you eat, and anytime you pass a sink. 
8. Find easy ways to workout while away, like walking and hiking. 
9. Stimulate your mind while you travel by reading, learning another language, writing, or listening to music. 
10. Pack a small first aid kit with you. Make sure it has bandages, bacitracin, hand sanitizer, ibuprofen in it. 

Another great way to make sure you’re ready for your travels? Have your ENT health checked! If you have any questions about our office or are interested in making an appointment, please give us a call at 877-EAR-NOSE or visit us online for more information. To keep up with the latest from our office, be sure to visit our Facebook page.

Do I Need to Get a Flu Shot if I Live in Warm Weather?

The short answer — yes!

Many people think they can only catch the flu if they live in cold weather. But we’re sorry to say that flu season is from October - March all across the United States, not just the north.

How Effective is the Flu Shot? 

In a typical season, the flu shot is able to reduce your chances of getting the flu from 50 - 70%. This means that it will protect roughly two-thirds of the people who get it.

It’s Necessary Each Year 

Unlike many other vaccinations, that you only needed to get once, getting the flu shot should be on your annual to-do list. This is because even though we call it “the flu” each year, the disease changes year to year. Because of this, different flu shots are created each season.

How Serious is the Flu? 

All too often, the common cold and flu are lumped together when talking about winter illnesses. Because of that, people often associate the two together — thinking the flu is like a bad cold. But if you’ve ever had the flu, you know that’s far from the truth.

Influenza is anything but the common cold. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that each year, flu-related deaths are as high as 50,000. Furthermore, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized each year because of the flu.

Signs and Symptoms of the Flu 

Unlike a cold, which typically consists of a runny nose and sinus congestion, the flu can cause:

• A high fever
• Chills
• Body aches
• A sore throat
• Coughing
• Fatigue
• Dehydration 

If you have any questions about our office or are interested in making an appointment, please give us a call at 877-EAR-NOSE or visit us online for more information. To keep up with the latest from our office, be sure to visit our Facebook page.

How It Works: BOTOX

Laugh lines, frown lines, forehead wrinkles, and crows feet — all inevitable side effects of aging. Or are they?

What is BOTOX®? 

BOTOX, short for botulinum toxin A, is a prescription drug that’s injected into a person’s face to combat wrinkles by temporarily paralyzing facial muscles.

Though it was originally designed to eliminate muscle spasms, BOTOX was quickly recognized for its cosmetic value.

How BOTOX Works 

By blocking signals between your nerves and muscles, BOTOX prevents muscles from contracting and causing or worsening wrinkles. Because it can prevent wrinkles from ever forming in the first place, BOTOX is popular among adults of all ages.

A Typical BOTOX Procedure 

BOTOX is one of the least invasive or intense cosmetic procedures one can have. Most procedures last only a few minutes and there’s no downtime. The professional in charge of injecting your treatment will use a small, thin needle to inject BOTOX into specific muscles. Within as little as one day, you can begin to see results.

How Long Does BOTOX Last? 

Contrary to popular belief, BOTOX is not permanent. Over time, your muscle will gradually begin to strengthen and begin to move once again. Typically, BOTOX lasts anywhere from four to six months.

The Side Effects of BOTOX

BOTOX is such a popular choice because it has very few negative side effects (and even a few positive ones!). The most common side effects of BOTOX are burning at the injection site and eyelid drooping, which typically only occurs if a person rubs their injection site and displaces the serum. BOTOX is also commonly used to treat migraines and headaches.

If you have any questions about our office or are interested in making an appointment, please give us a call at 877-EAR-NOSE or visit us online for more information. To keep up with the latest from our office, be sure to visit our Facebook page.

How to Care for Skin in Humid Weather

Your calendar may say winter, but the humidity down here in sunny Florida never seems to end. If you’re struggling to care for your skin, we’ve got a few pieces of advice that will make a world of difference.

Wash your face twice a day. 

When you sleep through your alarm clock and only have 10 minutes to get ready for work, washing your face is one of the things that quickly gets left off the to-do list. But washing your face regularly is more important than it seems.

