Hair Dye Test Saves Teen from Lethal Allergic Reaction

The recent story of a 16-year-old’s brush with death has created a major stir after going viral across multiple news platforms. The girl, Sophie Warren, hopes that sharing her traumatic experience may help prevent others from suffering a similar fate. Sophie had recently changed her hair color using a home dye kit, but was unsatisfied with the results. She visited a local salon, Hairport, expecting a straightforward color correction appointment. The veteran stylist placed a small dab of the hair dye behind the girls’ ears to test for allergies, a standard practice which proved profoundly beneficial.

After the product is applied, the salon requires a 48-hour waiting period to ensure an allergic reaction does not occur. Despite having used similar products before, Sophie had a severe reaction to the hair dye; she began to notice allergic symptoms during her commute home. Within the hour, her ears were considerably swollen and weeping. Her neck also began to swell up.

Despite these dramatic side effects, Sophie expected the reaction to subside naturally. Forty-eight hours later, she returned to the salon to have the hair procedure performed. Sophie’s stylist noted the allergic reaction and urged her to go to the hospital for treatment. There, her doctor treated her with antibiotics, which helped reduce the swelling. However, her reaction continued to worsen. Sophie’s skin was covered in a rash and an infection spread from her ear throughout her body. She was able to recover from her severe reaction, but will never be able to use hair dye again.

Fortunately for Sophie, her haircare professionals tested for her reaction prior to applying the product to her hair. Her doctors warned that, had Sophie not been tested prior to getting her hair dyed, she may have died. Allergies can develop unexpectedly throughout our lifetime. Like Sophie, many individuals may not realize they have allergies. In order to prevent a serious allergic reaction from affecting you, visit a local San Diego ENT office. Here, your allergist will perform an allergy test to determine if you might have a hazardous reaction. Existing allergies can be managed and even cured through personalized treatments. To learn more about allergies, we welcome you to call our staff at (858) 909-0770!

Slight Drop in ENT Productivity with Implementation of EMR

Technology is often viewed as a means to increase efficiency. In our modern society, there seems to be a form of technology to assist with all of our needs. Even ordering household essentials can be accomplished by pressing a button. This also applies to the work environment, where new systems and devices are implemented to help streamline processes. But, does technology always make us more efficient? The simple answer is, of course, no. A recent study showed this to be true for a number of otolaryngologists, whose productivity declined after the implementation of a new electronic system.

The system used is an electronic medical record, or EMR. An EMR contains all of a practice’s medical and clinical data. This system is thought to increase productivity by centralizing information and eliminating the need for paper charts. However, the study conducted followed five different otolaryngologists for two years—one year prior to implementation and one year following. Productivity was measured using “mean work relative value units (wRVUs)” and the average number of clinic visits. Data compiled during these two years showed each otolaryngologist experienced a slight decline in productivity.

Despite this decline, the use of an EMR system still provides many benefits to practices. EMRs allow practices to track data and progress over time, easily identify patients due for preventive or follow-up appointments, and centralize all of the practice’s data. Ear, nose and throat doctors benefit from these systems, as they can typically sort their patients by allergy, hearing, sinus, etc. An EMR is also used by ear, nose and throat clinics during the process of diagnostics and treatment.

So, while there was a noted decline in the efficiency after an EMR implementation, these systems are still very useful in a healthcare setting. Additionally, efficiency could increase after prolonged use of the system, as practitioners familiarize themselves with the new processes. If you are in need of treatment for a condition affecting the head or neck, we can help! Our staff is equipped with some of San Diego’s finest ear, nose and throat doctors. To schedule a consultation, call us today at (858) 909-0770.

