Monday 31 May 2021

ENT Problems in the time of COVID 19 and Coronavirus

Coronavirus affects different people differently. It is established, however, that most of the people who are infected will show dry cough, fever and fatigue. A few other symptoms which must be looked out for, are as follows:
  • Difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath
  • Aches and pains in muscles and/or bones
  • Frequent/Constant headaches
  • Unusual loss of smell or taste
  • Running or a congested nose 
  • Loose motions



Someone who shows mild and common symptoms but is healthy otherwise can try to manage his symptoms, but medical help must be sought immediately in case they get serious. 

Best ENT Specialist in Mumbai play an imperative role in the fight against coronavirus. ENT patients who suffer from sinus, ear infection, sore throat, nosebleeds, etc. need to be all the more careful during these testing times. But at the same time, it must be remembered that having an ENT problem does not mean that you are infected with the coronavirus. Doctors believe that infection from coronavirus is possible through our eyes but it isn’t likely through one’s ears. If someone who is infected with COVID 19, coughs or sneezes, the infection can easily spread through the nose and mouth.






If you or anyone around you has developed any of the mentioned symptoms or is showing conditions that affect their ears, nose, throat or if anyone has been exposed to novel coronavirus you must seek medical help. The doctors and staff at AUM ENT Clinic are well-trained to help you with a proper diagnosis and treatment.


Blog reviewed by: Dr. Shailesh Pandey, Ent Surgeon Mumbai


AUM ENT CLINIC
For Appointment: Call us on 022 40032116
OR

Obstructive Sleep Apnea and its Lesser Twin-Snoring

Snoring is more than just a frustrating habit that makes your sleeping partners uncomfortable. This can also be an indication of something worse. Here are some essential facts you need to know about snoring and its association with sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a disorder which is characterized by abnormally shallow breathing (hypopneas) or abnormal pauses in breathing (apneas) during sleep. These apneas can occur due to a physical blockage to airflow or a lack of respiratory effort, or a combination of both.



Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) – OSA happens when the airway is blocked, the patient’s tongue falls back against the soft palate, and the soft palate and uvula fall back against the back of the throat, effectively closing the airway and causing pauses in breathing and subsequently loud snoring. Patients suffering from OSA often feel exhausted during the day and report daytime drowsiness, which they often become used to. OSA can also affect the work performance, attention, enthusiasm and also have other cognitive or behavioral effects.

Snoring:  Snoring is due to relaxation in soft tissues (when breathing) around the back of the throat which causes the narrowing of the upper respiratory structures while sleeping. Meanwhile, anything that narrows the breathing passages can also cause snoring, which includes: Enlarged uvula, medically known as the Palatine uvula (fleshy piece of tissue that hangs down in the back of your throat), deviated septum (when the thin wall between your nostrils is misaligned), an elongated soft palate, obstructions in the nasal area and larger tonsils.

If you suffer from daytime fatigue and sleepiness, and/ or if you don't feel refreshed in the morning after a night's sleep, you should, perhaps, consider getting a sleep study. There are a few ways that you can get that done. The usual method is to go to a sleep study clinic (or a clinic which specializes in Sleep Apnea Snoring Treatment), where you will be connected to a variety of devices that will monitor your body functions while you are sleeping. These include brain activity, eye movements, heart rhythm, oxygen saturation, and muscle activity. Another option is you can get a home testing device, which will also monitor your certain sleep functions, but in the comfort of your own home and bed.

Symptoms of sleep apnea

  • Loud and chronic snoring almost every night
  • Snorting, Choking or gasping during sleep
  • Pauses in breathing
  • A sore throat or feeling dehydrated when waking up
  • Night sweats, waking up at night feeling short of breath, Insomnia, restless or fitful sleep
  • Daytime drowsiness and exhaustion, irrespective of the time you spend in bed
  • Absent-mindedness and difficulty concentrating
  • Going to the restroom frequently during the night
  • Morning headaches
  • Uncharacteristic grumpiness, petulance, or depression
  • Sexual dysfunction
So, how can you say if you have sleep apnea or just fall into the group of “simple snorers?”
Understanding your conditions and symptoms is the first and most elementary step in finding a remedy. The obvious way is to examine how you feel during the daytime. Simple snoring doesn’t hamper the quality of your sleep as much as sleep apnea does, so you’re less likely to suffer from sleepiness, mood swings and extreme fatigue during the day. The main risk related to sleep apnea is going undiagnosed. When a sleeper experiences no snoring, but still has sleep apnea, the risk increases radically. Sleep apnea is a serious disorder, so you should contact a doctor right away if you or your partner notices the symptoms. Your doctor’s diagnosis of sleep apnea may involve seeing a professional sleep specialist and tests that can be done in a clinic or at home.


Treatment:

Non – Invasive method

Continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP): This small device uses mild air pressure to keep airways of a person with sleep apnea to open continuously to breathe more easily during sleep. This is a portable device and is fitted on the nose when needed.

Conservative Methods

Uvulectomy: This is performed on patients with a large uvula that causes loud snoring. The procedure involves complete or partial incising the uvula and/or inferior rim of the soft palate, thereby reducing its size.
Septoplasty, Somnoplasty and functional Rhinoplasty: These surgical procedures will be performed when Snoring is a result of nasal obstruction and depending on the severity.

Adenotonsillectomy: This is the removal of the tonsils and adenoids which is commonly performed in children with the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Palatal implants: A single-stage office procedure (a form of oropharyngeal surgery) involving the placement of three polyester implants in the soft palate under local anesthesia to help reduce vibration that causes snoring.

Surgical procedures

Palatal surgery: Also called as Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), this is a procedure used to remove excess tissue in the throat to broaden the airway.

Genioglossal advancement surgery: Genioglossus is the largest muscle of the tongue responsible for protruding the tongue. Genioglossus advancement captures this area of bony attachment and permanently repositions it. The procedure creates more room for the tongue to relax during sleep without obstructing the passages resulting in an enlargement and stabilization of the airway.

Thyrohyoid suspension procedure: This involves advancing the hyoid bone (U-shaped bone in the neck, located above the level area of the thyroid cartilage) anterior or interior to the thyroid cartilage and helps to stabilize the collapsible region of the airway. Maxillary-mandibular advancement: Also called as bimaxillary advancement or double jaw advancement, maxillary-mandibular advancement provides the greatest improvement in treating severe obstructive sleep apnea compared to other procedures. In this process, the upper (maxilla) and lower (mandible) jaws are moved forward, and it effectively enlarges the airway in both the palate and tongue regions.

Tracheotomy: Tracheotomy is used to cure rare cases with chronic OSA syndrome or life-threatening sleep-disordered breathing.

AUM ENT Clinic is dedicated ENT Treatment Center in Mumbai to the delivery of empathetic, quality, state-of-the-art and cost-effective health care with best-in-class technology and equipment. AUM ENT Clinic is dedicated to the prevention and alleviation of human suffering in patients with disorders in the field of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery as well as snoring treatment in Mumbai. The clinic also provides Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment, and Snoring Treatment in Mumbai.


AUM ENT CLINIC
For appointment:
Call us on 022 40032116 
Or