When to visit an ENT specialist

Is it just a normal ache or something more serious? An ENT specialist can tell if the malady is a serious one or not.

The human body is a wondrous mechanism that heals itself whenever there is a slight disorder or illness. Adequate rest, taking the right medication and eating nutritious food can treat most health problems and body aches and pains. But some seemingly minor maladies have the potential to develop into bigger problems – and they may not be treated in time because one believes that they are not serious enough to warrant medical attention.

The cold weather brings with it cold, flu, headaches, migraines, body pain, joint stiffness and many other problems. Cold, cough and flu are particularly virulent in this season, and they give rise to such symptoms as clogged nose, scratchy or painful throat, fever and headaches. These are minor enough, but if there are symptoms such as dizzy spells, painful ears, mucus in the ear cavity, a lump in the throat that makes swallowing difficult and dizzying headaches, it is time to see a doctor. These are signs of an infection.

The doctor treating these (and more) problems is known as an ENT specialist. The best ENT specialists in Bangalore treat the problems and infections of the ear, nose, throat, neck and head. Consider the following reasons to visit an ENT specialist in Bangalore:

Ear problems: If you or a family member suffer from perennially blocked or painful ears, reduced hearing, flashes of pain in the ears, ringing or buzzing sound, a sudden feeling that the room is spinning (even if you are lying down or sitting), clear fluid oozing from the ears, etc.

Nose problems: See the ENT specialist for a nose blocked for over a week, no sense of smell despite the cold or cough healing completely, pain in the nose or sinus, sudden breathlessness despite not having a blocked nose, no sensation of taste when eating food, sudden onset of cold without runny nose accompanied by thick, clotty mucus.

Throat issues: If you or a family member suffer from a painful throat for over a week, have difficulty making sounds or framing words, have difficulty swallowing, inability to speak in a higher tone, chronic dry cough or incidence of phlegmy cough despite no allergies or change in weather.

Head and neck pains: These are reasons to see an ENT specialist at once: sudden onset of painful headaches that last for hours, dizzying headaches that impair the vision, heavy or swollen feeling in the head, headaches followed by vomiting, lumps that can be felt with the fingers, difficulty to make facial gestures as before, a ‘collapsed’ facial structure leading to partial facial paralysis, etc.

4 Everyday Things to Do to Prevent the Common Cold During Winter

The common cold, or acute viral rhinopharyngitis or acute coryza, is a condition when the upper respiratory tract is infected, due to a viral infestation, mainly caused by the coronaviruses or rhinoviruses. Catching a cold is so common and recurring because the human body is never able to build up resistance to all the viruses that cause this ailment.

When infected with the common cold, serious complications like Acute Bronchitis, Acute Bacterial Sinusitis, Pneumonia and Otistis Media can follow. It is always advisable to focus on the prevention of common cold, along with relief from its symptoms.

How Do You Catch a Cold?

One can contract the common flu from another person infected with the virus by simply touching or through airborne particles when the infected person sneezes or coughs. More commonly, we can get infected when we touch public surfaces, such as doorknobs, computer keyboards, etc., that could have germs on them. Then when we touch our mouth or nose without washing our hands, the virus then attaches to the lining of the nose or throat. As a result, your body' s immune system sends out white blood cells to fight those viruses. That's when your nose and throat get inflamed, creating a lot of mucus.

However, when the virus overpowers the immune system, infection occurs. When the mucus is penetrated by the virus, it enters the cell that makes proteins and uses this protein building element to manufacture more viruses that then attack the surrounding cells.

4 Things You Can Do for the Prevention of the Common Cold

1. Wash Your Hands Regularly: Hand washing is the primary step for maintaining personal hygiene. When protecting yourself against contagious diseases, washing your hands at regular intervals becomes a necessity. Use a good quality antibacterial soap and scrub it on your hands for at least 20 seconds or more to get rid of viruses completely. Ensure that you scrub the back of your hands, under your nails and in between your fingers, for overall removal of germs. You can use Liquid Handwash with a dispenser for more hygienic cleaning. In case soap and water are not available, use an alcohol based sanitizer like Dettol Instant Hand Sanitizer.
2. Get Plenty of Rest: When you rest, you give your body time to fight off diseases. It is found that if a person is not getting enough sleep, their immune system weakens. Good sleeping habits therefore increase your resistance to the common cold.
3. Eat Foods Rich in Vitamin C: It has been found that the intake of Vitamin C reduces the duration and severity of a cold due to its anti-oxidative properties, which reduce the risk of catching a cold in people who are under extreme physical stress. This important vitamin and antioxidant keeps you strong and healthy. Vitamin C is found naturally in citrus fruits and vegetables, especially oranges, lemons, amla and more. Vitamin C can also be consumed in the form of pills and chewable tablets.
4. Don't Forget to Exercise: Moderate physical activity not only improves your overall fitness, but boosts your immune system too. Since the immune system is the body's natural defense against infections, exercise is the safest way to prevent a cold. Exercise opens up your nasal passages and gives temporary relief to nasal congestion. Low intensity running or brisk walking should be taken up immediately for future prevention of cold.