“Cold sour drinks and air conditioning, the combination that aggravates the tonsils.” The warning of the ENT doctor Gabriela Filipescu, from MedLife

The summer season is associated with extra challenges for the health of the ear, nose and neck. Salt water, ice cream, cold drinks and air conditioning can trigger or aggravate various conditions in the ENT sphere. Dr. Gabriela Filipescu, an ENT primary physician at Hyperclinica MedLife of the Brasov Tower, explains what conditions he sees most often in this period and how we can prevent and treat them.

One of the most common problems that many Romanians face on returning from summer holidays are external otitis, caused by repeated contact with salt or chlorinated water. “The moisture changes the pH of the skin in the auditory pipe, and the bacteria or fungi find a favorable ground to develop. If we add the excess and incorrect use of the ears, the risk increases,” explains Dr. Filipescu.

A prevention method is represented by sprays with essential oils, applied before the bathroom. They create a protective film on the auditory and eardrum, preventing pathogens from contacting the skin. “In recent years, I have noticed that patients who use them do much less external otitis,” says the doctor. At the same time, aggressive cleaning of the ears should be avoided. The drunkard should not be inserted in depth, but used very easily, on the outside, to delete gently, without pushing the wax inward. The first signs that should send patients to the doctor is the sting, the sting, the itching or the feeling that the ear “narrowed”. If secretions with unpleasant odor or pain in the touch appear, the visit to the specialist should not be postponed.

Wax plugs, a trivial problem, but with risks. What devices are not recommended

Many patients arrive in the Summer at the ENT and because of Cerumen plugs. Those with narrow or inclined auditory pipes are prone to accumulations, and the attempt to clean the ear at home, with drunkards or other objects, only push the wax to the eardrum. The result is the feeling of clogged ear or even the decrease of the auditory acuity.

The doctor does not recommend the wax cones, which can cause serious burns, nor the “drill” plastic or silicone devices, capable of injuring the auditory pipe or even piercing the eardrum. The only safe solution remains the removal of the plug to the ENT doctor. The procedure is not painful and can be done by washing, suction or with special tools, depending on the patient's anatomy and the medical history. Before the intervention, oily solutions can be used that soften the stopper and soothe inflammation. Ignoring the problem can be dangerous. “A large plug, maintained for a long time in a humid environment, can lead to skin maceration, external otitis or even eardrum injuries,” Dr. Filipescu draws.

Summer tonsils, frequent due to cold acidic and air conditioning drinks

If winter are frequent with respiratory viruses, summer and pharyngitis, especially in children, appear more often. “Patients come after drinking very cold or ate ice cream, on an already inflamed background. Sensitive tissue react immediately to these temperature variations,” explains the doctor. The consumption of acidified drinks aggravates inflammation, and the air conditioning set too low contributes to the sensitization of the mucous membranes.

Repeated infections lead over time to change the structure of the tonsils. They become hypertrophic or develop crypts in which food residues and bacteria are accumulated. Halitosis, the sensation of foreign body in the throat and recurrent infections appear. In severe cases, the doctor may recommend tonsilctomy, ie surgical removal of tonsils, especially if the patient has several episodes of tonsils in a year or analyzes show repeated streptococcal infections. For less serious forms, there is the variant of tonsil reduction, a procedure by which the tonsils are reduced, not completely eliminated.

The air conditioning – “nose and neck react immediately“

In hot days, air conditioners become indispensable, but their incorrect use has unpleasant health effects. “The problem is not the air conditioning itself, but the sudden temperature differences. If there are 37 degrees and in the office we have 20, the nose and neck react immediately. The cold and dry air inflame the mucous membranes,” stresses Dr. Filipescu.

The ideal temperature should be up to 5-7 degrees lower than outside. The humidity level is just as important, especially for allergic or rhinosinus patients. Humidifiers and hygrometers can help maintain a healthy environment. In addition, the filters of the air conditioners must be cleaned or changed periodically, to prevent the accumulation of bacteria and molds.

How to treat the vertigo

Another frequent presentation reason for the ENT office, without necessarily related to the hot season, is the dizziness, that feeling that “the house” or that the patient rotates around the objects. The causes are multiple: inner ear disorders, untreated sinusitis, neurological diseases or even systemic problems.

The most common form is the benign paroxysmal position. “It is related to the movements of the head: it appears when the patient rises suddenly, turns his head or stretches on one side. It usually takes a few seconds or minutes and can be treated right in the cabinet by vestibular repositioning maneuvers, the results are spectacular,” explains the doctor.

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