How your ENT specialist in Wayne, NJ, can help you breathe better

Struggling to breathe can be harmful to you, both physically and mentally, making you anxious about participating in activities and fearful of your future. Fortunately, your ear, nose, and throat specialist can help. Read on to learn how Dr. Frank L. Kardos in Wayne, NJ, can diagnose and treat the cause of your breathing problem, and help you breathe better.

Possible Causes

Allergies can cause significant breathing difficulties. Whether you suffer from seasonal allergies like hay fever, or environmental allergies like mold, pet dander, or dust mites, your ENT specialist can help by discovering what you are allergic to. Skin tests are one of the most effective ways of determining what triggers your allergy symptoms. Treatment for allergies may include:

• Prescription-strength antihistamines and decongestants
• Allergy shots and/or sublingual immunotherapy
• Counseling on how to avoid allergy triggers

Allergies may go hand-in-hand with asthma. Asthma can cause severe breathing problems, including sudden asthma attacks which can be life-threatening. Asthma can be effectively treated with inhalers to provide short term relief, and medications to provide long-term relief. You may have asthma if you are:

• Chronically coughing and wheezing
• Having trouble breathing during physical activity
• Feeling a tightness or heaviness in your chest
• Experiencing chronic, recurring bronchitis

If you are having breathing problems while you sleep, this could also be a sign of sleep apnea, which is another common condition that your ENT specialist is an expert at treating. Sleep apnea is caused by the tissue at the back of your throat relaxing and blocking your airway while you sleep. If you wake up with a gasping, choking sensation or have been told that you snore loudly at night, you might have sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is diagnosed through the help of a sleep study. The condition can be effectively treated by wearing a continuous positive airway pressure machine, known as a CPAP, or using an oral mandibular advancement appliance. Your ENT specialist can help you decide which is the best choice for you.

Concerned? Give Us a Call

These are just a few common causes of breathing problems. To learn more about how we can help you breathe easier, call Dr. Frank L. Kardos in Wayne, NJ, by dialing (973) 956-1200.

Are you suffering from breathing problems?

Your Wayne, NJ, doctor is an expert when it comes to breathing problems and can help determine what the issue is and how to treat it. The nose has three main functions: warm, humidify, and filter air that passes into the body. When there is something wrong with your breathing, or you suffer from breathing issues, this may impact one or multiple bodily functions.

More About Breathing Problems

• Breathing problems can be temporary or chronic, mild, or severe.
• Breathing issues increase with age.
• Breathing problems are assessed using breathing tests: lung function tests, X-rays and CT scans.

What are common breathing problems?

• Allergies: When an allergen enters the body, the immune system is what causes symptoms typically associated with allergies, like hay fever, headaches, sneezing, watery or itchy eyes, nasal congestion, and scratchy throat. There are many allergic substances and not everyone reacts the same to each substance. To treat allergies, you should reduce exposure to the allergen, take medication, antihistamines, and nasal decongestants, or, for severe cases, allergy shots.
   
• Deviated Septum: The septum is a vertical structure that divides the two nasal passages. If the septum is crooked or bent, it is called a deviated septum, and can block the flow of air through the nose. Surgery may be needed to correct this issue.
   
• Environmental Factors: Molds, dust, and dry air are common environmental allergy culprits that induce allergies.
   
• Sinusitis: This is the inflammation of sinus tissue behind both upper cheeks. People experience congestion and pressure, sometimes in response to moving up and down. People suffering from sinusitis have symptoms of watery eyes, but many over-the-counter medications treat mild sinusitis.

Need a consultation?

If you’re experiencing persistent breathing problems, please contact your doctor's Wayne, NJ, office and schedule an appointment by calling (973) 956-1200 today!

Discover the most common respiratory complaints and what we can do to help.

Breathing trouble of any kind can be scary and a little nerve-wracking, especially if you don’t know what’s going on. Regardless of whether this is happening to you, your child or a family member, it’s important that you get the answers you need to improve your respiratory health. Our Wayne, NJ, otolaryngologist Dr. Frank Kardos is here to tell you the most common respiratory problems and how to best treat them when they happen.

Some of the common causes of long-term respiratory issues include asthma, allergies, chronic sinusitis (a sinus infection), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema and chronic bronchitis. While those with acute respiratory infections like pneumonia or the common cold may also experience difficulty breathing, if you are dealing with persistent breathing issues then you will want to turn to our Wayne, NJ, ENT specialist to get to the bottom of your symptoms.

Along with chest congestion and difficulty breathing you may also experience:

• A runny or stuffy nose
• A persistent cough
• Wheezing
• Nasal congestion or pressure
• Watery, itchy or red eyes

How will my respiratory issues be treated?