Tips for Managing Allergies in School

When a child suffers from allergies, it can cast a fog over their day to day activities. This is true in academia as well, since they are likely to forgo certain activities or miss school due to allergy-related symptoms. As parents are unable to monitor their child’s exposure to irritants, they may also face additional stress when sending their children to school. By understanding the nature of your child’s allergies and working with the school’s staff, you can ensure your child’s allergies are handled properly. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for the school year:

1.      Get your child tested. In order to effectively address the needs of your child, you’ll first need to understand the nature of their allergy symptoms. An allergy test administered by one of San Diego’s ear, nose and throat doctors (ENT) will identify any existing allergies.

2.      Do your research. Once you’ve identified the source of your child’s allergies, you can prepare for situations where allergies may negatively impact your child.

3.      Talk with your health provider. Work with your ENT specialist to come up with a plan for managing your child’s allergies. Let them know of any circumstances where your child might be at risk of exposure.

4.      Speak with the school staff. Ask the administration what accommodations are available to children with allergies. Also familiarize yourself with the school nurse and other key staff members. Educate these individuals about your child’s allergies, and introduce them to your child. That way, he or she will know who they can come to in case they have a reaction.

5.      Prepare for an emergency. Equip your child’s classroom with the plan created by your allergist. Have your child’s teacher keep a written set of instructions, emergency contact information and any necessary medications on hand. That way, a severe reaction can be effectively managed.

6.      Discuss treatment options. Your ENT specialist will be able to provide personalized treatment options for your child. Treatments may include medications, exposure avoidance or immunotherapy.

Children with allergies can experience additional barriers in a school environment; however, you don’t need to face this on your own. By reaching out to an allergy expert and the school staff, you can ensure there is a support system for both you and your child. For help treating allergies, we welcome you to speak with our team at (858) 909-0770!

5 Interesting Facts About Hearing Aids

For many individuals, thinking about hearing aids typically conjures an image of the bulky behind-the-ear model their grandfather wore. These older devices are now a relic of the past, replaced by sleek new digital hearing aids. Devices are now smaller and more powerful than ever. The following list highlights some of the enhancements that have been made in recent years, as well as other surprising facts you may not know.

1.      Wearing hearing aids can be beneficial to your mental health. The use of hearing aids can help prevent cognitive decline. When left untreated, hearing loss can lead to depression, withdrawal and anxiety.

2.      Devices can go unseen. Some manufacturers have created implantable listening devices. These hearing aids are inserted into your ear canal, making them completely invisible! Even the more traditional styles have become nearly impossible to see.

3.      Water might not damage your devices. The hearing aid industry has developed waterproof and water resistant models to accommodate those who enjoy water-based activities. Accessories like dehumidifiers and hearing aid dryers are also helpful, as they can remove unwanted moisture from your devices and increase their lifespan.

4.      Bluetooth technology makes your hearing aid compatible. Most of the advanced hearing devices are now able to use Bluetooth to sync with your cell phones, music players and other external devices. This makes activities like speaking on the phone or listening to music easier than ever before.

5.      Devices can adapt to your surroundings. The days of over-amplified background noise are in the past. Multidirectional microphones are able to detect important sounds, such as voices. Additionally, you can program multiple settings to accommodate different environments.

Hearing aids are more advanced now than ever before. With so many options available, those suffering from a hearing impairment are able to find hearing aids suited to their specific needs. To learn more about the latest technology, treatments or hearing aid prices, schedule a consultation with your local Carlsbad audiologist or contact our office at (858) 909-0770.

Seasonal Allergies May Interfere with Education

As the summer comes to a close, many of us are readying ourselves for another academic year. Whether you’re a parent getting your kids ready or attending school yourself, you want to feel prepared. There are so many factors to consider before starting a new schoolyear, but have you thought about how you might be affected by seasonal allergies?

Seasonal allergies affect as many as 40% of youth in the United States. Though the height of San Diego’s allergy season is the spring, seasonal allergies can effect individuals differently throughout the year. This is especially true for those who are being introduced to a new environment for the first time.

