Latest news with #ENTspecialist
CNET
6 days ago
- Health
- CNET
You Shouldn't Be Using Q-Tips in Your Ears. Here's How to Clean Your Ears the Right Way
Earwax is just a fact of life. We need it to protect the inner ear and lubricate the ear canal, though honestly, excess earwax can be annoying. Not only can it make it difficult to hear what's going on around you, but no one wants to find earwax on their earbuds. Cleaning your ears regularly is a part of personal hygiene, and how you do it can have a big impact on how clean your ears are. And you definitely don't want to get it wrong if you value your hearing. Many health care professionals advise against using Q-tips to clean the inner ear, as this can push wax farther in and cause injury. Here's why self-cleaning is often preferable and how to do it safely when needed. The truth about Q-tips The cotton swab, better known as the Q-tip, is the most common device used for cleaning your ears. Its shortcomings illustrate the basic problems with using these types of instruments for earwax removal. Thanks to their long, narrow shape, Q-tips are more likely to push earwax into your ear than pulling it out. When you attempt to use one to clean your ear canal, you risk simply compacting the earwax and creating a blockage that makes it harder to hear. Worse still, if you push a Q-tip too hard or too far into your ear canal, you may actually puncture your ear drum. The ear canal is only about an inch (2.5 centimeters) deep, so there's not a lot of margin for error. One ear, nose and throat specialist CNET previously spoke with has even treated patients who seriously damaged their eardrums by answering the phone with a Q-tip sticking out of one of their ears. That's a phone call that can truly ruin your day! In general, it's best to use cotton swabs -- or even just a tissue or damp, clean rag -- to clean the outer portion of your ear, outside the canal. ronstik/Getty Images Ear cleaning 101 As gross as we may think it is, earwax is actually essential to your ear health. According to Harvard Medical School, not only does it lubricate your ear canal and protect your eardrum, it also has antibacterial and antifungal properties. It naturally protects against harmful buildup, gathering dead skin cells and dirt as it gradually moves toward your outer ear on its own. In other words, earwax makes your ears naturally self-cleaning. In most cases, you don't need to dig into your ear canals or do anything to clean them out -- they'll do the job on their own. That said, some people produce more earwax than others, and this can cause excessive buildup leading to discomfort or hearing trouble. Hearing aid wearers, in particular, can suffer from excessive earwax buildup due to the extra vibrations in their ears. Whatever the cause, if earwax is getting to you, it's important to see a doctor and assess the best course of treatment. If your doctor gives the thumbs-up, there are a few DIY ear-cleaning methods that can be done safely and effectively: Wipe with a damp washcloth : This is the safest and best method of all. You can't really get inside your ear canal with your finger, and gently rubbing around the outside of it with a damp cloth is usually sufficient to clear out any earwax buildup. : This is the safest and best method of all. You can't really get inside your ear canal with your finger, and gently rubbing around the outside of it with a damp cloth is usually sufficient to clear out any earwax buildup. Rinse your ear canal: If you think you may have some earwax stubbornly lodged in your ear canal, you can often rinse it out, per Harvard Medical School. Soak a cotton ball in warm water, a saline solution, mineral oil or hydrogen peroxide, then hold it over your ear canal and tilt your opposite ear toward the floor. After you let it drip in and soak into the wax for a minute or so, tilt your head the other way and let the softened wax drip out. If you think you may have some earwax stubbornly lodged in your ear canal, you can often rinse it out, per Harvard Medical School. Soak a cotton ball in warm water, a saline solution, mineral oil or hydrogen peroxide, then hold it over your ear canal and tilt your opposite ear toward the floor. After you let it drip in and soak into the wax for a minute or so, tilt your head the other way and let the softened wax drip out. Try over-the-counter ear drops: These drops serve much the same function of "ear irrigation" as the above method but may also come with a dropper or bulb syringe. Doctors recommend avoiding the syringe if you have damaged your eardrum, as this can let water into the middle ear and put you at risk of serious not to use to clean your ears Although the above methods of earwax removal can be done safely, there are some popular tools and techniques you should avoid. These may be popular on social media, but that doesn't mean they're safe for your ears. Ear candling : Ear-candling kits, which have grown in popularity in recent years, claim to soften the wax and draw it out by lighting a flame on a long funnel that you place in your ear canal. According to Consumer Reports, this method is highly dubious among doctors. The Food and Drug Administration has long recommended against using ear candles due to the risk of