Ear, Nose & Throat

Acid reflux is when stomach acid comes back up the esophagus and possibly up into the throat. The most common symptom is heartburn. On the other hand, many throat and voice problems can also be related to this condition. For example, acid in the throat can cause the sensation of excess throat mucus, need for frequent throat clearing, sensation of a lump in the throat, difficulty swallowing, intermittent hoarseness and chronic nonproductive cough. Interestingly, 50% of patients with throat and voice symptoms related to reflux do not actually have heartburn. Based on your history and exam, we may suspect some of your symptoms may be due to stomach acid in your throat.

Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive option for patients with chronic sinusitis. A small, flexible balloon catheter is inserted through the nose into the blocked sinus cavity. The balloon is then inflated to stretch, restructure, and open the sinus passage, allowing it to drain normally. Balloon sinuplasty is a midway point between using medicines such as decongestants and nasal steroids to treat infections and full sinus surgery, which involves the removal of tissue and bone and the use of general anesthesia. Recovery time after surgery is several days to a week.

Chronic sinusitis is a condition in which the cavities around the sinuses become inflamed and swollen on a regular or long-term basis. While numerous things can lead to longstanding nasal and sinus symptoms, the three most common causes are nasal passage deformities, allergic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis.

An otolaryngologist - also known as an ear, nose, and throat doctor or ENT - provides comprehensive medical and surgical care for adult and pediatric patients with diseases and disorders that affect the ears, nose and throat, the respiratory and upper alimentary systems, and related structures of the head and neck. Otolaryngology conditions they treat include hearing loss, ear infections, balance disorders, tinnitus, allergies, voice and swallowing disorders, and head & neck cancers.

A septoplasty is a surgical procedure to straighten a deviated septum. The septum is supposed to run straight down the center of the nose. When it deviates, it can block one side of the nose and reduce airflow. The septum can be deviated at birth, or it can become deviated from an injury. Most people have at least a slightly deviated septum. However, a significantly deviated septum can cause difficulty breathing, recurrent rhinitis, or sinusitis.

Painful ear infections are a rite of passage for babies and children—by the age of five, nearly every child has experienced at least one episode. Most ear infections either resolve on their own (viral) or are effectively treated by antibiotics (bacterial). But sometimes ear infections and/or fluid in the middle ear may become a chronic problem leading to other issues, such as hearing loss, or behavior and speech problems. In these cases, insertion of an ear tube by an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat specialist) may be considered. Ear tubes are tiny cylinders placed through the ear drum (tympanic membrane) to allow air into the middle ear. They also may be called tympanostomy tubes, myringotomy tubes, ventilation tubes, or PE (pressure equalization) tubes.

CEENTA now offers the AERA Eustachian Tube Balloon Dilation System, the first balloon device to treat persistent Eustachian tube dysfunction in the United States. Eustachian tube dysfunction, or ETD, is when the normal function of the Eustachian tube – helping maintain pressure in the ear by periodically opening and closing – is impaired, leading to pressure, pain, impaired hearing, persistent ear infections, tinnitus, or other symptoms. With the AERA Eustachian Tube Balloon Dilation System, a doctor uses a catheter to insert a small balloon through the patient’s nose and into the Eustachian tube. Once inflated, the balloon opens up a pathway for mucus and air to flow through the tube. This may help the Eustachian tube to function properly again. After the tube is dilated, the doctor deflates and removes the balloon.

CEENTA ENT doctors offer the LATERA Absorbable Nasal Implant for patients who suffer from nasal airway obstruction caused by outer nasal wall collapse. Nasal breathing delivers approximately 70 percent of air to the lungs. More than 20 million Americans are believed to suffer from nasal airway obstruction, which limits airflow through the nose. The implant is designed to treat a collapse of the lateral/side wall. It is placed inside the nose and supports the nasal wall, allowing air to pass through the nose easier.

Learn more about intranasal migraine blocks offered by CEENTA physician Mark Abrams, MD, at our Rock Hill location.

Neurotologists and otologists are board-certified otolaryngology doctors with specialty training in the medical and surgical care of patients, both adult and pediatric, with diseases that affect the inner ears, balance system, temporal bone, skull base, and related structures of the head and neck. They treat hearing loss, ringing in the ears, dizziness, infectious and inflammatory diseases of the inner ear, congenital malformations of the ear and tumors in the inner ear.

When your child’s airway is narrowed due to obstructed airflow, they might breathe noisily. This is called stridor. Stridor is not a condition itself, but is a symptom of one of several airway disorders. The four most common causes of stridor are laryngomalacia, vocal fold paralysis, subglottic stenosis, and subglottic hemangioma. While there are other causes, these cover the vast majority of cases in which stridor is a symptom.

All children are unique and special, and yours is no different. That uniqueness extends to their medical care, and our ENT doctors know that. Whether it’s a common childhood ailment like an ear infection or tonsillitis, or a more serious otolaryngology condition like a growth on their neck, our doctors will treat them with the personalized care they deserve in a safe, comfortable environment. Our doctors are also skilled in treating children with special ENT problems, such as birth defects in the head and neck and developmental delays like Down syndrome.

Sinuva is a new treatment for chronic sinusitis patients with recurrent sinus polyps after a previous surgery.

Skull-base surgery encompasses a variety of procedures designed to remove benign and malignant (cancerous) growths from the base of the skull and underside of the brain.

Your thyroid gland is one of the endocrine glands that makes hormones to regulate physiological functions in your body, like metabolism. Other endocrine glands are the pancreas, the pituitary, the adrenal glands, and the parathyroid glands. The thyroid gland is located in the middle of the lower neck, below the larynx, and wraps around the front half of the trachea. Thyroid diseases are very common, and include hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, thyroid enlargement, and thyroid malignancy. These can be treated by an otolaryngology doctor.

The tonsils and adenoid are lymphoid tissue and part of the immune system, but their role is limited. Removing the tonsils and adenoid does not weaken the immune system. Instead, their removal may actually reduce the frequency of illnesses in some children. Removal of the tonsils and adenoid is considered when they are excessively enlarged or frequently infected. They do not need to be infected to get enlarged. In fact, children often have obstructive problems from enlarged tonsils and adenoids without ever having had sore throats or "strep throat."

If your previous methods of restoring loss of smell due to COVID have been ineffective, Dr. Roy Lewis in Mooresville offers PRP anosmia treatment.