EXPERT
Dr. Sally Smalley
Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor (ENT)
Dr. Sally Smalley is an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor, also known as an otolaryngologist, practicing in Fort Stewart, GA. Dr. Smalley specializes in diseases and disorders of the ear, nose and throat as well as other parts of the head and neck. Such structures an ENT may work on include the sinuses, larynx (voice box) and mouth in addition to the ear, nose and throat. There are seven areas of expertise that an ENT might specialize in, and these are: allergies; facial reconstructive surgery; head and neck; laryngology; otology/neurotology; pediatric otolaryngology; and rhinology.
19 years
Experience
Dr. Sally Smalley
- Calhoun, GA
- Texas A&M University
- Accepting new patients
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Why does I smell and taste something gross when I remove the inner cannula out of my trecheostomy?
It could be a chronic infection or low grade pneumonia. Have your doctor take culture of the trach tube, and have the entire trach tube changed.
Is it normal to throw up water/saliva after throwing up from choking and drinking water while choking.
Yes its normal. You throat up whats in your stomach at the time. If water is in your stomach, water will come back up.
Foreign object in the ear canal?
Not necessarily. Infection can occur, but it's usually because the foreign object is large enough that it prevents the ear canal from drying out. Moisture then leads to infection. READ MORE
Not necessarily. Infection can occur, but it's usually because the foreign object is large enough that it prevents the ear canal from drying out. Moisture then leads to infection. If the foreign body is microscopic like grain of sand or something similar, it's not going to matter.
Tiny lumps on the side of the tongue?
There are many types of taste buds all across the tongue. Your picture does not appear significantly abnormal. Circumvillate papillae are larger taste buds that stretch across READ MORE
There are many types of taste buds all across the tongue. Your picture does not appear significantly abnormal. Circumvillate papillae are larger taste buds that stretch across the back of the tongue in a v formation. If you continue to rub the tongue buds against your teeth, the taste buds and tissue of the tongue can become edemetous and irritated. You may be creating fluid filled cysts on the side of your tongue.
If you feel like it's abnormal, I suggest you have it evaluated by an ENT or an oral maxillofacial surgeon. Otherwise, try to resist the urge to rub your teeth against your tongue constantly.
If you feel like it's abnormal, I suggest you have it evaluated by an ENT or an oral maxillofacial surgeon. Otherwise, try to resist the urge to rub your teeth against your tongue constantly.
White lump behind tonsils?
I can't tell you exactly what it is, but it doesn't appear abnormal. It's not uncommon to have occasional tonsillar exudates in and around the tonsil crypts when you are fighting READ MORE
I can't tell you exactly what it is, but it doesn't appear abnormal. It's not uncommon to have occasional tonsillar exudates in and around the tonsil crypts when you are fighting an URI. Don't worry about it. Stay hydrated and rested, and as of your upper respiratory symptoms improve, it will likely go away.
I have ear ringing?
Tinnitus is almost always from hearing loss. The brain is trying to fill in the sound input that it's not getting from the ear. Depending on the type of hearing loss, some surgeries READ MORE
Tinnitus is almost always from hearing loss. The brain is trying to fill in the sound input that it's not getting from the ear. Depending on the type of hearing loss, some surgeries are designed to improve the hearing somewhat, but not perfectly.
You should visit an audiologist. If appropriate, using a hearing aid can be helpful to 'mask' the ringing, because your brain is able to pay attention to the sound from the aid instead of the lack of sound.
There are also some other rare causes for tinnitus, such as hypothyroidism, and aspirin use. You should have your primary care doctor review your medications.
Also, look up information about tinnitus retraining therapy. This can be helpful to teach patients how to tolerate tinnitus better.
You should visit an audiologist. If appropriate, using a hearing aid can be helpful to 'mask' the ringing, because your brain is able to pay attention to the sound from the aid instead of the lack of sound.
There are also some other rare causes for tinnitus, such as hypothyroidism, and aspirin use. You should have your primary care doctor review your medications.
Also, look up information about tinnitus retraining therapy. This can be helpful to teach patients how to tolerate tinnitus better.
Nasal congestion?
Airflow through the nose is much more than simply allergic swelling and mucous production. Nasal airflow has a lot to do with the shape of the septum, as well as the strength and READ MORE
Airflow through the nose is much more than simply allergic swelling and mucous production. Nasal airflow has a lot to do with the shape of the septum, as well as the strength and shape of the cartilage on the external portion of the nose. If you have allergies, maximize your treatment by using a combination of nasal steroids and nasal antihistamines. Antihistamine. You may be a candidate for allergy shots to decrease your symptoms. To breathe better through your nose, you may have an ENT. Evaluate your nose to see if you are a candidate for septoplasty and or rhinoplasty in order to improve your nasal anatomy and therefore nasal airflow.
Internally, nasal turbinates can also contribute a significant portion to nasal congestion. I suggest researching what nasal turbinates are in order to understand how they will affect your nasal breathing on a daily basis.
