鼻敏感帶來的炎症

鼻敏感雖不是致命疾病，可是發作時引來的流鼻水、鼻子癢等問題卻是非常煩人，不少鼻敏感病人卻諱疾忌醫，自行購買成藥或利用針炙、按摩來「自療」。

其實，這些「自療」方法只能暫時消除病徵，根本沒有徹底根治鼻敏感帶來的炎症，長期使用，甚至會惡化成鼻膜炎，最終要動手術治療。

一些聲稱可以通鼻塞的噴鼻劑是鼻敏感患者最常使用的成藥。這些噴鼻劑只是利用藥物強力收縮鼻膜及血管，並沒有真正解決鼻敏感引致的發炎問題。長期使用，鼻塞問題不單會反彈，更會演變成慢性鼻炎。

其實，對於這個情況，耳鼻喉專科醫生會向病人處方一些含輕量類固醇的噴鼻劑，病人只需連續噴一個星期左右就可以痊癒。現在含類固醇的藥物十分安全，被身體吸收的份量極微，不會影響身體功能。

以上所提供的資訊僅作為教育及參考用途，如果你有任何醫療問題，應向自己的耳鼻喉專科醫生查詢，而不應單倚賴以上提供的資料。

鼻塞的高峰期

參考資料: www.singtao.com/ 

近日天氣反覆，一夜之間氣溫可大跌10度，鼻塞個案也大增一半。不少人都以為鼻塞是因為「感冒未清」，其實傷風感冒引起的鼻塞最多只會持續一至兩個星期，鼻涕更會出現黃綠色，患者更可能同時出現流鼻血、多痰等病徵；鼻塞一旦纏繞2-4星期或以上、鼻涕清澈的話，多是因為鼻敏感引起。

鼻敏感在天氣轉變的時候最易發作，此時亦是鼻塞的高峰期。鼻塞看起來對身體沒有什麼大影響，可是長期鼻塞又不處理的話，不單會影響睡眠質素，更會因氧氣不足出現容易疲累及難以集中精神等問題，更會對上呼吸道造成嚴重影響。

要知道，鼻子有過濾空氣污染物、暖化空氣及濕潤空氣的功能，一旦鼻塞，我們便會逼不得已用口呼吸，寒冷的空氣得不到暖化，就會刺激氣管，引發敏感或下呼吸道問題。

另外，未經過鼻子過濾的空氣亦會帶著大量細菌跑進肺部，引發氣管炎和肺炎；長期吸入乾燥的冷空氣亦會令喉嚨疼痛，所謂的「慢性咽喉炎」很多時都是因此引起。

以上所提供的資訊僅作為教育及參考用途，如果你有任何醫療問題，應向自己的耳鼻喉專科醫生查詢，而不應單倚賴以上提供的資料。

打鼻鼾的治療方法

打鼻鼾成因
打鼻鼾是由於睡覺時，患者的肌肉完全放鬆，其舌頭和吊鐘部位會向後墮或咽喉組織過多，而引致空氣不能順利通過，造成氣管阻塞，要用力呼吸才可以通過障礙物，形成鼻鼾。患者通常是過胖，其中以中年男士居多。打鼻鼾是睡眠窒息症的先兆，不容忽視。

射頻手術 - 治療打鼻鼾
現今醫學昌明，打鼻鼾已可以透過微創射頻手術治療，耳鼻喉醫生會利用射頻以65至80度的熱力把阻塞咽喉的軟組織去除。射頻手術會於局部麻醉下進行，過程 大約十五分鐘，可減輕打鼻鼾和睡眠窒息症的症狀。微創手術後，大約4至6個星期後會出現效果，幾個月後效果會越見明顯。手術功效可維持1至2年，直至軟組 織重新生長。


射頻手術後處理
耳鼻喉專科醫生會處方血管收縮素噴劑、消炎藥等藥物，以減輕手術後的不適和發炎機會。每一項手術也有其風險，射頻治療有機會出現流血、發炎和黏膜潰瘍等併發症，出現併發症的機率少於1%。

射頻療程過程快捷，只有少量不適，手術後毋需住院，但病狀有復發的可能。

參考資料: www.ent-hk.com

以上所提供的資訊僅作為教育及參考用途，如果你有任何醫療問題，應向自己的耳鼻喉專科醫生查詢，而不應單倚賴以上提供的資料。

Tinnitus

Tinnitus is the sensation of sound without the presence of external stimulation. It can be classified as objective and subjective Tinnitus.

Objective Tinnitus can be heard for others, caused by narrowed carotid artery, disorder of eustachian tube muscles, degeneration of jaws, etc. For subjective Tinnitus, patients are the only ones conscious of the presence of sound, generally caused by inner ear and auditory nerve.

Sudden Tinnitus which lasts for a few seconds only or Tinnitus in a very quiet environment is a normal condition, no need to worry about that. If Tinnitus continues or other symptoms related to hearing, examination may be required to confirm the Tinnitus cause. Tunes of Tinnitus vary, including sound of cicada, wind or machines, but if it comes with the sound of pulse, extra care is needed.

Tinnitus treatment

Tinnitus due to causes like impaired-hearing can be improved by using hearing aids.

Tinnitus is more obvious in a quiet environment; low-volume broadband sounds (eg. radio or sound of waves) can relieve Tinnitus.

Anxiety and nervousness will amplify reactions of Tinnitus. Calmness along with appropriate psychological support can relieve symptoms of Tinnitus. Vitamin supplement or medications that enhance blood flow may help control the disease in some patients.

Reference information: http://ent-hk.com www.ent-hk.com

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your ENT doctor for diagnosis and treatment.

Treatment for obstructive sleep apnea

In daily life, patient has to pay attention to the diet, have regular exercises and lose weight. Also, have regular sleep and rest and avoid smoking and alcohol. Sleeping pills and sedative will increase the severity of obstruction, so they should be avoid if unnecessary.

Positive airway pressure machines are the simplest and safest treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. Wearing the mask during sleep every night can control the obstruction and reduce snoring, though some patients may find wearing a mask at sleep uncomfortable, which require alteration in treatments.

Surgery specifies different obstruction site, and remove the obstruction with laser or in a surgical way. Success rate varies from 40% to 80%, depends on the case itself. If there are more than one obstruction sites, one or more surgeries have to be done, and relapse is possible.

Night guards are specially made by dentists to put on the upper and lower jaws during sleep, which can pull the lower jaw forward, lowering the chance of airway obstruction.

Reference information: www.ent-hk.com

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your ENT doctor for diagnosis and treatment.

Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

The surgery is done under general anaesthesia. The sinus opening will be widened with all the obstruction removed. The sinuses will be cleansed with the mucopus drained.

The normal mucus clearance mechanism will be restored. The operation is performed inside the nose under endoscopic control with no external surgical scar.

In certain situation, it will combine with other nasal surgeries (such as septoplasty or polypectomy) to improve the access of the surgical field and the ventilation of the sinuses.

Postoperatively, the nose will be packed with dressing for hemostasis. The dressing will be removed in 1 to 2 days. Nasal saline irrigation should be started after the removal of nasal packing.

The complications include bleeding and infection which is not common. Rare complications include brain and eye injury.

Reference information: www.ent-hk.com

 www.ent-hk.com
It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your ENT doctor for diagnosis and treatment.