This will depend on the root cause of your respiratory symptoms. Here are some of the best ways to tackle these common breathing problems:

Asthma: Medication is required to get asthma symptoms under control and to reduce the risk of an asthma attack. You will be prescribed a regular asthma medication to take every day to control your symptoms and to reduce inflammation in the airways. You may also be prescribed a “rescue inhaler”, which provides instant relief when you feel an attack coming on.

Allergies: Besides taking measures to avoid coming in contact with the offending allergen, you may choose to take an over-the-counter antihistamine to temporarily alleviate symptoms. If allergies are severe enough, our allergy specialist would be happy to prescribe a medication to prevent flare-ups. We can also recommend a variety of lifestyle modifications to adopt to reduce allergy symptoms.

Chronic Sinusitis: While some sinus infections will go away on their own, once symptoms have lingered for 12 weeks or more it’s considered a chronic infection. Luckily, we can prescribe medications to reduce inflammation and to improve your breathing. In some cases, a procedure known as balloon sinuplasty is recommended for opening up a partially or fully blocked sinus cavity.

If you are dealing with respiratory issues in Wayne, NJ, it’s a good idea to turn to an ENT specialist who will be able to provide you with the quality, individualized treatment you or your loved one deserves. Call us today to schedule an appointment with us.

If you are experiencing labored breathing or other issues it’s time to give us a call.

Do you find that your nose is too stuffed up to be able to breathe through it properly? Do you notice that you often cough or wheeze or aren’t able to get enough air in whenever you breathe? If this sounds like you, our Wayne, NJ, otolaryngologist, Dr. Frank Kardos, is here to provide some information about the possible causes and when to see medical care.

There are many reasons why you might be experiencing breathing problems. You could be fighting off a cold and find that your stuffy nose is getting in the way. You may also have a sinus infection, which can make breathing more difficult for a couple of weeks.

If you’ve been dealing with more long-term breathing challenges then you may be dealing with asthma, allergies or chronic sinusitis. If you are dealing with any of these issues you may also find that you are dealing with itchy eyes, sneezing, chest or nasal congestion, wheezing, coughing or a runny nose.

Of course, there may be a variety of other issues that could be the culprit, including:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Pneumonia
• Tuberculosis
• Anemia

When should you see a doctor?

While an ENT won’t be able to treat all of these conditions listed, it’s important to know when to seek our care. If you find yourself having shortness of breath or your breathing symptoms are accompanied by fever, chills or wheezing then you need to give us a call. If you find that your breathing becomes more labored over time or when you lie down, you also need to call our Wayne ENT doctor right away.

How we decide to treat your condition will depend on the root cause of your breathing issues. Sometimes it’s as simple as changing some of your day-to-day habits while other patients may require medication or procedures to manage their breathing symptoms.

If you are dealing with breathing issues, it’s time you called our Wayne, NJ, ENT office to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Don’t just ignore this issue. We can help.

Find out what could be making it difficult for you to breathe.

Breathing is a vital component to life and yet it’s a completely unconscious action. The only time you may even think about your breathing is if you start to notice issues. If you are experiencing breathing problems this can be startling. Find out what could be behind these issues and when to see your Wayne, NJ ENT doctor Dr. Frank Kardos for care.

It can be difficult to pinpoint the main cause of your breathing difficulties unless you seek medical care from your ear, nose and throat doctor in Wayne, NJ but here are some of the most common causes:

• Common cold
• Sinusitis
• Allergies
• Asthma
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Chronic bronchitis
• Emphysema

More serious causes include,

• Tuberculosis
• Pneumonia
• Lung cancer
• Lung disease (related to HIV/AIDS)

While more self-limiting issues like the common cold will usually run their course and go away on their own with at-home remedies, there are other issues that may require medical care.

Acute sinusitis can cause inflammation of the nasal cavities and prevent the sinuses from draining. This can make it difficult to breathe. While acute sinusitis will go away with the proper care, chronic forms of this condition may require more drastic measures. If you’ve been dealing with sinusitis symptoms for more than a week it’s time to see us.

Many breathing issues are chronic and are associated with allergies and asthma. This can cause a host of other symptoms including,

• Itchy eyes
• Nasal and chest congestion
• Cough and wheezing
• Shallow breathing
• Wheezing
• Runny nose

According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), nasal allergies affect about 50 million Americans, and its prevalence is increasing in both children (by 40 percent) and adults (by 30 percent). Allergy and asthma symptoms can often occur together, which can make breathing a major and miserable challenge. If you’ve been diagnosed with asthma and are having issues breathing it’s time to come into our office.

Those with COPD may experience symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, tightness in their chest, chest discomfort and shortness of breath. If you notice any of these symptoms it’s high time you came in for a proper diagnosis.

Whether you are dealing with breathing issues or are finding it more and more difficult to hear those around you, the Wayne ENT team of Dr. Kardos and audiologist Dr. Gary Hilt will make sure that you get the treatment you need.