Frequently Asked Questions
Ear Infections
Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids
Dizziness/Balance Disorders
My sinuses hurt. Why?
When viruses, bacterial infections or allergens attack nasal and sinus membranes, they become swollen and congested. The congestion causes pressure and pain. The inflammation also triggers mucus production. The result is a runny nose and sinus pain.
This condition is called sinusitis, and it usually includes nasal congestion, a thick yellow-green nasal discharge, facial pain and pressure.
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Can I use over-the-counter medications?
 There are many OTC medications that will relieve these symptoms. Most of them combine a pain reliever such as acetaminophen with a decongestant or an antihistamine.
You can use OTC medications to reopen nasal passages, reduce nasal congestions, relieve pain and pressure, and reduce the potential for complications. Some common OTC medications include:
- Nasal saline sprays. These non-medicated sprays are ideal for all types of nasal problems. The moisture loosens the thick secretions and helps your body get rid of potentially infectious bacteria they may contain.
- Nasal decongestant sprays. These sprays clear nasal passages almost immediately and are very helpful in the early stages of a common cold or virus. These sprays are safe to use, and can help prevent Eustachian tube problems when flying, and can help stop sinus infections after a cold. However, it is important to only use them for 3 to 5 days, because prolonged use leads to rebound congestion. This situation is commonly described as “getting hooked on nasal sprays.”
- Decongestant medications. OTC decongestants relieve nasal swelling, pressure and congestion but do not treat the cause of the inflammation. Decongestants do not relieve runny noses.
- Antihistamines. Antihistamines fight allergies that lead to nasal congestion. These medications may be used to relieve allergic symptoms of itching sneezing, and nasal congestion. They relieve the runny noses associated with the allergic inflammation but not obstruction or congestion.
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When should I give up on over-the-counter medicines?
There is nothing wrong with treating yourself during a cold or a bout with seasonal allergies. However, if the symptoms do not fully resolve within a week or two, or if the frequency of the illnesses increases, or if you have continuing sinus pressure and pain, you may need help from a specialist to resolve the problem.
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I get sinus headaches. How are they different from other headaches?
Not every headache comes from your sinuses. You may have a tension headache or a migraine. It can be heard to tell the difference. But you may have a headache caused by acute or chronic sinusitis if you have:
- Pain and pressure around the eyes, across the cheeks and the forehead
- Achy feeling in the upper teeth
- Fever and chills
- Facial swelling
- Nasal stuffiness
- Yellow or green discharge
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What should I do about a sinus headache?
The most important thing is to reduce the sinus swelling and inflammation and help the mucus drain from the sinuses. At home, you can:
- Breathe moist air. Use a steam vaporizer or cool-mist humidifier, steam from a basin of hot water, or steam from a hot shower.
- Alternate hot and cold compresses. Place a hot compress across your sinuses for three minutes, then a cold compress for 30 seconds. Repeat this procedure three times per treatment, two to six times a day.
- Nasal rinses. There are several OTC products available to help shrink the sinus membranes and rinse away mucus.
- Decongestants and antihistamines. Sinus pressure headaches are often caused by allergies and upper repiratory infections. OTC decongestants and antihistamines may be helpful.
If these home remedies don’t help, a visit to an ear, nose, and throat specialist may be indicated. Many of our patients have chronic problems due to blockages and require additional treatment.
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I don't hear well. What should I do?
Talk to an ear, nose, and throat specialist. Some hearing problems can be medically corrected. It is especially important to see a specialist quickly if you have a problem that has suddenly developed that is causing hearing loss, dizziness, or ear pain. You also need to have a hearing assessment that will tell you what degree of hearing loss you have. The screenings that are offered by hearing aid sales stores may not be adequate, because they are not able to assess medical problems and may not be able to fully define what kind of hearing loss is present.
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My child has chronic ear infections. What's going on?
 Ear infections are common in children. The condition is properly called otitis media and is the inflammation of the middle ear – the result of an infection in the middle ear. The problem is most common in young children, but can also affect adults.
