Doctor Column
Cough in Children
December 30, 2015
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Whether it’s 2’o’clock in the afternoon or 2 in the morning, parents will worry, “Why is my child coughing?” Can I ignore the cough? Does he need medication? Is it necessary for my child to be examined by a doctor?
‘COUGHING’ — IN ADULTS
December 12, 2015
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
In the year 2010, there were one billion physician office visits in the United States. The most common reason for visiting the doctor was not headache, arthritis or diabetes. It wasn’t hypertension, sinusitis or the flu. It was “coughing.”
The Cough Reflex — “Gatekeeper” of the lungs
December 6, 2015
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Coughing is a common, somewhat perplexing complaint with a variety of causes. It’s a symptom — not a disease. Coughing can be a reaction to “cold air” or it can make the clinician suspicious of cancer. It can appear to be the only presenting symptom or in association with illnesses such as asthma and bronchitis.
Hearing Loss and Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs)
November 21, 2015
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Have you ever notice people in the theater or in some other venue lining up to rent a listening device to improve their hearing? Some are wearing hearing aids, others are not. What are these listening devices? Why do people with hearing aids need them?
Hearing Aids in Children and Adults
November 14, 2015
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Individuals at times complain: “People mumble all the time. They don’t speak up.” Or they might say, “I can hear you, but I can’t get a grip on the words.” Adults can voice their disappointments but small children are dependent on alert parents and physicians to recognize their loss of hearing.
Sore throat ‘Strep’ throat — when Gargling salt water is not enough
September 28, 2015
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
A sore throat can be more than a throat that hurts. It can vary from mild to severe, from viral to bacterial and the consequences range from insignificant to life changing. Testing for strep can make all the difference.
Balloon sinuplasty — Balloon sinus dilatation
September 21, 2015
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Medical advances over the past several decades have been remarkable. In the mid 1980’s, a revolution changed the way surgeons treated sinus disease. At that time, it was common practice to cut the skin of the face or the tissue above the upper teeth to gain access to sinus disease.
HIMSS Analytics: Slight Uptick in Telemedicine Adoption Rates
September 16, 2015
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
There has been a slight uptick in telemedicine adoption in 2015 among healthcare providers, according to an updated telemedicine study from HIMSS Analytics.
Pediatric rhinosinusitis — sinusitis in children
September 14, 2015
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Nine year old little Billy has a runny nose, is coughing and complains that he can’t breathe through the nose. Is it a cold, his allergies, infected adenoids or sinusitis? How should it be treated?
Home remedies for rhinitis — rhinosinusitis
September 8, 2015
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Sinusitis is almost always preceded by rhinitis, the common cold. Hundreds of cold viruses provoke symptoms of runny nose, sneezing, sore throats and coughing in people. Rhinitis is usually afebrile, of limited duration and antibiotics are of no value in its treatment.
