Dr. Karl Studtmann practices with Dr. Keith Wainscott at West Tennessee ENT Clinic, 619 Skyline Drive. Besides treating ear, nose and throat conditions, they also specialize in facial plastic surgery and in treating head and neck cancer, allergy problems and sleep disorders.
For an appointment, call
731-424-3682 or
800-372-8394.
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Allergies can cause misery year round
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| Dr. Karl Studtmann treats Jessica Brummer for allergies. |
Is that miserable mess in your head a simple cold or a sinus or other upper respiratory infection that needs treatment? Maybe neither. You could have an allergy.
House dust mites, so tiny they can’t be seen by the naked eye, are a major cause of allergies, for example. They live in mattresses, pillows, carpets and other materials throughout the home and eat skin dander from humans and animals, says Dr. Karl Studtmann, an ear, nose and throat specialist with the West Tennessee ENT Clinic.
“They are everywhere,” Dr. Studtmann says. And, if that doesn’t sound yucky enough, humans are actually allergic to the dust mites’ fecal droppings, which are lightweight and in the air we breathe. Coupled with mold and cockroach parts, which are common in house dust, he adds, our homes are filled with potential allergens.
“In fact,” he says, “many people who come to see me thinking they have a sinus infection are instead suffering from an allergy.”
Some people are allergic to what’s inside their homes, others are allergic to certain foods or their pets or have seasonal allergies, such as allergies to pollen from trees, grass or weeds, he explains. Even seasonal allergies could cause year-round symptoms, he adds. “Most people have more than one allergy.”
Trees pollinate from February to May, for example; allergies to grass flare up May through August, while weed allergies are greater from August until the first frost. And then, we’re stuck inside with those dust mites.
Attacking the dust mites and other allergens in your home takes some effort. Dr. Studtmann advises such steps as getting rid of carpeting and draperies, replacing feather and down pillows with those with synthetic fillings, putting plastic covers over mattresses, steam cleaning your home’s ductwork and using an air purifier.
If he suspects that a patient may have an allergy, Dr. Studtmann orders a blood test, called a RAST test, to check for allergies.
Sinus infections
Whereas as an allergy is a chronic condition, a sinus infection is an acute infection that usually worsens after three to five days. Sinuses are air cavities inside your face that connect to your nose. A sinus infection, one of the most common upper respiratory infections, involves abscesses inside the sinuses that can’t drain.
Early symptoms are similar to symptoms for allergies and other respiratory ailments. As symptoms develop, Dr. Studtmann advises that you try treating yourself and use good judgment about seeing your doctor. He suggests trying over-the-counter medications to lessen cold-like symptoms and fever and saline (salt) irrigation to try to clear out mucous. Get rest and drink plenty of fluids.
He advises patients to see a physician if the fever and other symptoms are not better in five days. Complications with sinus infections are rare, Dr. Studtmann says. “If we can’t clear a sinus infection with medications, we can do sinus surgery.” One method, a balloon sinuplasty, involves using a catheter to slide a small balloon into the infected sinus. The balloon is inflated, making the sinus cavity larger and easier for the infection to drain.
Practicing good hygiene is a good way to avoid these infections, he says. Wash hands frequently, for example. Keep your hands clean by coughing or sneezing into your arm.
“We catch these things from other people,” he says, adding that adults can average one to two upper respiratory infections a year, while the average child can get six to 12 upper respiratory infections a year.
“The answer is good hygiene.”