- Headaches
- Arthritis
- SinusitisYou have acute sinusitis when you have had cloudy or colored drainage from your nose for up to four weeks, plus one or more of the following symptoms...
- Medical Weight LossA custom-fit oral appliance, which repositions the lower jaw forward, may also be considered for certain patients with snoring/OSA. This should be fitted by an ENT specialist, dentist, or oral surgeon with expertise in sleep dentistry. In some patients, significant weight loss can also improve snoring and OSA.
- Pediatric CareDr. Donald Cote earned his medical degree at the University of South Alabama Medical School and completed his residency in Otolaryngology at Tulane University Affiliated Hospitals. Dr. Cote is a Board Certified Otolaryngologist Head and Neck Surgeon. Prior to joining our practice, Dr. Cote was on the faculty in the Department of Otolaryngology and Pediatrics at Tulane. Dr. Cote has served as Chief of Staff at Newton General Hospital.
- SnoringPoor muscle tone in the tongue and throat—When muscles are too relaxed, the tongue falls back into the airway, or the throat muscles draw in from the sides into the airway. Alcohol or drugs that cause sleepiness may worsen muscle relaxation and obstruction.
- Primary CareDiscuss your symptoms and any known nose damage or surgeries with your primary care provider or an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialist, or otolaryngologist. They will examine your nose inside and out, and might recommend additional tests based on your individual needs. When there is clearly a crooked/deviated septum, and the symptoms are severe enough to warrant intervention, the ENT specialist may suggest surgery as an option if medical treatment fails.
- Ear InfectionsMiddle ear problems can also cause tinnitus, including middle ear infection (common) and otosclerosis (uncommon), which hardens the tiny ear bones or ossicles. Another rare cause of tinnitus from the middle ear that does not result in hearing loss is muscle spasms in one of the two tiny muscles in the ear. In this case, the tinnitus can be intermittent and sometimes your examiner may also be able to hear the sounds.
- Sleep DisordersSometimes a deviated septum may lead to repeated nosebleeds. If the blockage is severe, it may force mouth-breathing at night, which can worsen sleep disorders. However, potential complications from septoplasty (surgery) can include...
- Pneumonia
- EndoscopyIf you have unusual or severe symptoms, additional tests such as an MRI of the brain may be ordered to rule out more serious conditions that can cause headache pain, such as tumors or bleeding around the brain. If you have repeated episodes of sinus pain and pressure, a nasal endoscopy (a pencil-sized scope used to see inside the nose and sinuses) or imaging such as an MRI or CT scan can determine if sinus pain or pressure is due to a sinus infection or other sinus pathology. A normal sinus CT scan while you have symptoms could help rule out sinusitis, and determine if migraines, headaches, or other causes of facial pain and pressure are causing the sinus symptoms.
- Epilepsy
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Diabetes Care
- HypothyroidismThe thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the front of the neck. It produces thyroid hormone, which controls your metabolism, temperature regulation, and keeps your muscles and organs working properly. Diseases of the thyroid, whether functional (hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism) Read more
- Thyroid
- Thyroid CancerThe thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the front of the neck. It produces thyroid hormone, which controls your metabolism, temperature regulation, and keeps your muscles and organs working properly. Thyroid cancer is very common, particularly in women. It is now one of the most Read more
- MRIIf you are having a recurrent problem and have made an appointment with our office, we request that you bring all pertinent records with you for the past six months to a year along with medications that you have been taking for this problem. Also any ct/mri films for recurrent sinusitis (actual discs with report).
- X-Rays
- Computed TomographyX-rays or CT scans of the sinuses are not necessary to diagnose uncomplicated sinusitis if you have the symptoms of sinusitis (discharge plus pressure or blockage). If your doctor suspects a complication or if you have repeated episodes or prolonged sinus symptoms, a CT scan of your sinuses may be needed.
- ChemotherapyPre-cancerous or cancerous lesions —Surgery is needed to diagnose and treat pre-cancerous or cancerous lesions. Sometimes, other cancer treatments are needed, such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
- Radiation Therapy
- General SurgerySurgical services which include outpatient hospital based sinus surgeries, ear surgeries, tonsillectomies and multiple office based procedures
- OtolaryngologyDr. Adam French earned his medical degree at the Medical College of Georgia and completed his residency in Otolaryngology at the University of Illinois at Chicago Eye & Ear Infirmary.
- BotoxNeurological diseases or disorders —Determining why your vocal cords are paralyzed helps your doctor decide the best course of action. Sometimes, vocal cord augmentation is needed. For patients with Parkinson’s disease, special voice techniques can help, but the evaluation is also very important. Mumbled speech (called dysarthria) after a stroke or from a degenerative neurologic disorder can be addressed with speech therapy or the use of assistive communicative devices. Other disorders can be treated with botulinum toxin, or Botox®, injections.
- RhinoplastyThe time required for the septoplasty operation averages about one- to one-and-a-half hours, depending on the type of deformity. It can be done with a local or a general anesthetic, usually on an outpatient basis. During the surgery, badly deviated portions of the septum may be removed entirely, or they may be readjusted and reinserted into the nose. Surgery may be combined with a rhinoplasty that changes the outward shape of the nose; in this case swelling and bruising may occur. Septoplasty may also be combined with sinus surgery.
- Plastic SurgeryMany surgical advances are being made in this area. Procedures such as tonsillectomy and facial plastic surgery are becoming less invasive, and new procedures are being developed to treat serious problems such as cleft palate, sleep apnea, and deafness.
- Cyst
- FungusFungal sinusitis is a broad term used to describe various situations when fungus might be involved in the cause or symptoms of nasal and sinus inflammation. Fungus is an entirely separate “kingdom” from plants and animals; they are plant-like but cannot create their own food like plants do. Because Read more
- LesionsNon-cancerous vocal cord lesions —Nodules, polyps, and cysts usually develop after prolonged trauma to the vocal cords from talking too much, too loudly, or with bad technique.
- TMJ DysfunctionIn adults, common causes of earaches include otitis externa or swimmer’s ear and TMJ dysfunction. Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the ear canal and results from swimming in contaminated water or as a result of cotton swab use. In people with diabetes, otitis externa can spread far beyond the ear canal and can be life-threatening. Therefore, prompt treatment with antibiotic ear drops as well as cleaning of the ear canal with specialized tools available to an ENT specialist is critical. Another common cause of ear pain is due to referred pain from the jaw joint. This is usually due to the grinding of teeth during sleep. TMJ pain can be treated with ibuprofen, eating softer food, avoiding chewing gum, and using a nightguard.
- Allergies