burns, punctures and more. : Ear-candling kits, which have grown in popularity in recent years, claim to soften the wax and draw it out by lighting a flame on a long funnel that you place in your ear canal. According to Consumer Reports, this method is highly dubious among doctors. The Food and Drug Administration has long recommended against using ear candles due to the risk of burns, punctures and more. Ear-cleaning kits that can go deep into the ear : Some kits offer tiny spade-like or drill-shaped tools that promise to pull wax out of your ear canal. However, doctors urge caution with these types of instruments. Some of them can go dangerously deep into your canal, while others are sharp enough to cut your ear canal. : Some kits offer tiny spade-like or drill-shaped tools that promise to pull wax out of your ear canal. However, doctors urge caution with these types of instruments. Some of them can go dangerously deep into your canal, while others are sharp enough to cut your ear canal. Any sharp objects: As noted above, it's best to avoid anything sharp, whether it's a store-bought tool or a bobby pins. Cuts can cause bleeding and scabbing, which can obstruct your hearing and expose you to infection. Who shouldn't clean their ears at home? Those with diabetes or who rely on blood thinners should be especially cautious about cleaning their ears. These conditions make it more difficult to stop bleeding, and that's particularly problematic if you get tiny cuts inside your ear from cleaning it too roughly. Those aren't the only people who should think twice before digging into their ears, though. In most cases, it's best to leave ear-canal cleaning to the professionals. They have better tools and a better view and can help you remove earwax safely.
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Doctors ignored my tongue lump... then I endured the 'most morbid' experience of my life
When Jamie Powell woke up one morning in late 2019 with a painful bump on her tongue, she assumed she had bitten it in her sleep. Random bumps on the tongue generally heal on their own within a few days, but the one on Powell's stayed firm for two weeks. Straining in front of a mirror to view her tongue in its entirety, Powell saw a protrusion of tissue, like a square stamp had traced the area perfectly. A bit farther back was the offending bump, large and nearly brushing the inside of her teeth. Her dentist insisted that whatever it was, it would go away with time. Thirty-six at the time, fit, healthy, and a nonsmoker, Powell was not a high risk for cancer. But weeks passed, and the bump remained. Powell went to an urgent care clinic in January 2020, where the doctor referred her to an ear, nose, and throat specialist, who performed a biopsy of the bump. A week went by in silence until Powell got the news that the bump was cancerous, and it had spread to her lymph nodes. Her diagnosis kicked off what she considers to be the most 'morbid' period of her life, starting with a tongue resection surgery and 30 grueling radiation treatments that she often wished she could quit early because the pain was so great. Tongue cancer accounts for less than one percent of all new cancer cases in the US every year. Around 20,000 cases and 3,200 deaths are confirmed annually. While the rate of deaths due to tongue cancer has remained about the same for about two decades, the patient profile of new cases of tongue cancer is beginning to shift from primarily older male smokers to women and younger healthy adults. Oral cancers usually spread quickly if left untreated, and Powell is confident that hers was allowed to grow unchecked when she was sent home from her dentist's office over five years ago. 'It was scary and frustrating not to know what was going on and not having anyone listen to me,' she told People. Powell had a section of her tongue surgically removed on March 23, 2020, just as Covid was getting its grip on the world. Doctors reconstructed it using tissue taken from her thigh. 'I remember the surgeon describing the surgery to me. I was just numb, and I heard him say that my voice will be different,' she said. 'I instantly thought of my kids. How will I sing to them? How will I tell them how much I love them?' She then had all of the lymph nodes removed on her left side to stop the spread of the cancer in its tracks. 'I couldn't talk or eat. I had a feeding tube and I used my iPad to communicate to the doctors and nurses,' Powell said. She also had to endure six weeks of radiation treatments. With her head encased in a mesh mask that is bolted to a radiation table to ensure complete stillness, Powell suffered sunburn-like charred skin on her neck, blisters on her lips, and painful ulcers in her mouth. Off the table, she was fatigued, nauseous, and had lost her sense of taste, so everything tasted of either wet cardboard or sewage. She also no longer had working salivary glands, resulting in a constant dry mouth. 