ENT DOCTOR PHILADELPHIA, PA (South Street)

Allergies

Allergy symptoms occur when the immune system interprets a harmless substance as a threat. Allergies may cause symptoms like a runny nose, skin rash, hives, watery eyes, lung conditions, or life-threatening anaphylaxis that causes the throat to swell and close. 

Penn Medicine Becker allergy specialists and immunologists treat a wide range of allergies in adults and children in Philadelphia, PA, including those caused by medications, pet dander and hair, pollen, mold, dust mites, and specific foods like milk, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts. Early intervention can reduce symptoms and prevent severe reactions.

Snoring

Snoring occurs when the soft tissue vibrates in the upper airway due to turbulent airflow in the nose, mouth, or throat. A Penn Medicine Becker ENT specialist can examine a patient’s nasal passage, mouth, nose, oral cavity, tongue, soft palate, adenoids, tonsils, and soft neck tissues to determine the cause of irregular or choppy airflow. 

In many cases, snoring is caused by swollen airway tissues due to allergies. A deviated septum, enlarged turbinates, long uvula, soft palate, hypertrophied tonsils, or a small jaw may also cause snoring or obstruction of breathing. 

Sleep Apnea

Loud snoring and feeling drained or tired even after a full night of sleep may indicate sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleeping disorder that causes multiple pauses in breathing during the night. Effective treatment depends on proper diagnosis. 

Sleep studies offered at Penn Medicine Becker ENT measure the number of times per hour that the patient’s breathing stops or slows and their oxygen saturation level. If left undiagnosed and untreated, sleep apnea can affect different organ systems and the patient’s overall health. Patients who are concerned about sleep apnea should request a medical evaluation.

Ears and Hearing Loss

Chronic ear infections, fluid in the middle ear due to allergies or colds, impacted earwax, benign tumor, abnormality in the outer or inner ear, and damaged nerves in the inner ear or brain are common causes for hearing loss. Early intervention can provide relief and prevent lasting damage, so it is essential to see an ENT physician as quickly as possible after losing hearing or experiencing symptoms. 

Recurrent or chronic ear infections, swimmer’s ear, pediatrics, hearing loss, dizziness, ear wax buildup, ear fullness, hearing aid services, eardrum perforations, Eustachian tube dysfunction, and tinnitus or ringing in the ears are some of the ear conditions treated by the audiologists and ENT specialists at Penn Medicine Becker ENT and Allergy in Philadelphia, PA.

Pediatric Ear, Nose & Throat

Pediatric ENT problems may involve swallowing disorders, acid reflux, reactive airway disease, asthma, allergies, or obstructive sleep apnea. 

The key to addressing these concerns is achieving a proper diagnosis, which may include pulmonary function tests to measure the volume and speed of air exhaled from the lungs, pH monitoring to check acid levels, and/or an endoscopic exam to view the vocal cords and throat with a camera. The highly-skilled and caring Penn Medicine Becker audiologists and ENT specialists treat pediatric snoring and sleep issues, ear infections, tonsil infections, allergies, airway problems, asthma, speech disorders, and other pediatric ear nose throat symptoms. 

Voice and Swallowing

Swallowing disorders (dysphagia) may involve difficulty swallowing accompanied by gagging, pain, coughing, choking, regurgitation, weight loss, and heartburn. Several conditions can create dysphagia, including nervous and immune system disorders, reflux disease, scleroderma, and other esophagus or throat blockages. 

Penn Medicine Becker ear, nose, and throat doctors and speech-language pathologists in Philadelphia, PA, address swallowing disorders, as well as professional voice complications for teachers, singers, lawyers, clergy, and telemarketers, and voice disorders that cause a strained or choppy voice.

Head and Neck

Head and neck disorders require a diverse team of specialists to detect the problem and determine the best treatment. The experts at Penn Medicine Becker ENT and Allergy in Philadelphia, PA, diagnose and treat various head and neck conditions including thyroid and parathyroid issues, sleep apnea, GERD, and head and neck cancer of the throat, nose, sinuses, salivary glands, larynx, or lymph nodes.

Nose and Sinus

Nose and sinus disorders may involve structural abnormalities, collapsed nasal valves, polyps, nasal irritation, and sinus disease due to chronic sinusitis or acute infection. Penn Medicine Becker ENT and Allergy ear nose and throat doctors specialize in providing their patients’ relief from sinus-related pressure, nasal obstruction, headaches, facial pain, and rhinorrhea. 

Medications typically provide sufficient symptom control and comfort; however, a Becker ENT otolaryngologist-surgeon may recommend reconstructive surgery, head or neck surgery, or sinus surgery to provide sustainable, long-term relief when a structural component or blockage is involved.