A cholesteatoma can be dangerous to your health if left untreated. This abnormal skin growth behind the eardrum can lead to serious complications by damaging crucial structures in the ear. Here’s what you need to know: Potential Complications: Facial Nerve Damage: This can lead to facial palsy. Hearing Bones Damage: This may cause deafness and tinnitus. Balance System Damage: This can result in dizziness or total loss of balance and hearing in that ear (known as a dead ear). Brain Risks: The bony barrier between the ear and brain can wear away, increasing the risk of severe infections. Infection Risks: Mastoiditis: Infection spreading into the mastoid bone. Brain Abscess or Meningitis: Infections spreading into the brain. Blood Vessel Blockage: Infection in the mastoid bone can block the main blood vessel, draining blood from the brain. Treatment: Surgical Removal: Nearly always recommended to prevent these dangerous complications. If you suspect you
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 performed fo