- Hermina Pasteur<\/a><\/li>
- 20 January 2023<\/li><\/ul><\/div>
Should you operate on polyps in children?<\/a><\/h3>
Nasal polyps are benign, stemmed masses originating from the mucous membranes of the nose or the mucous membranes of the sinus cavities, and they can cause chronic nasal obstruction. This condition is often found in both adults and children. This benign mass can grow in both nostrils or only in one, with the appearance of a translucent, spongy, and protruding mass shaped like a grape. The colour varies, from greyish pink to yellowish. \n\n The cause of the growth of nasal polyps in children is not known with certainty. However, this condition is closely related to chronic inflammation of the airways, especially in the nasal cavity. The appearance of nasal polyps in children is usually accompanied by comorbidities such as chronic rhinosinusitis, asthma, allergic rhinitis, or genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis, which is a condition in which the mucus in a child's nose is thicker and stickier than others, causing chronic infections and difficulty breathing. Usually this condition was diagnosed when the child was 2 years old. \n\n At first, parents often do not realise that their child has nasal polyps. However, over time, nasal polyps can get bigger and cause symptoms that parents eventually notice. \n\n How can parents know if their child has nasal polyps? In general, the clinical symptoms of nasal polyps depend on their size and location. Some of the symptoms of nasal polyps that are commonly found in children are frequent nasal congestion, which can cause changes in the child's voice to become nasal and make the child breathe through the mouth. Apart from that, children also often experience a runny nose, a reduced sense of smell, and have a habit of snoring during sleep. Snoring during sleep is one of the characteristic symptoms of nasal polyps because when we sleep, the airflow that enters through the nose is blocked by polyps, resulting in snoring. Another distinctive sign is the symptom of postnasal drip, namely the presence of mucus in the oral cavity, which is characterised by the child's habit of clearing his throat to remove the mucus in his throat, accompanied by a sore or itchy throat. Other symptoms that are also frequently reported are headaches and pain around the face. \n\n To determine whether a child has nasal polyps or not, children should be examined by a doctor if they have symptoms related to nasal polyps. The doctor will examine the nasal cavity to determine whether there are polyps or not. Additional examinations may also be carried out with an endoscope if needed, namely a small diameter flexible optical fibre that is inserted through the nostrils to explore the nasal cavity and see abnormalities. The tool is connected to a computer screen so that the doctor can evaluate it. \n\n After it is known that the child has nasal polyps, what is the next step? Should the polyp in the child be removed? Based on the literature, not all children's nasal polyps require surgery. In mild cases, children will be advised to take anti-inflammatory treatment, which can be accompanied by antibiotics. If a bacterial infection is suspected, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy drugs can also be given, which are sprayed through the nose. However, when the size of a child's polyps is very large or the symptoms of the polyps do not improve after the maximum dose of treatment, the doctor may consider surgical removal of the polyps. That is, the procedure for removing nasal polyps is not always done in children, depending on the symptoms and the doctor's evaluation. Don't hesitate to consult a doctor if your child has nasal polyps. \n\n Created by: Dr. Huriyah Hafizhotul Ummah \n\n Reviewed by: Dr. Deasy Zackiah Madani, Sp.THT-KL \n\n Source : \n\n 1. Di Cicco ME, Bizzoco F, Morelli E, Seccia V, Ragazzo V, Peroni DG, et al. Nasal Polyps in Children: The Early Origins of a Challenging Adulthood Condition. Children [Internet]. 2021;8:997. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/children8110997 \n\n 2. Ta NH. Will we ever cure nasal polyps?. The Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England. 2019 Jan;101(1):35-9. \n\n 3. Bailey Aubrey, John Carew. Nasal Polyps in Children: [Internet]. Verywellhealth nose & eye allergies. 2021 November. Available from https://www.verywellhealth.com/nasal-polyps-in-children-5206534 \n<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a><\/div>- Hermina Balikpapan<\/a><\/li>
- 24 November 2022<\/li><\/ul><\/div>
Know What is Ear Cerumen?<\/a><\/h3>
Friends of Hermina, do you know that cerumen or earwax is not just earwax, but cerumen has benefits for our ears. Cerumen is the product of the fat glands and sweat glands in the front third of our ears. Cerumen has various consistencies, some are soft, sticky, dry or hard, the color varies from yellow to brown. \n\n Cerumen functions as a filter/cleaner for the ear canal. Cerumen will catch particles or foreign bodies in micro size so that they do not go deeper, which then naturally these particles will be removed with the help of the movement of the lower jaw when chewing. Cerumen also functions as a moisturizer/lubrication which can prevent the ear canal from becoming dry and itchy. This lubricating substance is obtained from the high fat content of the sweat gland production. Another function of cerumen is as an antibacterial and antifungal. The presence of lysozyme in cerumen and low pH will create a difficult environment for the growth of germs. And lastly, cerumen has a distinctive odor that insects don't like, thereby preventing insects from entering the ear canal. \n\n Under normal conditions, cerumen will not cause disturbances or complaints. Basically, the ear has a self-cleaning method that is assisted by the movement of the jaw when chewing, and is rinsed with water when bathing. Hermina friends don't need to dig around using a cotton bud (cotton stick) or ear candling, this scraping action can actually cause the ears to become irritated or swollen and even get an infection, and can injure the eardrums. \n\n How to clean your ears, Hermina's best friend, just dry the outside of your ear with a dry towel or dry tissue because usually wax can move by itself from the ear canal to the outside of the ear. However, sometimes the cerumen cannot get out and instead settles in the ear canal. \n\n Under certain conditions, cerumen can cause interference, namely when there is excessive buildup of cerumen resulting in a blockage in the ear canal which is known as obstructed cerumen or impacted cerumen. This situation can cause complaints of ringing in the ears, discomfort in the ears and even pain and also lack of hearing. \n\n If Hermina's best friend likes to listen to music using earphones, it's better to avoid using it for a long time to maintain healthy ears. Using earphones is also very risky to push the cerumen inside, then the cerumen becomes hard and difficult to clean. \n\n Other factors that cause wax buildup in the ear canal are the varied shape of the ear canal, especially in this case a narrow ear canal, excessive wax production, carrying out the act of picking at the ear so that the wax is pushed to the inside of the ear canal and then accumulation occurs. \n\n If wax buildup occurs, cleaning can be done with a cotton twister. In the case of a hard type of cerumen, the wax will be collected by hooking it, or you can use wax softener ear drops such as phenol glycerol to soften it and then cleaning/spraying (irrigating) the cerumen in the ear canal. \n\n Each ear has a different shape and consistency of wax. For a safe cleaning of cerumen in the ear canal, it should be done by a doctor/ENT specialist so that unwanted complications do not occur. \n\n If Hermina's best friend has ear complaints, it's a good idea to first consult an ENT doctor at Hermina Balikpapan Hospital. Let's take care of ear health by avoiding picking your ears with a cotton bud and avoiding using earphones for too long. Greetings healthy. \n\n \n<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>
- 24 November 2022<\/li><\/ul><\/div>
- 20 January 2023<\/li><\/ul><\/div>