- SinusitisBalloon Sinuplasty (BSP) is a safe and effective procedure for chronic sinusitis patients who are not responding well to medications and are seeking relief from uncomfortable and painful sinusitis symptoms.
- Pediatric Care
- Primary CareAs we resume seeing patients in our clinics, our processes and procedures will be designed to protect the health and well-being of all our patients and our staff. We will be following the guidelines and recommendations from the CDC, the White House Coronavirus Task Force, the Kentucky Medical Association, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. We will also implement additional guidelines and procedures to further protect everyone who comes into our clinics. For example, if you are not feeling well and have flu-like symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath, etc) on the day of your appointment, please stay home and consult with your primary care physician. Staff members will be screening all patients for an elevated temperature when they arrive in the clinic. Anyone presenting with a fever will be asked to leave. All of our staff will have the necessary PPE, including masks. We ask that each patient and family member also wear a mask while at the appointment. Access to the clinic will be restricted – only the patient scheduled for the appointment will be permitted entry, with the exception of one adult parent for a minor. Patients will check-in by calling the office upon arrival, and remain in their car until instructed by staff to enter the building. Our waiting areas will have appropriate distance between seats to ensure the safety of each person.
- Ear InfectionsCommon presenting allergic symptoms include sneezing, runny eyes, itchy eyes, anterior and posterior nasal drip/discharge, congestion, dark circles under the eyes, fluctuating hearing loss, diminished or lost sense of smell, headaches, sinus pressure, sore throat, cough, and hoarseness, just to name a few. Many of our patients who present with chronic, recurrent sinus and ear infections oftentimes have some component of allergic disease at play. After our exam, we will often recommend additional, diagnostic testing either in the form of the gold-standard skin prick testing, which is a well-studied and trusted technique, or newer “in vitro” blood allergy tests. The skin prick testing is favored by most insurances because of lower cost and the high degree of accuracy. We utilize MQT testing, also known as Modified Quantitative Testing, for our skin prick analysis. This is done almost always on the forearm and upper arm, sparing the back. MQT is endorsed by the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy (AAOA), and it is the technique favored by most ENT surgeons. For those patients that cannot undergo skin testing (young age, non-favorable skin conditions, history of severe allergic reaction during skin testing, etc.), we sometimes employ a simple blood draw to check for allergy.
- Sleep DisordersWith a Board certified Sleep Medicine Specialist, our practice can diagnose and treat a wide array of sleep disorders.
- EndoscopyThe initial evaluation will include a thorough review of all symptoms and potential triggering factors, a detailed medical history, and a comprehensive head and neck exam. ENT surgeons are well-trained in the art of airway endoscopy, which gives us an unparalleled view of the problematic area. Combining the traditional exam techniques with magnified endoscopic viewing of the intranasal and sinus cavities allows us to better understand a patient’s disease.
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Thyroid
- MRIThe evaluation of tinnitus starts with taking a thorough patient history, identifying any risk factors such as noise exposure, a history of infections, or a family history of hearing loss. A complete examination of the head and neck is then performed to check for abnormalities. A formal hearing test is critical to check for any hearing loss. Based on the findings, further testing with a CT scan or MRI scan may be warranted to make a final diagnosis.
- Computed TomographyThe physical exam performed by a physician is often limited as the sinus cavities can not be directly visualized. An ENT physician often will look further into the nasal cavities with a telescope in attempt to see where the sinuses drain and to ensure no polyps or tumors are noted. However, to better visualize the sinuses, radiographic studies, and a CT scan is the gold standard, are needed.
- General SurgeryDr. Ahn received his doctorate of medicine from the University of Kentucky. Dr. Ahn completed an internship in general surgery and a residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina.
- Ear SurgeryDr. Ahn has special interests in sinus disease, sinus surgery (including image-guided surgery), the diagnosis and treatment of allergy, general adult and pediatric otolaryngology, diseases and surgery of the salivary glands, larynx, thyroid and parathyroids, voice and airway disorders, swallowing disorders, ear surgery, balance disorders and hearing aids, and sleep apnea.
- OtolaryngologyRonald G. Shashy, MD received his medical degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine and completed his otolaryngology residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Mn.
- Skin CancerHis professional interests include pediatric otolaryngology, allergy and chronic sinusitis treatments, otology (chronic ear infections) and hearing disorders, and skin cancer treatment and reconstruction. He has a strong commitment to staying current with new medical and surgical treatments within the field of otolaryngology.
- LesionsEvaluation of suspicious skin lesions of the head & face (including ear, lips, eyes & nose)-plastic surgical removal and reconstruction
- Physical TherapySystem ) is a use-it-or-lose-it mechanism. Because it is a motion detector, the only way to keep it strong is by giving it lots of motion input to respond to. Most Americans become rather restricted in their movement starting in their third or fourth decade; we spend the majority of our day either sitting down or walking in a straight line. Think back to when you were a child, doing somersaults and cartwheels, swinging on a swing set, or rolling on the floor while wrestling with your siblings. Odds are that the mere thought of doing those things now makes your head spin. After decades of avoiding such movements, the brain can start to ignore any signal coming from the vestibular system. Patients with vestibular utilization deficits find themselves using walls or nearby objects for support while walking, and they tend to have more trouble walking in the dark or on soft surfaces like grass or carpet. While these symptoms can also be caused by an actual inner ear weakness, they are often simply a result of a sedentary American lifestyle. Fortunately, there is a form of physical therapy called
- AllergiesFor patients who are found to have significant positives on allergy testing, we usually begin with aggressive medical therapy. Nasal steroids, antihistamines, and leukotriene inhibitors are some of the common medications prescribed to initially treat allergic disease. Avoidance therapy is also utilized, and we will review each individual positive with the patient and discuss easy ways to reduce exposure to the troublesome allergen. In some cases, immunotherapy is required to gain better control of the situation and reduce symptoms. The traditional method is subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), a.k.a. “shots”. While we have many patients who choose this route, we also encourage patients to consider sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), a.k.a. “drops under the tongue”. SLIT is a safe and effective alternative to shots, and they can be done in the comfort of one’s home.