Ear, Nose, and Throat
At some point, most people have a problem with their ears, nose, or throat. Mount Sinai South Nassau’s experts, called otolaryngologists, can help. We diagnose and treat a variety of diseases and disorders. We are a Sinus Center of Excellence.
We treat a wide range of illnesses. The conditions we see most often include:
- Allergies
- Cancers of the head and neck
- Chronic ear infections
- Dizziness
- Hay fever
- Hearing loss
- Hoarseness
- Nosebleeds
- Sinusitis
- Sleep apnea
- Snoring
- Swallowing disorders
We use state-of-the-art, noninvasive procedures. These include:
- Balloon sinuplasty, to open the sinuses
- Endoscopic sinus surgery
- Eyelid surgery (called blepharoplasty)
- Head and neck cancer surgery
- Plastic surgery of the nose (called rhinoplasty)
Sinusitis
Sinusitis is very common. About 30 million Americans get it every year. It occurs when the lining of the nose or sinuses is swollen. We call this inflammation. It can be caused by:
- Infections from bacteria, viruses, or microbes
- Blocked sinuses that don’t drain properly
Sinusitis has a lot of symptoms. These include:
- Bad breath
- Difficulty breathing through the nose
- Discharge of yellow or green mucus from the nose
- Facial pain or pressure
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Inability to smell or taste
- Nasal congestion
- Sore throat
- Tooth pain
There are different types of sinus infections. Doctors group them by how long the inflammation and symptoms last. The main groups include:
- Acute Sinusitis: Inflammation lasts less than four weeks (often resolving in 7 to 10 days). It is usually caused by a viral infection like the common cold.
- Subacute Sinusitis: Symptoms last 4-12 weeks.
- Chronic Sinusitis: Inflammation or infection lasts more than 12 weeks. This is often driven by other issues. These could be allergies, nasal polyps, or a deviated septum.
We treat sinusitis with medicine or surgery.
Medical Treatment
We usually start treating sinusitis with medicine. There are many options. We may use:
- Antibiotics
- Inhaling steam
- Nasal drops
- Sprays
- Steroids
Surgical Treatment
Sometimes medicine doesn’t work. Then, we can do sinus surgery. We offer two types of safe and effective procedures. They are:
- Endoscopic sinus surgery: We use a tiny tube with a camera on the end (called an endoscope) to guide the procedure. We remove the item that is blocking your sinus. That might be a polyp, swollen tissue, or a small amount of bone from the nasal cavities. Removing this makes the natural drainage pathways bigger and helps you breathe. Most people can return to normal activities in a couple of weeks or sooner. Your surgeon will tell you when you can. We may continue to provide care after surgery to help you stay healthy and keep sinus problems from coming back.
- Balloon Sinuplasty: This way also uses an endoscope. We place a tiny balloon into the blocked sinuses. Then we inflate the balloon to gently open the area. We rarely remove any tissue or bone. This means you have less bleeding. You may be back to normal in 24 hours. This approach will not cause any issues if you need treatment again in the future.
