Thyroid nodules are very common, and most of these are benign.  However, even benign nodules may be symptomatic if they are large enough to put pressure on your windpipe or esophagus making it feel like something is stuck in your throat, like it’s difficult to breathe when you’re lying down, or even feeling like food sticks when you swallow. Previously, our only option to get rid of these nodules would be surgery in the operating room to remove part of your thyroid gland. Although it would get rid of your nodule, it would also require general anesthesia, leave a neck scar, and sometimes r ..read more

The Bexar County Face Mask Order was implemented April 20, 2020. The new mandate states that all residents 10 years or older have a face mask covering in public where it is difficult to keep six feet away from others. Initially, the Center for Disease Control only recommended people who were ill or who were coming in contact with those who are ill wear a mask. However, recently, the CDC and the World Health Organization have now recommended that all people venturing out wear masks in public. Why this sudden reverse in decision? The simple answer is that we have no way of telling who does or do ..read more

In general, the way that people are using cleaners and sanitizers in their home to prevent COVID-19 is wrong. Disinfectants and hand sanitizers are being wiped from grocery store shelves to the point of shortage. Understanding best practices for keeping yourself and your loved ones safe from the virus is important. However, there hasn’t been enough time to obtain data on the effectiveness of cleaning products against COVID-19. Most experts agree that cleaning products that are effective against viruses should be just as effective against coronavirus. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA ..read more

Spring time in San Antonio results in elevated pollen and mold counts. With so many unknowns right now, it’s easy to have fear and anxiety. Symptoms such as dry cough and nasal congestion can make you wonder if you should see your doctor or be tested for coronavirus? Coronavirus symptoms are similar to the common cold – muscle aches, fever, and loss of appetite. The difference with coronavirus is found in the pulmonary symptoms – shortness of breath and cough. Allergies, on the other hand, are more mild symptoms like headache, sore throat, stuffy nose, cough and chest congestion. Just remembe ..read more

To enhance the level of service that we can provide in our office, Alamo ENT Associates has installed a Xoran MiniCAT CT scanner at our Stone Oak location.  This allows us to quickly and painlessly obtain high quality images of the sinuses and ears while at the same time only requiring 1/5 to 1/20 the radiation dose of a standard CT scan.  This makes for a much safer option for our patients than conventional imaging.  Furthermore, these high resolution images are compatible with the image guidance surgical systems used by our physicians in case sinus surgery were ever needed.  This is a very c ..read more

Many patients have been told that they have a deviated septum, but most aren’t sure exactly what that means or even if it needs to be treated.  The nasal cavity is separated into left and right sides by a partition (wall) that is made up of cartilage and bone.  Ideally this wall is straight so that each side of the nose has equal space for breathing.  However, very commonly this wall is not completely straight, in which case it is called “deviated.”  This could mean that it is bent to one side (>), bent to both sides (S), or there could be a part of the septum that sticks out like a tho ..read more

Turbinates are normal structures in the nose that you’ve probably never heard of.  They are structures made of bone and soft tissue that live at the bottom of the nose along the outside wall of the nasal cavity.  There are multiple turbinates on both sides of the nose, but the ones that are the most important in nasal breathing are the inferior turbinates.  The soft tissue portions of these structures are dynamic.  They swell and shrink to help regulate airflow within the nose.  However, these can become quite swollen if they get inflamed from irritants or allergies.  The more swollen they ..read more