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Li Rui
Otolaryngology
About me
Graduated from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, engaged in otorhinolaryngology head and neck surgery for more than four years.
Proficient in diseases
Diseases diagnosis and treatment in otolaryngology. Specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic sinusitis, otitis media, head and neck tumors, and other diseases.
Voices
Do vocal cord polyps fear oil smoke?
Polyps on the vocal cords are a relatively common ENT disease with various clinical symptoms. The most common symptom is hoarseness. Some patients may also feel like there is a foreign body in their throat or experience throat pain. It is recommended to avoid exposure to cooking fumes as much as possible, as they are quite irritating and can directly stimulate the mucous membrane of the throat. Such exposure can also cause coughing and thus irritate the vocal cords. Frequent contact with cooking fumes can potentially worsen hoarseness. Of course, it is even more important to receive timely treatment. Most patients can consider medication therapy, although a small number may need to undergo surgery to remove the vocal cord polyps. (Specific medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)
Will nasal turbinate hypertrophy heal on its own?
Enlarged turbinates are a relatively common otolaryngological condition. In terms of treatment, if the enlargement is mild with no significant clinical symptoms, observation is often considered sufficient. Regular follow-up examinations are necessary to monitor any changes, and some patients may recover on their own. If the turbinate enlargement is severe and accompanied by related clinical symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, reduced sense of smell, headaches, and dizziness, further examinations should be considered. These may include nasopharyngoscopy or sinus CT scans. In terms of treatment, oral medications and nasal sprays are generally considered. Regular follow-up is needed during treatment to observe the effectiveness. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)
Is the recurrence rate of nasal turbinate hypertrophy high?
The recurrence rate of turbinate hypertrophy is relatively high, and there are various causes for it, with most cases resulting from chronic rhinitis or sinusitis. After timely medical treatment, many patients' turbinate enlargement will be alleviated, and clinical symptoms will improve. However, the condition may recur after inflammation flares up again. For those with severe enlargement, if standard medical treatment is ineffective, some patients may consider undergoing turbinate reduction surgery. After surgery, regular follow-up examinations are necessary to monitor the effects of the operation. Nonetheless, some patients might still experience a recurrence of the condition after surgery. (Please use medication under the guidance of a physician.)
Treatment of vocal cord polyps with moxibustion
Moxibustion is not recommended for the treatment of vocal cord polyps because the main affected area is on the vocal cords, specifically on the surface or edges of the vocal cords where new growths occur. A pathological biopsy is quite accurate, and experienced clinicians can almost determine the type and size of the polyps. It is first recommended to undergo a laryngoscopy. Through laryngoscopy, the specific location and extent of the polyps can be clearly identified. If the polyps are small and symptoms are not obvious, the preferred treatment would be oral medication and nebulization therapy. At the same time, excessive use of the voice should be avoided. If the polyps are large, surgery might be considered necessary. Currently, the effectiveness of moxibustion on vocal cord polyps is not good, and its use is not recommended.
What will happen if vocal cord polyps are not treated?
The treatment of vocal cord polyps primarily depends on the severity of the condition. If the polyp is small and the clinical symptoms are not obvious, it might be considered to initially observe without any specific medication treatment, and it is necessary to avoid excessive use of the voice in daily life, as most cases are relatively stable. However, some patients' vocal cord polyps may gradually enlarge, causing hoarseness, and in severe cases, it may lead to breathing difficulties or irritative cough. When eating or drinking, it might also cause choking and coughing. If the polyp itself is relatively large, it is advisable to seek timely treatment. On one hand, it can cause hoarseness and potentially other adverse reactions, such as inducing other unclear medical conditions, thus necessitating prompt treatment with medication or surgery.
Does chronic tonsillitis cause fever?
Chronic tonsillitis is a relatively common ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) disease with various clinical symptoms. Most patients may experience enlarged tonsils, a sensation of a foreign body in the tonsils, and recurrent sore throat, though the pain generally isn't very severe. Patients with chronic tonsillitis usually do not have a fever. However, if an acute episode of chronic tonsillitis occurs, it may cause fever, primarily due to acute bacterial infection leading to fever. In terms of treatment, blood tests and laryngoscopic examinations are necessary to observe the extent of the inflammation. Generally, antibiotic treatment to fight the infection is considered, with a treatment period of about one week. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor.)
How to treat sinusitis
The treatment of sinusitis is mainly divided into two categories. The first category is conservative treatment, and the second is surgical treatment. Conservative treatment is primarily used for acute sinusitis or for chronic sinusitis when the inflammatory response is not particularly severe. Overall, most patients can effectively control inflammation, improve their condition, and relieve symptoms with conservative treatments such as oral medications, nasal sprays, and saline nasal irrigation. However, some patients have a more severe inflammatory response and do not respond well to conservative treatment, or they might have fungal sinusitis. In these cases, surgery is generally considered necessary, mainly involving minimally invasive endoscopic sinus surgery, which has proven to be quite effective and causes minimal damage.
What are the treatment methods for nasal polyps besides surgery?
Nasal polyps are a relatively common otolaryngological disease. The treatment methods are mainly divided into two major categories. The first category is surgical treatment, and the second is conservative treatment. Those who prefer not to undergo surgery should undergo nasopharyngoscopic examination to assess the specific extent of the lesion. If the lesion is relatively localized and the clinical symptoms are not particularly significant, conservative pharmaceutical treatment can be considered. Common medications include nasal spray drugs, and oral medications may also be considered. It is also recommended to rinse the nasal cavity with saline solution. However, regular reviews are necessary to dynamically observe changes in the nasal polyps. If the condition is severe and the symptoms of blockage are quite apparent, surgery might be required. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor.)
Will having surgery on vocal cord nodules be effective?
Vocal cord nodules generally are not first considered for surgery, as the preferred treatment for vocal cord nodules is medication, or voice training and rehabilitation. Surgery is not the first choice, because many patients can gradually recover their voices and improve hoarseness through medication or voice training, and the effects are generally satisfactory for most patients. Surgery is only considered if the standard medication treatment is ineffective and the hoarseness is particularly severe. Overall, this surgery is considered minimally invasive and does not pose significant health risks. Moreover, after the removal of the nodules, most patients will see a clear improvement in their symptoms of hoarseness. However, regular follow-ups are necessary to prevent recurrence of the nodules. (Specific medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)
Can vocal cord polyps that have become cancerous be cured?
Nowadays, polyp malignancy transformation is relatively rare. If malignancy transformation is confirmed, timely follow-up treatment is required. The most commonly used treatment method currently is surgical treatment. Some patients can opt for radiation therapy, and if the condition is more severe, a comprehensive treatment plan that combines surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy may be needed. After the treatment is finished, long-term regular check-ups are necessary, generally recommending a check-up every three months to monitor for any local recurrence or distant metastasis. Overall, the earlier the disease is treated, the better the treatment outcome. However, if the onset of the disease is later and the condition is more severe, the treatment outcome is relatively poorer.