Internally, nasal turbinates can also contribute a significant portion to nasal congestion. I suggest researching what nasal turbinates are in order to understand how they will affect your nasal breathing on a daily basis.
Gum stuck in my throat for more than 5 months?
How do you know you have had gum stuck in your throat for more than 5 months? Logically, that is highly unlikely. The gum would have been disintegrated and digested by the saliva READ MORE
How do you know you have had gum stuck in your throat for more than 5 months? Logically, that is highly unlikely. The gum would have been disintegrated and digested by the saliva and mucus in your throat. Halitosis can be from a lot of different reasons. I suggest being evaluated by a dentist as well as an ENT.
Neck artery?
There's no way I can answer that question. If you're concerned, have a doctor look at it and get an ultrasound of your neck. This would evaluate the blood vessels in any other READ MORE
There's no way I can answer that question. If you're concerned, have a doctor look at it and get an ultrasound of your neck. This would evaluate the blood vessels in any other anatomy in the neck.
Ringing in left ear?
Because the tinnitus is not going away, I would be concerned for sudden sensorineural hearing loss. This should be evaluated with an audiogram to be sure. If you do have sudden READ MORE
Because the tinnitus is not going away, I would be concerned for sudden sensorineural hearing loss. This should be evaluated with an audiogram to be sure. If you do have sudden hearing loss, you have a 4 week window to be treated with a burst of steroids to possible improve the nerve recovery.
Foreign object in the ear canal?
Your son is 5. I'm sure his nose feels weird and irritated after having a rice krispie in the nose and someone mixing around up there. In short, if there is anything left, yes, READ MORE
Your son is 5. I'm sure his nose feels weird and irritated after having a rice krispie in the nose and someone mixing around up there. In short, if there is anything left, yes, it will cause inflammation and the nose might produce a lot of mucus in response to any presence of foreign body. But a food product will disintegrate pretty quickly.
Use nasal saline to irrigate your son's nose over the next few days and he'll be fine.
Use nasal saline to irrigate your son's nose over the next few days and he'll be fine.
Ear drum question?
So you have a hole in your eardrum? It's What were you mean by 'open wall'? The ear does not necessarily need to be cleaned. The skin of the ear canal will exfoliate just like READ MORE
So you have a hole in your eardrum? It's What were you mean by 'open wall'? The ear does not necessarily need to be cleaned. The skin of the ear canal will exfoliate just like the rest of the skin does. If you are concerned about this process, simply allow hot water to wash into the ear when you take a shower. Otherwise, I would first see an ENT to evaluate the hole in your eardrum, before putting any other products in your ear at all. I wouldn't recommend putting alcohol and apple cider vinegar in your ear if you have a hole in your eardrum. That means whatever fluid you're putting in your ear canal could possibly pass into the middle ear space. I would be more concerned about the possible hole in your eardrum than any wax in your ear at this point. Get that checked out first, then worry about your ear wax.
Pulsatile Tinnitus? Urgent or Not?
The bottom line, stop worrying. Pulsatile tinnitus is the heartbeat sound in your ear. Yes, it can be related to blood pressure. The "blocked" feeling in your ear likely has nothing READ MORE
The bottom line, stop worrying. Pulsatile tinnitus is the heartbeat sound in your ear. Yes, it can be related to blood pressure. The "blocked" feeling in your ear likely has nothing to do with pulsating sound in your ear and is simply difficulty equalizing your middle ear pressure. Your doctor should send you for an audiogram and eventually get a CT angiogram of the temporal bone to evaluate for any animal vascular formation in the temporal bone. This is very very rare. Stop worrying. Your ear isn't going to give you a heart attack, but worrying will.
Nose injury?
Could be either. Bottomline though, you need to see a provider to look in your nose and make sure you don't have a septal hematoma. This could be responsible for the blocked breathing READ MORE
Could be either. Bottomline though, you need to see a provider to look in your nose and make sure you don't have a septal hematoma. This could be responsible for the blocked breathing and needs to be drained, otherwise it can get infected or cause death of the septal cartilage, and possibly lead to a septal perforation.
Even if the bones were broken, you don't do anything to them unless they are displaced. 2 weeks after injury is too far out to reposition broken nasal bones, if there were any displaced at all. So at this point, doesn't matter if it's broken or not.
Even if the bones were broken, you don't do anything to them unless they are displaced. 2 weeks after injury is too far out to reposition broken nasal bones, if there were any displaced at all. So at this point, doesn't matter if it's broken or not.
Will the exercises help prevent vertigo as well as treat it?
Vertigo and dizziness can be confusing. BPPV is from dislocated 'otoiths' from the semicircular canals. BPPV is characterized by 'vertigo' (spinning dizziness) lasting for seconds READ MORE
Vertigo and dizziness can be confusing. BPPV is from dislocated 'otoiths' from the semicircular canals. BPPV is characterized by 'vertigo' (spinning dizziness) lasting for seconds to minutes that can be stimulated by some positional change of the head. A Dix Hallpike Maneuver tests for this problem by looking at the eyes for 'geotropic nystagmus'. The Eply's maneuver will treat this problem. The home exercises you should be doing are called the Brandt Daroff exercises. BPPV is more likely to recur in people who have had it before. Doing the exercises will not necessarily prevent another episode if you are not having symptoms.