'I'd rather do surgery every single day than go through head and neck radiation again,' Jamie, now 41, said. She lost her ability to speak by week three of radiation, her mouth essentially one big canker sore. After surgery, she had to retrain her brain to form sounds and piece them into words. She still has trouble with words starting with 'sh' and 'ch'. Eating without salivary glands requires her to sip water after every bite. And if she has a dinner date with friends, she has to decide ahead of time whether she will eat or talk. She can no longer do both. At bedtime, she does not recline. Instead, she sits back as if in an airplane seat, propped against acupressure pillows. 'Think about when you're sleeping and you wake up and your mouth is dry. I have that 24/7, and it's heightened to the next exponent at night. So I have to sleep sitting up no matter what,' she said. 'And I wake up every hour from choking because of the dry mouth, so I take a drink of water, and I also have a spray bottle, and I will spray the inside of my mouth, like how you water your house plant.' Every morning, at four am, she has to pry her jaw open with both hands and use the handle of a spoon to prop her mouth open so that she can stretch it out. 'For months after radiation, I couldn't taste anything, then one morning I made my coffee and I could actually taste it - I cried,' she said. Powell began documenting her experience on TikTok when she realized there were no other creators like her on the site. Tongue cancer is rare, but federal tracking indicates it is becoming more common. Rates of new cases have risen about 49 percent since 1992, according to the National Cancer Institute. Cases are becoming increasingly common in women and young people, which scientists believe are tied to human papillomavirus. About 70 percent of oropharyngeal cancers affecting the tonsils, base of the tongue, soft palate, and throat are linked to HPV, yet only 61 percent of US teens are fully vaccinated against the virus, which requires two or three doses. Over 42 million Americans carry HPV, a virus that causes genital warts and cancers like cervical, throat, and anal malignancies, with 47,000 new HPV-related cancer cases diagnosed yearly. Despite this, public awareness of HPV's cancer risks is declining, even as vaccination remains a critical defense. 'Most oral cancers are missed until it's in the later stages,' Powell said. 'I've learned that no one should go through this alone. The more we talk about this cancer, the more help we can be to one another.' The Head & Neck Cancer Alliance has many free programs and resources for head and and neck cancer patients. Anyone concerned about head and neck cancer can find the symptoms, risk factors, and guides on how to do a self exam on their website,
RNZ News
25-06-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Gisborne pensioner dealt with depression, chronic pain in year-long wait for surgery
It comes amid ongoing doctor shortages at Gisborne Hospital. (File photo) Photo: Liam Clayton / Gisborne Herald A Gisborne pensioner dealt with chronic pain and depression during a year-long wait for surgery for severe sinus inflammation. It came amidst ongoing doctor shortages at Gisborne Hospital. As of April, about 40 percent of senior doctor positions at the hospital were vacant. RNZ understands that Gisborne Hospital currently has just one ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist who works part time. The patient, who asked not to be named, said he had to put his life on hold as he lived for over a year with lingering pain - which he described as the feeling of after being hit in the face - as well as mucus and breath that smelt like "strong cheese and chives" due to his infection. The man said he had issues with his sinuses for 20 years, but a dental surgery that punctured his sinuses early last year left him with a severe sinus infection that did not go away. "My cheek, and up the left side of my nose and right up to - there's a small sinus above your eye as well above the left eye - that was all infected and just packed full of pus," he said. He said most nights he was not able to sleep until midnight, and sometimes would sleep in a sitting position to make breathing easier. The man's GP confirmed a first referral letter was sent last May, but it was not until October - after two follow up letters from his GP - that he got to see an ENT specialist. While initially told it would be four months wait for surgery, the man said he was later told that there was no staffing for his surgery to go ahead when he followed up with Health New Zealand (HNZ). The man said he was told in February, there were people who had been waiting for surgery much longer than him - including a patient at the top of the waiting list who had been waiting for about 700 days. He said during his long wait, his reliance on anti-inflammatories and about eight courses of antibiotics were taking a toll on his body. He said he also developed depression. "People have said to me, what was it like? And I said, well if I had a gun, I would have used it on myself, literally. That's how bad it was, the depression that came with it," he said. The man said his operation was eventually outsourced to a private hospital in Hastings in late April, with travel and accommodation costs covered by HNZ. He said while he was delighted to finally get his operation done, the process made him feel "abandoned" by the health system, and he worried about the impact on others who had similar experiences. The man's GP, who also did not want to be named, said