ENT conditions (Mr Gaurav Kumar)

How to diagnose allergic rhinitis? Rhinitis or runny nose can be due to several factors. Allergic rhinitis is inflammation of the lining of the nose in response allergen around you in your environment. This allergen can be pollen, mould, dust or in your diet. Typically, if you have an itchy and runny nose, sneezing with a blocked nose, this can be due to allergic rhinitis.  How is a diagnosis made for allergic rhinitis? When you go and see your doctor. He will ask you about your symptoms, severity, and how they are impacting your quality of life. If the cause for your allergic rhinitis symptoms is unclear, then special allergy skin prick test or allergy blood test may be requested. Why are special allergy test required? In some cases of allergic rhinitis, it is not clear what is your trigger factor for your symptoms. So, by these tests, treating clinician can advise about lifestyle changes, medications and allergy avoidance. How is the allergy test performe...

Can a deviated septum cause sinus infections? Sinuses are air-filled, generally empty, spaces around the nasal cavity. These sinuses drain into the nasal cavity through small doors. Our nasal cavity is divided into right and left by the nasal septum. If you have deviated nasal septum, then it can block the drainage pathway of the nasal sinuses. High deviations can block the airway and hence recurrent sinusitis. Septoplasty can correct this deviation and help opening up drainage pathways along with balloon sinuplasty or endoscopic sinus surgery.  Can deviated nasal septum cause high blood pressure or a heart problem? Deviated nasal septum in anterior part can obstruct the airflow and can cause sleep apnoea symptoms. Some recent studies show a correlation between better control of high blood pressure with medication after septoplasty.  Can deviated nasal septum cause sleep apnea? Sleep apnea can be due to obstruction at different levels of your airway...