Ear infections are the result of blockages in the eustachian tube during a cold, allergy, or upper respiratory infection and the presence of bacteria or viruses. Pus and mucus builds up behind the eardrum and causes an earache, swelling, and redness. Because the eardrum cannot vibrate properly, hearing is affected.
It is vital to properly treat ear infections. Otitis media is the most common reason children go to the doctor…and is also the most common cause of hearing loss in children.
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What are the symptoms of ear infections?
In infants and toddlers, look for:
- Pulling or scratching at the ear
- Hearing problems
- Crying and irritability
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Ear drainage
In young children, adolescents, and adults look for:
- Earache
- Feeling of fullness or pressure
- Hearing problems
- Dizziness or loss of balance
- Nausea, vomiting
- Ear drainage
- Fever
Without proper treatment, damage from an ear infection can cause chronic or permanent hearing loss.
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How are ear infections treated?
Usually, treatment includes antibiotics to fight the infection, combined with an antihistamine and/or a decongestant. It is very important to take all of the medication as directed, because the infection can linger and recur if not completely cured.
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What about ear tubes?
Ear tubes are actually small ventilation tubes that are inserted into a tiny incision in the eardrum. This tube prevents fluid accumulation and gives the eustachian tube time to heal and return to normal. This may take several weeks or months.
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What are the signs of hearing loss?
- Speech sounds soft or “muffled”
- People sound like they are mumbling
- Difficulty understanding speech in noisy situations, or difficulty following a conversation with 2 or more people
- Frequently ask people to repeat themselves
- You must increase the volume on the television to a level that is louder that what is comfortable for other family members
- Have difficulty with children’s or women’s voices
- Answer or respond inappropriately in conversations
- Social withdrawal due to difficulty communicating
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Does hearing loss only affect the elderly?
No, statistics show that approximately 6 million Americans under the age of 65 have hearing loss. That is compared to 4 million Americans over the age of 65. Approximately 17 of every 1000 children under the age of 18 have hearing loss and 3 in 1000 infants are born with some degree of hearing loss. Recent legislation requiring newborn hearing screenings at birth has significantly improved the identification of infants with hearing loss allowing early intervention and preventing significant language delays.
In addition, untreated hearing loss cost the US economy $56 billion in lost productivity, special education and medical care.
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Why are hearing aids so expensive?
Hearing aids are expensive. A hearing aid with many “bells and whistles” will be more expensive than a hearing aid with fewer options. Size also plays a part in price. The smaller the hearing aid, the more expensive it is, because the parts have to be smaller. Other factors that  also influence the price of hearing aids are the research involved to develop the new technology, the time of your hearing specialist and the cost of services included with the purchase (follow up visits, batteries, warranties, etc.).
However, when today’s prices are compared to prices from the 1960’s and inflation is factored in, today’s hearing aids are actually less expensive than they were in the 1960’s! (Source: Audiology Online)
We currently offer five different price ranges of hearing aids. Prices range anywhere from $1100 for one hearing aid to $7200 for two hearing aids. So you can choose a hearing aid that fits both your lifestyle and your budget. What does the purchase of a hearing aid include?
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Can hearing aids really help me?
YES! Contrary to popular opinion, hearing aids make a significant difference in a person’s ability to hear and understand speech. New digital hearing aids even help improve speech understanding in noisy situations such as restaurants and parties. Hearing aids can help people with all types of hearing loss. In the past, many patients with “nerve damage” were told hearing aids would not help them. This is not true. The new era of hearing aids are significantly improved and can help a much wider range of people and types of hearing loss. While each person is different, we strongly encourage anyone with hearing loss to be evaluated by a hearing professional and discuss the new options in hearing aids.
In addition, we offer a 60-day trial period on all digital hearing aids. This means that if you are not satisfied with the hearing aids at the end of the 60 days, you can return the hearing aid for a full refund!
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Why do some people’s hearing aids sit in the sock drawer?
