ear nose and throat – Page 2

Is this a migraine or a sinus headache?

February 28th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

You feel the familiar throb of a headache beginning and just like that your day is ruined. Everyone gets a headache from time to time, and they can vary tremendously in severity to disrupt your life.

It’s important to know the type of headache you have so that you can treat it properly. It’s easy to confuse a migraine and sinus headache, but there are differences. Your sinuses are air-filled spaces inside your forehead, cheekbones, and behind the bridge of your nose. When they’re inflamed, it’s usually from an allergic reaction or infection. These conditions make your sinuses swell, creating more mucus, and causing blockage in the drainage channels.

The build up of the pressure in your sinuses causes the pain that feels like a headache. A migraine on the other hand, feels similar but happens suddenly, without warning. A migraine may be steady or abrupt and varies in intensity. It may be provoked by illnesses that affect your head or neck, like a dental problem. It often subsides after a few hours with the help of OTC (over-the-counter) medication.

Sinus headache symptoms

Pain in your head and particularly your forehead.
Itchy or watery eyes.
Pain when you move.

Migraine headache symptoms

Pain in your head and particularly your forehead.
Itchy or watery eyes.
Pain when you move.
Nausea or vomitting.
Sensitivity to sound or light.
Severe throbbing on one side of your head.

Treatment

Sinus

Sinus treatment varies depending on the intensity of your symptoms. Treatment include:

Pain relievers
Nasal irrigation to ease sinus pressure
Antibiotics or nasal steroids for infection

Treatment for migraines

Migraine treatment isn’t just about stopping it once it starts. It’s about preventing and reducing how often you get them, how long they last, and their force. Try:

Pain relievers.
Preventative medication to prevent migraines.
Triptans to constrict blood vessels to block pain pathways in your brain.
Anti-nausea medication.

Prevent the pain

Relieve emotional stress. Unwind and step away from stressful situations when you can. Learn how to calm yourself with deep breathing.
Minimise physical stress. Get proper rest and sleep every day. If you sit for long stretches, get up and move around often. Relax your jaw, neck, and shoulders.
Exercise regularly. Try to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.
Stick to a routine. Eat your meals and snacks at about the same times during the day. Go to bed and wake up on a set schedule.
Know your triggers. Keep a diary to learn what sets off your headaches. Avoid these things when possible.
Practise prevention. Once you know your triggers, take preventative medication to stop a headache in its tracks.

References:

The ins and outs of earache

February 8th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

A ringing sound in your ear? A dull ache? It may be an on-and-off pain or a persistent throbbing. Either way, an earache shouldn’t be ignored.

There are two categories of earaches to know about. A primary earache is due to some form of inner or outer ear disease. Secondary earache is due to or associated with problems elsewhere in the body, in which the pain is felt in the ear (this is known as referred pain).

Earache is very common in children, as the anatomy of their Eustachian tube makes them more susceptible to more infections. Earache is also common in children who are around smokers, and in summer, when allergies and swimming play a role.

Primary earache may be caused by conditions affecting the:

Outer ear canal: trauma, foreign bodies, infection, (otitis externa), impacted wax, malignancies, and allergies.
Middle ear (otitis media) acute or chronic infection, ruptured eardrum, and Eustachian tube dysfunction.

Have you got persistent earache? Speak to one of our doctors about how to fix it today.

You can also get an earache from:

A tooth infection.
Problems in the jaw joint (temporo-mandibular joint).
Parotid (salivary) gland disorders.
Tonsillitis, pharyngitis and sinusitis.
Cancer of the tongue, pharynx or oesophagus.

General treatment includes:

Stop smoking and keep children away from environmental cigarette smoke.
Take care to manage your allergies.
Keep the ear canals dry – for example, after swimming or hair-washing.
Avoid putting foreign objects like cotton-tipped buds into your ears.
Relieve the Eustachian tube discomfort in older children by chewing gum.
A combination of paracetamol and an anti-inflammatory (e.g. Ibuprofen) will relieve most earaches until it can be assessed by a doctor.

Quick relief
People often use ice packs or warm compresses, like a heating pad or damp washcloth, to relieve pain, and the same can be done for ear pain. This method is safe for both children and adults. Place the ice pack or warm compress over the ear.

Protect your ears

Avoid using objects to clean inside your ears. Your ears are self-cleansing. Cleaning inside your ear with an earbud, bobby pin or your fingernail may tear the skin. If you have excess ear wax build-up, have it removed by a healthcare professional.
Keep your ear canals dry: dry your ears after swimming and hair-washing, shake out excess water in your ears, wear earplugs while swimming.
Control your allergies. Inflammation caused by allergies can contribute to ear infection and ear pain.
Stop smoking and avoid exposure to second hand smoke. Cigarette smoke can increase the frequency and severity of ear infections.
Stay up to date with immunisations, including those for flu as ear infections often occur after flu.

It’s time to speak to Hello Doctor when:

You also have a fever, have recently had an upper respiratory tract infection, or if this pain is plaguing your child who is six months or younger. A fever indicates the possibility of a more serious infection.
You frequently develop otitis media; repeated bouts can lead to hearing loss or more serious infections.
You have hearing problems; the infection may be affecting hearing ability.
You feel nauseous or have bouts of diarrhoea accompanying the earache.
You have nasal congestion.
You are dizzy or imbalanced.
Your eardrum turns yellow or red and bulges.

References:

My baby has an ear infection – again!

October 25th, 2015 by The Hello Doctor Team

Is your baby restless, irritable and pulling at her ear? She’s more than likely suffering from an ear infection – a common complaint in young children between the ages of 6 and 18 months.

Continue reading “My baby has an ear infection – again!”

To ear bud, or not to ear bud – That is the question!

June 22nd, 2015 by The Hello Doctor Team

For years the ear bud has been a constant fixture in most bathroom cabinets. Take a couple out, a quick dab in one ear, a quick dab in the other – what’s the harm? Well, the most obvious is getting part of it stuck in your ear! That aside, regular ear bud use can also lead to skin irritation, infection and even hearing loss.

Continue reading “To ear bud, or not to ear bud – That is the question!”