Tag Archives: sinusitis
A One-Two Punch Against Antibiotics
I have already written about the recent Cochrane study that suggested antibiotics may not be worth prescribing in the early stages of sinusitis. That study covered a wide range of antibiotics, and incorporated the results from several published medical studies. A second study in the Lancet has specifically targeted amoxicillin and come to much the … Continue reading A One-Two Punch Against Antibiotics
View More >>Got Sinusitis? Hold the Antibiotics
Cochrane reviews are largely considered the gold standard for evaluating the data from across a range of different publications. With famously rigorous inclusion criteria and a careful approach to weighing results, these widely cited meta studies often upend traditional approaches in a given field. So it is no small event that the folks at Cochrane … Continue reading Got Sinusitis? Hold the Antibiotics
View More >>Balloon Sinuplasty Rides into Texas
Here we go again: a new local news outfit has caught a whiff of the revolution that is balloon sinuplasty, and a new patient has gone on record reporting her astonishment with its success: Judy Spain “was sick all the time, I had no energy, and a constant sinus headache. I did what I had … Continue reading Balloon Sinuplasty Rides into Texas
View More >>31 Million Texans with Chronic Sinusitis?
Chronic sinusitis is an uncomfortable and often dangerous condition in which blocked sinuses can become a breeding ground for aggressive bacteria. It is also a condition that earns its fair share of press, and rightly so: sinusitis is a widespread issue that cuts across every major demographic. Still, I did a double-take when I recently … Continue reading 31 Million Texans with Chronic Sinusitis?
View More >>Once More, With Feeling: Never Neti Pot with Tap Water
As the days grow shorter and the warmth less impressive, we turn our thoughts once again to the seasonal spike in sinus symptoms. This week, I want to check in on a story I covered a little while back about what can happens when nasal rinses are made from ordinary tap water. In the original … Continue reading Once More, With Feeling: Never Neti Pot with Tap Water
View More >>The 2,000 Year Old Sinus Infection
I often advise my patients to see a qualified ENT if their sinus symptoms persist longer than a couple of weeks. This guy really didn’t follow that advice. Many news outlets are reporting on this story of a mummy – most likely a person of some distinction – who, it turns out, died of complications … Continue reading The 2,000 Year Old Sinus Infection
View More >>Super Tasters Super Immune to Sinusitis
A fascinating study out of the University of Pennsylvania this week revealed something unusual: super tasters, or people whose sense of taste and smell are enhanced to an extraordinary degree, may also be less prone than the rest of us to sinus infections. The reason may surprise you: super tasters can actually “taste” invading bacteria … Continue reading Super Tasters Super Immune to Sinusitis
View More >>Sneezing Study Unlocks a New Avenue for Sinusitis Treatment
Why do we sneeze? Various explanations have found their way into public consciousness over the years, but the most popular remains the most plausible: we sneeze to clear our noses. Something gets in there, be it a pollutant or a particulate, and the sneeze is our body’s resounding retort. But now researchers have discovered a … Continue reading Sneezing Study Unlocks a New Avenue for Sinusitis Treatment
View More >>Are There Good Bacteria for your Sinuses?
Microflora is the term we use for the tiny organisms that live in our bodies. Think gut bacteria, tiny skin crawlers, anti-inflammatory fungi. It’s no secret that our bodies play host to millions of these creatures on a daily basis, but less well understood is what function, if any, these little passengers might serve. Now … Continue reading Are There Good Bacteria for your Sinuses?
View More >>What Causes A Sinus Infection?
A good article this week from the folks at Health.com: 13 Sneaky Causes of Sinus Trouble. More than many pieces in the popular press, this one covers a full range of possibilities that can lead to sinus distress, including some rare culprits like nasal polyps and overuse of medications. As a Los Angeles ENT, I … Continue reading What Causes A Sinus Infection?
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