If you know someone who has hearing aids and doesn’t wear them, don’t let that discourage you from trying hearing aids. Many people are improperly fitted with hearing aids that are either not strong enough or cannot be easily inserted into the ear. Other people do not allow enough time to become adjusted to wearing hearing aids. A properly fitted and adjusted hearing aid should provide significant benefit to the person wearing them.
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Does Insurance pay for hearing aids?
Unfortunately, Medicare does not pay for hearing aids. In addition, most insurance companies also do not pay for hearing aids. Select Blue Cross Blue Shield plans will pay $500 per ear, and occasionally we encounter other insurance plans that do have coverage for hearing aids. We will be happy to check your insurance coverage for you before you purchase and we will even file on your insurance as a courtesy at your request if you purchase hearing aids.
Medicaid will pay for at least one hearing aid per patient, as long as the patient’s degree of hearing loss meets Medicaid requirements. Our office is not a Medicaid hearing aid provider, however we can refer you to an appropriate provider if you meet the Medicaid qualifications.
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What is included in the purchase of hearing aids?
In our office, the purchase of hearing aids includes Complete Hearing Healthcare. Complete Hearing Healthcare provides
- Free batteries for the life of the hearing aid
- Free quarterly follow up visits
- Annual hearing screening
- Annual hearing aid evaluation
- 2 year repair warranty (on most hearing aids)
- 1 year loss and damage (2 years on some hearing aids)
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Can I buy just one hearing aid?
You can buy one hearing aid, however you may be more satisfied and will likely perform better with two hearing aids. In most cases, two hearing aids are recommended and necessary. If you have hearing that is similar in both ears, two hearing aids will be best. By keeping both ears balanced, you keep your ability to localize to sounds, you understand speech better in background noise, have a better sound quality and prevent further deterioration of your ability to understand speech. There will be some cases where only one hearing aid is recommended. A hearing evaluation will help us determine if one hearing aid or two are needed.
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I'm dizzy. Who should I call?
An Otolaryngologist is an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist who has been trained in the diagnosis and treatment of balance disorders. All of the physicians at ENT Associates are trained in diagnosing and treating disorders of the inner ear, which commonly cause dizziness.
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What causes dizziness?
There are many causes of dizziness. Some causes include high blood pressure, side effects from medications, disorders of the inner ear, age related changes to the central nervous system or even trauma to the head. An ENT physician can diagnose most causes of dizziness and a referral may be made to an Audiologist for treatment or management.
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What is Meniere’s Disease?
Meniere’s Disease is a disorder of the inner ear that is characterized by severe episodes of spinning dizziness, roaring tinnitus (ringing in the ears), pressure or fullness in the ear, and often nausea or vomiting. This type of dizziness is not constant, but comes in severe attacks. A low-frequency hearing loss is often associated with this type of dizziness.
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My doctor said I have “rocks” in my ear – What does this mean?
One of the more common causes of dizziness is BPPV or Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. It is characterized by calcium deposits within the inner ear that become displaced into one of the semicircular canals of the inner ear. It is commonly referred to as having “rocks” in your ear.
BPPV is most common in people over the age of 65, or in cases of head trauma. Symptoms of BPPV are very distinct and include dizziness when laying down, sitting up or bending over. The dizziness is usally very strong at first, lasting less than one minute. BPPV can be treated very easily in the office by an Audiologist.
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How common is dizziness?
Dizziness occurs in approximately 1.8% of young adults and more than 30% of the elderly. It is the number on complaint of patients over the age of 70. 85% of dizziness can be attributed to a disorder of the inner ear. BPPV is the most common cause of episodic dizziness and is most common in adults over the age of 65 with almost 100,000 cases per year.
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How is the cause of dizziness diagnosed?
The physician will combine a detailed case history with the information obtained from a hearing test performed in our office, as well as information obtained from tests specifically designed to diagnose the cause of fizziness. The two most common test to diagnose the cause of dizziness are Videonystagmography (VNG – or previously referred to as the ENG) and Electrocochleography (ECochG). Both tests are performed in our office by a trained technician and interpreted by a licensed Audiologist. The tests look at many aspects of the central and peripheral balance systems to diagnose the cause of dizziness.
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