he should have been treated in a month, given his condition. She said she had noticed an increasing number of referrals being declined or taking up to a year for the patients to be seen. She estimated about 40 percent of her ENT referrals were either getting rejected or "getting nowhere". The doctor said this further strained already limited resources for GPs, who were left holding the patients' hands for much longer during their waits. "It's really difficult as a GP, because I feel like it sometimes doubles or triples our job, because we have these patients coming back to us desperate to be seen. "Sometimes I'll write more than one referral, maybe three referrals, pleading with the department to expedite this person's appointment," she said. She said the waits were particularly pronounced in ENT and orthopaedics. She said it appeared that all patients other than "priority 1" (top priority patients) were having to wait for over four months or longer for appointments. HNZ has been approached for comment. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Associated Press
21-06-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
The Istanbul Nose: A Closer Look at Rhinoplasty with Dr. Şaban Çelebi
06/21/2025, Istanbul ,Istanbul // KISS PR Brand Story PressWire // For anyone who has spent years feeling self-conscious about their nose, the thought of changing it is a powerful one. It's that feature right in the middle of your face, the one you can't hide. You've probably spent countless hours analyzing it in the mirror, wondering what it would be like to just… feel good about your profile. This journey of consideration often leads to a deep dive down the Instagram and Google rabbit hole, and that rabbit hole almost inevitably leads to one destination: Istanbul. The city is a global hub for aesthetic surgery, especially rhinoplasty. But with so many surgeons to choose from, the process can feel overwhelming. As you sift through countless before-and-after pictures, certain names start to stand out. One of those names that consistently pops up, often surrounded by praise for natural-looking results, is Dr. Şaban Çelebi. So, let's take a closer, honest look at what makes him a sought-after surgeon in such a competitive field. The Man Behind the Profile First things first, who is Dr. Şaban Çelebi? He's an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) specialist. This is a pretty significant detail. It means his entire medical background is rooted in the complex anatomy of the nose. He understands not just how a nose should look, but how it needs to function. The goal isn't just a pretty nose, it's a nose that you can breathe through properly, and his specialization speaks volumes about that dual focus. Dr. Çelebi operates of his own clinic, a well-known and modern facility in Istanbul. This isn't a one-man shop but a professional medical institution, which adds a layer of comfort and security for international patients. His reputation is built on a foundation of experience and a clear, consistent aesthetic. The 'Signature' Nose: Artistry Meets Anatomy If you spend some time looking at Dr. Çelebi's results, a certain style begins to emerge. The noses he creates are elegant, refined, and beautifully sculpted. However, they don't look 'done.' He seems to have a real talent for creating a nose that harmonizes perfectly with the rest of the patient's facial features. It's not about stamping the same 'Barbie nose' on every face, but about crafting a unique result that looks like it's the nose the person should have been born with. He is known for creating delicate slopes and refined tips, but always with an eye toward maintaining the person's ethnic identity and overall facial balance. This artistic approach, combined with his deep medical understanding of nasal structure, is likely the key to his success. The Patient Journey: From Apprehension to the Big Reveal So, what does the journey actually look like for someone travelling to see him? It usually starts with an online consultation. You send your photos, explain your concerns and what you're hoping to achieve. This initial step helps manage expectations and gives you a feel for their communication style. If you decide to move forward, you'll typically book a package deal. This is one of the biggest draws of getting surgery in Turkey. These packages often include your stay in a comfortable hotel, a private driver for all your appointments, and, of course, the surgery itself. It takes a huge amount of stress out of the equation. The most crucial part of the process happens when you arrive: the in-person consultation with Dr. Çelebi. This is where you have a real conversation, where he listens to your goals and provides his professional opinion on what's realistically achievable. This is the moment to build trust and ensure you're both on the same page. The surgery itself takes a few hours under general anesthesia. The recovery period is key, and the clinic provides detailed instructions for post-operative care. The 'big reveal,' when the cast finally comes off, is an emotional moment for every rhinoplasty Turkey patient, marking the first glimpse of a new chapter. What Are People Actually Saying? A surgeon's website will always show their best work. That's