Allergies occur when an allergen such as pollens, dust mite, molds, or danders are recognized as a threat. Though these substances are typically harmless, the immune system initiates a hypersensitive response in an attempt to eliminate the allergen from your system. This manifests in the following symptoms:

• Sneezing
• Running nose/post-nasal drip
• Wheezing
• Coughing
• Irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, lungs, throat or sinuses
• Watery eyes

Everyday, approximately 10,000 US students stay home from school due to these symptoms. These symptoms may occur at anytime of the year, and students may have a higher risk of exposure to news allergens. This is especially relevant if students attend field trips or have recently relocated to the area. If this is true for yourself or a loved one, you would likely benefit from allergy testing. Allergy testing can be completed at the office of your local ear, nose and throat doctor. There, an ENT specialist will administer either a skin prick test or blood test in order to determine your reaction to various allergens.

If an allergic reaction is detected, your doctor will assist you in managing or eliminating your symptoms. Located in San Diego, our clinic utilizes the latest advancements in the industry to develop a personalized treatment plan. Allergy treatments include medication, non-pharmacologic therapy and immunotherapy.

When left untreated, allergies can create a fog over your daily activities and place additional strain on academic endeavors. By taking charge of seasonal allergies, you can ensure these symptoms don’t interfere with school performance. To learn more about seasonal allergies, we welcome you to contact us at (858) 909-0770. 

Visit Your ENT Specialist for Broken Nose Diagnosis

Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!

Man, sometimes life in San Diego just isn’t fair. Sometimes your older sister gets all the attention, especially from boys. But don’t worry, Marcia will get her comeuppance. You just have to wait for your brother Peter to throw the football.

CRACK!

There goes Marcia’s nose!

This may have been TV magic, but it was a pretty accurate portrayal of how easy it is to break your nose. A break or crack in a bone in your nose, usually the bone over the bridge of your nose, can occur anytime the nose is struck. Contact sports, car accidents, falls or impact from a door or wall are the most common causes of a broken nose.

It is important to visit your San Diego ear, nose and throat physician if you think you may have a broken nose. If nothing is done the nose could heal crooked, making breathing difficult and possibly requiring surgery in the future. 

Your ENT specialist will examine your nose in order to make a diagnosis. An injection or nasal spray will be administered to ease any discomfort you may be feeling. A nasal speculum will be used to open your nostrils and a special instrument is used to realign your broken bones and cartilage.

Packing will be placed in your nose and dressing will be attached to the outside. Surgery is typically only needed if the break is severe or if there are multiple broken bones in the nose.

Your ENT specialist should be contacted if you experience a broken nose.

How to Find the Right ENT Specialists in San Diego

You’re an adult; you have been taking yourself to the doctor’s office for years. But have you been going to the right doctor? Your primary care physician is a great resource, they are able to diagnose and treat almost any ailment that comes their way. For some of us lucky folks we get to see our PCP even when we know exactly what is wrong and where we want to go (yay having an HMO!). If you have only been visiting your San Diego primary care physician for ear, nose and throat issues, you are missing out.

There are specialist called ear, nose and throat doctors (catchy title, huh?). They have completed extra training in this area and are the most knowledgeable medical professionals about everything that could go wrong with your ears, nose or throat.

Now that we know these ENT doctors exist, what exactly do they treat? Probably more than you would think! Have you ever had recurrent sinus infections that just never seem to go away even with the antibiotics your PCP gave you? This is the perfect job for a San Diego ENT doctor. They are able to look inside your sinus cavities to see exactly what is going on and are able to offer more treatment options than just antibiotics. Maybe balloon sinuplasty is right for you or an endoscopic sinus surgery is just up your alley. These are options you would never encounter by only visiting a primary care physician.

Ever woke up with with a hoarse or scratchy voice? You may not have even bothered going into the doctor and just waited at your San Diego home to see if your voice will return to normal. Did you know hoarseness is a common symptom of many throat ailments ranging from laryngitis to throat cancer? A visit to your ENT specialist will give you some peace of mind, as they are able to look into your throat to see what caused the change in your voice.

Next time you have a problem with your ear, nose or throat, don’t forget to see a San Diego ENT specialist.

