ENT and Allergy

What Services Do We Provide?

Your daily life is greatly affected by the way your senses function. Any irregular activity can affect your ability to live your life normally. Ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists diagnose and treat a variety of conditions, including:

Contact our ENT and Allergy Department: 641.494.5380

Allergy Management

Allergies are a common condition that affect one out of every five people and are caused by an immune system response to certain triggers that are otherwise harmless. These triggers cause symptoms such as a runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, headache, stomach pain and diarrhea. Although there is no cure for allergic reactions, there are many different allergy testing and treatment options available to help control the symptoms of allergies.

Ear Infections Acute and Chronic

Ear infections, also known as otitis media, are one of the most common conditions, affecting up to 75% of children in the US by the time they reach the age of 3. This condition develops as a result of a buildup of fluid in the eustachian tubes, which connect the eardrum to the nose. Patients with an ear infection may experience earache, fever, ear discharge, headache and dizziness.

Ear Tubes

Children who suffer from repeat ear infections or fluid in the ear may benefit from ear tubes. Ear tubes are plastic inserts that are surgically placed in the eardrum under general anesthesia. The insertion of ear tubes can help allow air to enter the middle ear, allow fluid out of the ear, prevent future buildup of fluid, and restore hearing.

Head and Neck Cancer

Head and neck cancers encompass several different diseases that can affect the mouth, nose, throat and surrounding areas. Many cases of head and neck cancer can be prevented through life changes. The different types of cancer associated with the head and neck include:

• Oral cavity
• Salivary glands
• Nasal cavity
• Pharynx
• Larynx
• Lymph node

Hearing Loss Surgery

Almost 50 million Americans have some type of hearing loss. While most people either live with it or choose hearing aids, some types of hearing loss can be corrected or improved by surgery. Keep in mind that only a small percentage of hearing loss patients can have their hearing surgically restored. The most common type of hearing loss is called sensorineural hearing loss. This occurs when hair cells in the inner ear or nerve pathways connecting the inner ear to the brain have been damaged. Some adults and children with this type of hearing loss may benefit from cochlear implants, which bypass the damage and directly stimulate the auditory nerve. We also use Baha® Cochlear™ implants for single-sided deafness.

A condition called otosclerosis causes an abnormal hardening of the bone tissue in the middle ear. People with otosclerosis may benefit from stapedectomy, a surgical procedure that implants a prosthetic device that bypasses hardened bone tissue in the middle ear.

Another surgical procedure for hearing loss is tympanoplasty, which reconstructs the eardrum and small bones that comprise the middle ear. Most patients undergoing this procedure experience some improvement in hearing.

Inspire®

Great news for CPAP users (and CPAP haters)!

More than 18 million Americans have sleep apnea, a serious breathing condition that, if not treated, can cause serious complications for your health. It is estimated that 80% (four out of five) of all moderate to severe cases of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) go undiagnosed. OSA is a potentially life-threatening condition that causes you to stop breathing during sleep, sometimes dozens or even hundreds of times each night. You may awaken often gasping for air.

Until now the best solution has been the CPAP machine, which requires you to wear a special mask and tubes during sleep. CPAP is shorthand for continuous positive airway pressure. The machine gently forces your breathing passages open to facilitate more restful sleep. However, many users find it difficult to sleep with a mask and tubes and end up stowing their CPAP away and just living with their sleep apnea – a dangerous proposition at best.

This will inspire OSA sufferers

Mason City Clinic’s ENT team is excited to introduce the newest alternative to CPAP therapy. Inspire® therapy is a breakthrough treatment option for people with OSA. The revolutionary implantable Inspire® device monitors your breathing and delivers mild stimulation to your hypoglossal nerve. That nerve controls movement of your tongue and other critical airway muscles. Inspire® stimulates those muscles, keeping your airway open during sleep.

The device senses your breathing patterns and delivers mild and painless stimulation. You control the implanted system using a small, handheld Inspire® sleep remote. The remote allows you to turn on Inspire® therapy before bed and off when you wake, increase and decrease stimulation strength and even pause during the night if necessary.