If you are having episodes of vertigo lasting hours with nausea and tinnitus, that is likely something else. Possibly 'vestibular neuronitis' or 'vestibular labarynthitis', or a vestibular migraine, or even menieres disease. This needs to be discussed with an ENT to diagnose, since it can be possibly treated with steroids. MOST IMPORTANTLY you need an audiogram to determine if you are having hearing loss from these episodes.
If you are having episodes of vertigo lasting hours with nausea and tinnitus, that is likely something else. Possibly 'vestibular neuronitis' or 'vestibular labarynthitis', or a vestibular migraine, or even menieres disease. This needs to be discussed with an ENT to diagnose, since it can be possibly treated with steroids. MOST IMPORTANTLY you need an audiogram to determine if you are having hearing loss from these episodes.
Squishy lump on neck?
most likely a lymph node. These can get inflamed and swell at any point in time, usually in response to some sort of inflammation. Sometimes they will shrink back down, sometimes READ MORE
most likely a lymph node. These can get inflamed and swell at any point in time, usually in response to some sort of inflammation. Sometimes they will shrink back down, sometimes not. As long as its not progressively growing, its likely fine. Bad lymph nodes will get hard and become 'fixed'.
It could also be a type of congenital cyst, such as a branchial cleft cyst, depending on where it is on your neck. Either way, a simple neck US can evaluate this for you. But if its not growing or painful, likely its a common lymph node.
It could also be a type of congenital cyst, such as a branchial cleft cyst, depending on where it is on your neck. Either way, a simple neck US can evaluate this for you. But if its not growing or painful, likely its a common lymph node.
Sinus infection?
Sinusitis is much over treated. Bacterial sinusitis is diagnosed by symptoms that last for greater than 7 days without improvement (fever, colored nasal drainage, facial pressure, READ MORE
Sinusitis is much over treated. Bacterial sinusitis is diagnosed by symptoms that last for greater than 7 days without improvement (fever, colored nasal drainage, facial pressure, congestion...) or with a sinus CT scan, or by an ENT with nasal endoscopy. Viral sinusitis is much more common and if your symptoms improve after 7 days, this is likely what you had. It is treated only with supportive care.
Bacterial sinusitis uncomplicated needs to be treated with minimum of 14 days antibiotics, if that is the diagnosis. Nasal steroid spray, flonase, for 2 weeks, plus a nasal decongestant spray for 3 days, are the most helpful.
oral decongestants for 16 days is way overkill. Hoarseness is not uncommon if you had a lot of nasal drainage. But this is more characteristic of a viral sinusitis, or in general a common cold. Your antibiotics were likely useless. You probably had a virus.
Bacterial sinusitis uncomplicated needs to be treated with minimum of 14 days antibiotics, if that is the diagnosis. Nasal steroid spray, flonase, for 2 weeks, plus a nasal decongestant spray for 3 days, are the most helpful.
oral decongestants for 16 days is way overkill. Hoarseness is not uncommon if you had a lot of nasal drainage. But this is more characteristic of a viral sinusitis, or in general a common cold. Your antibiotics were likely useless. You probably had a virus.
How do I get rid of chronic mucus production?
Stop spitting. Swallow. You body will always produce saliva and mucous. Its normal and its ok. This how your body is designed to work. Your stomach needs that mucous and saliva. READ MORE
Stop spitting. Swallow. You body will always produce saliva and mucous. Its normal and its ok. This how your body is designed to work. Your stomach needs that mucous and saliva. Who diagnosed you with this 'condition'? How do you know its abnormal?
NASAL mucous production can be annoying and bothersome and this can be treated with nasal steroids usually to help slow it down, but even here, mucous production is normal for the linings of the inside of your body.
Abnormal salivary production can be measured but its difficult, and must be done with the help of a dentist over a 24 hours period. So stop your spitting habit. Swallow.
NASAL mucous production can be annoying and bothersome and this can be treated with nasal steroids usually to help slow it down, but even here, mucous production is normal for the linings of the inside of your body.
Abnormal salivary production can be measured but its difficult, and must be done with the help of a dentist over a 24 hours period. So stop your spitting habit. Swallow.
Can the long-term use of Sinuend and Foxair cause vertigo?
It would be very difficult to say for sure if that medication was the exact CAUSE of your vertigo (spinning dizziness). I would suggest having your 'vertigo' evaluated first, before READ MORE
It would be very difficult to say for sure if that medication was the exact CAUSE of your vertigo (spinning dizziness). I would suggest having your 'vertigo' evaluated first, before jumping to conclusions about its cause. It could be something totally unrelated.