Concert: an ear, nose and throat nightmare

Did you guys see that Phil and the Leprechauns is coming to La Jolla next week? We NEED to get tickets.

Does this sound like you and your friends when you were younger? Would you be first in line to buy tickets and once inside, stand as close to the stage as possible? Could you feel the music because you were standing within arms reach to the amps?

When you were young you probably didn’t know that while you were building lasting memories, you were also causing permanent damage to your hearing. The good news is that you are now older and wiser. This means, the next time your favorite band from back in the day comes through town, you and your friends can attend the concert responsibly.

Ears

Getting front row seats may seem like a once in a lifetime experience. Did you know that loud music can actually permanently damage your hearing? It is called noise induced hearing loss and can be caused by any sound over 85 dB. To put this number in perspective: a normal conversation takes place at around 60 dB, traffic in Carlsbad can be about 85 dB and a firecracker clocks in at a whopping 145 dB. Now, to be clear, simply sitting in traffic during a particularly bad commute

 won’t damage your hearing. Noise induced hearing loss only occurs when something is incredibly loud, such as an explosion, or you are exposed to any sound over 85 dB for an extended period of time. Does that sound like a concert to anyone else?  Good thing there is an easy solution. Earplugs! There are a wide variety of earplugs; some are inexpensive and can be purchased right from a pharmacy and others can be molded to exactly fit into your ear. These custom-made molds work to block out the dangerous sounds but don’t distort the music (these would be recommended if you attend a lot of shows). You can get these earmolds from your local Carlsbad audiologist.

Nose

While most venues these days are smoke-free, there are (sadly) still some that are not. The venues that are smoke-free usually have a smoking section right outside the front door. Recent studies show that even secondhand smoke can pose serious health risks. A study from 2010 found that almost 40% of all individuals who suffered from chronic sinusitis were exposed to secondhand smoke. Sinusitis is an inflammation or swelling of the tissue lining the sinuses and can lead to facial pain/pressure, nasal stuffiness, nasal discharge, cough/congestion and even a fever. Unfortunately, the only way to completely prevent secondhand smoke exposure while at a concert is to check with the venue before you purchase your tickets. Confirm that they are indeed smoke-free and where the smoking section is located outside, it should be at least 25 feet from the entrance.

Throat

Nothing beats singing along with the band at the top of your lungs. Unfortunately, singing loudly for an extended period of time can harm your vocal cords. Several muscle groups work together in order for you to produce sound. Like any other activity, excessive use or misuse can cause injury. Loud and continued voice use as well as excessive use of the muscles in your neck can lead to vocal fatigue, increased vocal effort and hoarseness. These can put you at risk for developing benign vocal cord lesions or even worse, a vocal cord hemorrhage. In order to prevent this form happening, you have to stop misusing your vocal cords. Simple enough, just stop signing along at the top of your lungs. If the music seizes you and you must sing, make sure you are drinking plenty of water before and afterwards. This keeps your vocal cords hydrated and helps prevent lesions from developing. 

If you wake up the day after an epic concert and feel like your ears, nose or throat are off, that’s OK. Simple contact your local Carlsbad ENT doctor to schedule an appointment.  They can perform a full physical exam to make sure you did not cause any serious harm. 

Cat got your tongue?

If you’ve ever had laryngitis in Carlsbad, California, you must have heard the old saying “cat got your tongue?” more times than you can count. It’s always nice to see that people can find humor in your misery. The good news is, this usually goes away in a few days. Once you can speak again make to hit everyone with the best cliché you can think of (may I suggest “that and a quarter will get you a cup of coffee”)?

Laryngitis is an inflammation of your larynx (voice box) from overuse, irritation or infection. Your voice box contains your vocal cords, which are two folds of mucous membrane covering muscle and cartilage. Usually, your vocal cords will open and close smoothly, this creates sound.