why independent review sites, forums, and patient testimonials are so important. When you look up Dr. Çelebi, the feedback is overwhelmingly positive. Patients frequently praise his calm and reassuring bedside manner, his ability to truly listen, and his meticulous attention to detail. Many highlight how the result exceeded their expectations, finally giving them the confidence they'd been chasing for years. Of course, rhinoplasty Istanbul is a major, life-altering surgery. No surgeon is the right fit for everyone. It's essential to do your own research, to look at hundreds of photos (both good and bad healing examples), and to make sure the surgeon's aesthetic aligns with your own. The Financial Side Let's talk about the cost. Rhinoplasty with a top surgeon in the US or UK can easily run into five figures. In Turkey, the price is significantly more accessible. While costs vary, you are generally looking at a fraction of that price for a full package with Dr. Çelebi. It's not 'cheap,' because quality medical care is never cheap. But it is an incredible value when you consider the level of surgical talent and the all-inclusive service you receive. It's an investment in yourself and your confidence. Final Thoughts Choosing a surgeon for a rhinoplasty is one of the most important decisions you can make. It's a choice based on trust, artistry, and a shared vision. Dr. Şaban Çelebi has firmly established himself as a master of his craft, renowned for creating natural, functional, and life-changing results. He represents the best of what Istanbul's medical tourism scene has to offer: world-class skill at an attainable price. Original Source of the original story >> The Istanbul Nose: A Closer Look at Rhinoplasty with Dr. Şaban Çelebi
The Sun
27-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
Man impales eagle statue into his eye socket & also narrowly misses his brain after falling on it in horror accident
A MAN has impaled his eye on an eagle figurine, which narrowly missed his brain, in a freak accident. The man, 38, nearly died after he tripped on a rug at his Coventry home and fell onto a 15cm brass statuette on his fireplace. 3 3 To his horror, the wing became lodged in his right eye and he was rushed to hospital - all while being fully conscious. A CT scan revealed found the object had pierced through the eye socket into his sinus cavity, narrowly missing his brain. He required a neurosurgeon, ENT specialist and an ophthalmologist to work on safely removing the wing. They found evidence of a haemorrhage in the anterior chamber of the right orbit - a fluid-filled space right behind your cornea. And, the medial canthal tendon was also partially severed. This is a crucial structure that forms the inner corner of the eye and connects the upper and lower eyelids. Despite the traumatic injury, doctors have given the man an "optimistic" prognosis. He was treated in hospital for a week and given antibiotics, as well as a tetanus toxoid vaccination. The patient now has a visual acuity of 6/60 from his right eye. A visual acuity of 6/60 means that at a distance of six meters, a person with this acuity can see details that someone with normal vision could see at 60 meters. It is often classified as severe or even legal blindness. But a post-op CT scan showed only a defect in the lamina papyracea, a paper-like plate of bone that forms the inner wall of the eye socket. Doctors confirmed the man made a speedy recovery and he is in stable condition. This comes after doctors were force to pull a motorcycle brake handle from a teenager's eye after it got stuck during a horror road accident. What to do if there is a foreign object in your eye Gently flush your eye with clean water to try and remove the object Blinking can also help to dislodge the object Keep your eye closed until you can be seen by a medical professional Avoid rubbing the eye When to go to the emergency room If the object is embedded in the eye If there is severe pain, swelling, or blurred vision If there are white patches on the cornea If the object can't be flushed out Miraculously, the boy, 19, escaped with no major injuries or lasting sight problems, docs said. Sharing gory details and pictures of the freak accident in a journal, medics in Malaysia revealed how the lever missed his eyeball by just millimetres. Firefighters were said to have cut the brake handle from the bike at the scene of the crash so that paramedics could get to him. The bike handle was awkwardly protruding from his right eye socket, slightly to the left of his eyeball. After an examination, doctors discovered his retina, the layer of tissue at the back of the eye that helps us see, was damaged and cloudy. CT scans revealed the handle had pierced the lower eye socket and damaged part of the bone around his nose. The 17cm handle had luckily missed his pupil and nerves, which meant he narrowly escaped long-term eye damage. Elswhere, a shocking video revealed the moment doctors discovered the horrifying truth behind a patient's sore eye. A 34-year-old man attended an eye hospital in China and claimed that something was lodged in his eye ball. He said he felt as though there was a 'foreign body' and itching in his right eye. What the experts found left the man horrified.
