ClariFix - Surgical Treatment for the Persistent Runny Nose

Our office now offers ClariFix, a surgical treatment for the persistent runny nose due to non-allergic rhinitis as well as severe allergies . This procedure is performed in the office under only local anesthesia. Watch the video above to see how it works. Patient who are candidates for this procedure include: • Be over 18 years old • Suffer from an intractable runny nose in spite of medications (or desire to reduce the number medications to treat the runny nose) • Have no significan…

10/16/2018 0

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Chiropractic Nasal Balloon Procedure to Treat Sinuses, TMJ, Concussion, etc

Screen shot from YouTube A patient recently came to my office complaining of chronic sinusitis that has been treated over the past year unsuccessfully by a chiropractor using a "balloon that is inserted into the nose and inflated several times." Curious about this interesting technique, I investigated further what and how allegedly this procedure works. It is called "Nasal Release" or "Neuro Cranial Restructuring" or "Endo-Nasal Cranial Facial Release&q…

11/01/2016 0

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Suction Powered Nasal Irrigation

Most sino-nasal irrigation systems currently in use require passive drainage after flushing... typically into a sink. You squirt the saltwater into one nostril and the flush drains out the other side passively. However, there is a new system called " Navage " made by RhinoSystems that adds suction along with the flush. The upper chamber is where clean water is held. There are two nasal pillows that goes into each nostril. By pushing a button, the water gets mixed with salt and fl…

9/25/2016 0

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The Different Types of Non-Allergic Rhinitis

Non-allergic rhinitis (NAR) is a condition where a person exhibits many allergy like nasal symptoms, but has normal allergy test results, normal CT Sinus scan, and/or normal  structural nasal endoscopic exam. It is a condition loosely termed the "hypersensitive" nose. It is also known as vasomotor rhinitis. NAR can be divided between non-inflammatory and inflammatory NAR . Inflammatory NAR can also be further broken down into different subtypes based on nasal smear cytology…

5/13/2016 0

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Milk and Cookie Disease (Video)

A TEDx talk by Dr. Julie Wei on " Milk and Cookie Disease " which causes symptoms of chronic stuffy nose, nasal congestion, chronic runny nose, cough, sinus infections, sore throat, recurrent croup, allergies and asthma due to excessive sugar and dairy consumption in otherwise healthy children. Such a diet, especially in the evenings and bedtimes, trigger reflux leading to this wide constellation of ENT symptoms. Read more about this condition here . Julie L. Wei, MD , is a Ped…

12/04/2015 0

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What Does the Uvula Do?

Given how frequently doctors look in peoples' mouths, physicians probably get asked this question a dozen times a day by curious patients.  This question of uvular function also extended into ancient times with a variety of theories proposed over the years... Hippocrates and Aristotle in the 4th century B.C. and Berenargio da Carpri in 1900 referred to the uvula only as a source of possible inflammation and edema capable of causing suffocation. Galen (122-199 A.D.) considered it to be…

5/31/2015 0

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Personal Steam Inhalers/Humidifiers to Treat Cough and Congestion

People with an upper respiratory infection with cough have found that taking a hot steam shower is often helpful for their symptoms. It can ease the nasal congestion and calm the coughing down. Due to these beneficial effects and the fact that dry airways can make a cough worse, a humidifier is a helpful device to have in a room. Beyond a humidifier, one can also purchase personal portable steam inhalers designed to put over the face. Cost can run anywhere from $20 to several hundred …

2/22/2015 2

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Flonase Steroid Nasal Spray Now OTC

GlaxoSmithKline announced in July 2014 that the FDA has approved Flonase  steroid nasal spray  to be made available over-the-counter (OTC). It has now arrived! Flonase joins  Nasacort  which is has been available for purchase OTC for some time. Flonase is available to purchase on Amazon now as well. Flonase and Nasacort both are  steroid nasal sprays  used to treat  allergies  in patients. It is similar to prescription steroid nasal sprays like nasonex, omnaris, ceramist, etc. It is …

2/07/2015 1

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Color of Snot (Infographic)

1/29/2015 0

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Christmas Tree Allergy (Mold and Pollen Studies)

Ever wonder what a live Christmas Tree brings into a home other than happy holiday cheer? For those with Christmas Tree Allergy, a live conifer will also bring allergy and asthma type symptoms that manifest within a week and not uncommonly as soon as 24 hours after introduction into the home. It is estimated that about 7% of allergic patients suffers to some degree, Christmas Tree Allergy. Sneezing, wheezing, nasal congestion, and transitory rashes are the most common symptoms of Christma…

12/05/2014 0

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Flonase Steroid Nasal Spray to be OTC in 2015

GlaxoSmithKline announced in July 2014 that the FDA has approved Flonase  steroid nasal spray  to be made available over-the-counter (OTC) starting sometime in early 2015. Flonase would join  Nasacort  which is already available for purchase OTC. Flonase and Nasacort both are steroid nasal sprays  used to treat  allergies  in patients. It is similar to prescription steroid nasal sprays like nasacort, nasonex, omnaris, etc. It also would be the second steroid nasal spray made OTC in the Un…

7/25/2014 0

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Does Sinus and/or Nasal Surgery Help with Sleep Apnea?

Bluntly, the answer is not really... Although it may make sense that improving nasal airflow should help with obstructive sleep apnea , the reality is that it does not make a profound difference. Indeed, there was a study in 2014 that looked into this question. In this study , 3 groups of patients were looked at divided into patients with mild, moderate, or severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). These patients underwent sinus surgery , septoplasty , and turbinate reduction . What was found …

7/08/2014 1

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Esophagoscopy without Sedation [VIDEO]

Here is a video demonstrating how esophagoscopy can be performed in the office without any sedation. The esophagus is the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. The exam, called trans-nasal esophagoscopy (TNE), can be performed in any patient as long as the nose is large enough to accommodate the endoscope and lack a severe gag reflex. A very thin disposable sheath (like a condom) is used to protect endoscope and maintain sterility between patient use.

4/12/2014 0

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LeBron James and His Broken Nose

LeBron James suffered a broken nose. He first broke it Feb 2014 when playing against Oklahoma City. He than got hit to the nose again (while wearing a mask) when playing against Houston in March 2014. [ link ] Regardless of whether you are an NBA player or not, treatment of most  nasal and even facial fractures  do  NOT  require surgical repair. The key elements that lead towards a decision for  facial and/or nasal fracture surgery  are the following (not all-inclusive, but general pointe…

3/07/2014 0

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