This upper airway stimulation technology delivers a promising new alternative for OSA sufferers who are unable to use or get consistent benefit from CPAP. Not to mention those many undiagnosed OSA sufferers who may suspect they have a sleep breathing problem but want to avoid CPAP treatment during sleep. Be sure to ask a member of our ENT team if Inspire® therapy may be right for you.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment

Obstructive sleep apnea is a common condition that involves breathing problems during sleep, as the throat muscles relax and block the airway. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea often experience loud snoring, daytime sleepiness, morning headache, insomnia and waking up with a sore throat.

Sinusitis

Sinusitis is a condition that refers to inflammation of the lining within the paranasal sinuses that can also cause sinus headache. Sinusitis can be classified by location:

• Maxillary, which causes pain or pressure in the cheek area
• Frontal, which causes pain or pressure above and behind the eyes
• Ethmoid, which causes pain or pressure between or behind the eyes
• Sphenoid, which causes pain or pressure behind the eyes

Sinus and Nasal Surgery

Sinus and nasal surgery is performed to enlarge the openings that drain the sinuses, in order to effectively treat conditions such as nasal congestion, rhinitis, sinusitis and sinus headache, polyps and others. Patients may turn to surgery after other treatments such as medications, nasal sprays and humidifiers have been unsuccessful in ending symptoms or for chronic, recurring conditions.

There are several different types of sinus surgery; most of them can be performed through minimally invasive techniques that require no incisions and no hospital stay. Some of the most commonly performed procedures include functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), image-guided surgery, the Caldwell Luc operation and balloon sinuplasty.

Snoring

The sounds of snoring occur the same way that sounds when we speak are made. When air flows past our throat while sleeping, the tissues vibrate and create the sounds we recognize as snoring. Snoring is very common and occurs at least occasionally in almost half of all adults. Men are more likely to snore than women.

Skin Cancer Removal

Skin cancer frequently occurs on the head and face, areas that are typically uncovered and exposed to the sun’s harmful rays. Our physicians are experts in skin cancer excision (removal) procedures. Treatment is based on the type of skin cancer. Melanoma is the most serious and deadly type of skin cancer. Squamous cell cancer, though much less likely to be deadly, is still a serious type, followed by basal cell carcinoma, which is unlikely to be life-threatening but still requires treatment. It rarely spreads to other parts of the body. This type of skin cancer has a high cure rate. When untreated, basal cell carcinomas can become large enough to cause disfigurement. In rare cases, basal cell carcinoma can spread to other parts of the body and become life-threatening.

Thyroid Surgery

Thyroid surgery is used to treat several different thyroid conditions such as nodules, cancer and hyperthyroidism. Surgery is often considered a last resort for thyroid conditions and may be used if more conservative treatments have failed, a condition is recurring or cancer is present. Surgery for a thyroid disorder removes part or all of the thyroid gland, depending on the type and severity of the condition.

Tonsils and Adenoids

The tonsils are two masses of tissue found on either side of the back of the throat. The adenoids are located high in the throat behind the nose and roof of the mouth. Together they form part of the ring of glandular tissue at the back of the throat. The tonsils and adenoids assist the body in defense against infection by “sampling” entering bacteria and viruses and becoming infected with them. They then help form antibodies to resist and fight future infections. The tonsils and adenoids are also subject to inflammation, respectively known as tonsillitis and adenoiditis.

Why Us?

Our board certified physicians have the skills and experience to treat your ENT problems locally. Many trained at the University of Iowa, which has one of the highest-rated ENT training programs in the nation, and they are still involved with the University of Iowa as adjunct staff members instructing ENTs-in-training. They stay current by practicing up-to-date medicine and performing leading-edge procedures for a variety of disorders. It is their goal to deliver compassionate, patient-centered and convenient care throughout our communities.

To learn more about our ENT and allergy services, please call 641.494.5380 today or use our online form to schedule an appointment. Our ENT and allergy patients come to us from Albert Lea, Algona, Belmond, Britt, Buffalo Center, Charles City, Clarion, Cresco, Emmetsburg, Forest City, Garner, Greene, Hampton, Iowa Falls, Lake Mills, Mason City, New Hampton, Northwood, Osage, Waverly and close-by areas.