Choose non-dyed, unscented products. 

Pink grapefruit may sound alluring, but think about what’s actually in it. No matter what it may say on the front of the bottle, chemicals are almost always added to get a particular color or scent — chemicals that are now going to sit on your face.

Easy on the exfoliator. 

Skin care is a marathon, not a sprint. While we’d all love to have clear skin overnight, it’s simply not going to happen. The best thing you can do for your skin is to use gentle products regularly. If you’re going to exfoliate, keep it to once a week at most.

Stop touching your face. 

Especially if you have a pimple, touching your face can be tempting, but it’s a major no, no. Even recently washed hands can harbor thousands of bacteria.

Drink plenty of water. 

From healthy organs to beautiful skin, water should be your best friend for a number of reasons. If drinking enough water is a challenge for you, try carrying around a water bottle wherever you go. You can also “eat” your water by enjoying water-dense foods, like watermelon, cucumbers, and celery.

If you have any questions about our office or are interested in making an appointment, please give us a call at 877-EAR-NOSE or visit us online for more information. To keep up with the latest from our office, be sure to visit our Facebook page.

The Difference Between a Facelift and a Mini Facelift

Are there ever times you wish you could turn back time? While you may not actually be able to time travel, your skin can. If you’re one of the millions of Americans looking to take years off the look of your face, you’ve likely considered a facelift. However, did you know that there are a few other options? While a facelift is the right choice for many, you may benefit from what’s known as a mini facelift.

Mini Facelift 

Also known as a “short scar” facelift, a mini facelift is just what it sounds like — a less invasive and intense version of a facelift. During the procedure, a surgeon will lift just a patient’s midface (mostly the area around the cheeks) rather than the entire face.

A few other important things to know about a mini facelift are:

• Because it only requires a surgeon to make two small incisions in front of the year, patients are less likely to have any noticeable scarring. 
• The recovery time for a mini facelift is usually 3 - 7 days — significantly less time than a full facelift. 
• The procedure offers more subtle results and will not improve the look of a person’s forehead or neck. 
• It has a much lower risk of complications. 

Good Candidates for a Mini Facelift 

• Patients between the ages of 30 - 50. 
• Healthy individuals who don’t currently have a medical condition that affects the body’s ability to heal or fight off infection. 
• Nonsmokers 
• Someone with realistic expectations. Because this is not a full facelift, the results will not be as drastic as they would be for a full facelift. 

If you're considering improving the look of your face with fillers and minimally invasive procedures, contact the experts at Florida ENT! 

October is Healthy Lung Month

When was the last time you were conscious of your breathing? For most of us, the answer is “never.” Each day, millions of people breathe in and out without ever giving their lungs a second thought. It’s not until the minute something bad happens that we realize how vital our lungs are and just how hard they work all day, every day.

Healthy Lung Month

Each October, just as the leaves begin to change color, we’re reminded of how important healthy lungs are, thanks to Healthy Lung Month. 

There are two main goals of Healthy Lung Month:

• Encourage people to take good care of their bodies, placing special attention on lung health. 
• Improve the level of pollutants both inside and outside. 

Caring for Your Lungs

The way you care for your lungs can have a huge impact on how they perform their oh-so-important tasks. Keep your lungs in tip-top shape by:

• Never smoking or quitting if you do. 
• Exercising regularly. 
• Sleeping at least 7 hours a night. 
• Drinking water throughout the day. 
• Washing your hands several times a day. 

Improve Pollutant Levels

The conversation around pollution usually focuses on the outside world, but did you know your home may have higher levels of pollution than the Great Outdoors? Improve your home’s air quality by adding live plants into your decor and switching to natural or “green” cleaning products instead of chemical-based ones.

Lung-Related Diseases and Conditions

With lung cancer being the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, there’s no way to stress how important lung-care is. Additionally, asthma is the leading cause of long-term illness in children.


If you have any questions about our office or are interested in making an appointment, please give us a call at 877-EAR-NOSE or visit us online for more information. To keep up with the latest from our office, be sure to visit our Facebook page.