Most of the cases of laryngitis in Carlsbad are acute, meaning they temporary and improve quickly. This type of laryngitis is usually caused by a viral infection, a bacterial infection or vocal strain. Chronic laryngitis is more serious; it can last longer than three weeks and can lead to vocal cord growths or injury. Chronic laryngitis is usually caused by a prolonged exposure to an irritant, acid reflux, overuse of your voice and singing.

The symptoms of both types of laryngitis are the same: hoarseness, a weak voice, sore throat and a dry throat and cough. Usually, these symptoms can be managed with simple home remedies. Drinking plenty of water and resting your voice are the best treatments.

If you experience trouble breathing, have increasing pain or cough up blood, you should contact your ENT doctors in San Diego immediately. Your doctor will perform laryngoscopy, which involves placing a thin tube with a tiny camera on the end down your throat to see into your voice box. If your doctor thinks they saw something troubling, a biopsy may need to be performed.

The best way to prevent laryngitis is to avoid smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol, drinking plenty of water will also help prevent dryness. 

International Holiday Trip Tips for the Hearing Impaired

Hearing can play an important role in your travels, not only internationally but even just around Carlsbad, California. Hearing helps make it possible to ask for directions, listen to overhead announcements at train stations and airports and can even help you stay safe. Fire alarms and car horns are warnings that those without hearing loss take for granted. 

Traveling around Carlsbad, California without impeccable hearing can be daunting; traveling to a foreign country with a hearing impairment can be downright unnerving. 

·         Before you leave for your trip, double check that all the arrangements and bookings you’ve made have been are confirmed in writing and everything that can be printed has been printed. This will eliminate the need for you to call an establishment to confirm any travel details over the phone

·         If the residents of the country you are visiting do not speak English, learn the phrase “I am deaf” in that country’s language. Write the phrase down on a few cards that you can hand out if needed

·         Let the staff know you have hearing loss when checking into a hotel. Explain that this means you will not hear anyone knocking on the door, hear the smoke alarm or answer the telephone. The hotel staff should be able to set up an electronic alert to send to your phone or email in case of an emergency. You can pass along this information at the time of booking as well.

·         Buy and review a map before you leave for your trip. This will make you less reliant on asking for verbal directions while exploring.

·         A good guidebook will help eliminate the need to ask for recommendations for places to eat or shop.

While these tips are specifically tailored for international travel, they can easily be implemented for travel around Carlsbad and the rest of California.

To know more about hearing loss California, visit: Calhns.com

Dining out in Carlsbad with hearing loss_ Cal HNS

Dining out with those you love in Carlsbad, California is an easy way to bring pleasure into your life. Unfortunately, if you suffer from hearing loss a simple dinner can easily become frustrating. Here are five tips to bring the enjoyment back to this enjoyable outing

1.      Chose the company – it is much easier to sustain a dinner conversation with only a few people than with everyone at the table. If you can, limit the number of people invited to the event. If you are not in charge of the guest list, try focusing on the smaller conversations taking place around you, instead of the large one happening across the table.

2.      Chose the restaurant – Carlsbad has a lot of options when it comes to places to eat. Pick a place that has carpeting and has wider spaced tables, covered in fabric tablecloths. These soft fabrics help absorb sounds and the wider table spacing helps prevent commotion, common to a busy restaurant.  Chose a well lit restaurant if you rely on lip reading.

3.      Chose the time – Selecting the time you eat is just as important as picking the right restaurant. Try to avoid the lunch and dinner rush; instead, opt for a time when the restaurant is empty, such as 5pm. While an early dinner is not ideal for everyone, understanding the entire conversation is worth it.

4.      Chose a seat – if possible, select a seat at the table so your back will be against the wall. This will help prevent background noise from interfering in your conversation. You should try to sit as far away from the busy areas, like the hostess desk and the kitchen.

5.      Chose what to eat – when you arrive, ask the hostess if they have a list of their nightly specials. If they do not, simply explain your hearing difficulties to a staff member. They should be able to provide you with a list before you even sit down.