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I'm an ENT surgeon
New York Post • • health
Key Points:
- Dr. Tonia L. Farmer, an otolaryngologist, highlights five common but lesser-known medical mistakes related to nose and throat care, including waxing or plucking nose hairs, which can cause infections and serious complications like cavernous sinus thrombosis.
- She advises rinsing the mouth after using steroid-containing inhalers to prevent yeast infections and throat irritation, though this is unnecessary for rescue inhalers without steroids.
- Popping pimples or picking sores in the "triangle zone" of the face is dangerous due to veins that connect to the brain, potentially leading to severe infections such as meningitis or brain abscesses.
- Repeated snorting of drugs like cocaine can cause severe nasal damage, including a perforated septum and collapse of nasal structures.
- Using metal brushes to clean BBQ grills poses a risk of ingesting metal bristles, which can lodge in the throat and require surgical removal; safer alternatives like plant-fiber brushes and nylon pads are recommended.
