Integrative ENT Health

Teething? Ear infection? Antibiotics? What else can I do?

Let’s clear up the confusion in 2 minutes - and don’t miss the tips at the end👂

The biggest mistake? Not knowing where to start

👉🏻 Formally recognized in 2012, vestibular migraine is the leading cause of dizziness in women under the age of 60.

Unfortunately…many clinicians still aren’t familiar with it. 🫠

One study showed an initial diagnosis rate of only 1% ‼️

More common in females, the current diagnostic criteria are:

✅ 5 or more episodes of vestibular symptoms lasting 5min-72hrs
+
at least 1 of the following associated symptoms:
✅ visual aura, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, or headache *THIS INCLUDES sinus headache”
✅ history of migraine disorder

⚠️ Now this is important! ⚠️

Even if you don’t perfectly meet the criteria, it’s still possible you could be suffering from vestibular migraine disorder. Criteria for things like this are subject to change as new information emerges - there is no blood test or radiology scan that will make the diagnosis.

❓So what can you do❓

Build a strong foundation with:
🛏️ Adequate high quality sleep
🚶🏻‍♀️ Daily movement
🍎 Nutritious diet/avoid blood sugar crashes
🍷 Caution with alcohol
😑 Stress management strategies
🌳 Time in nature

But also…over 70% of people can achieve symptom control with trigger therapy ALONE in the first year

👉🏻 Avoidance of triggers UNTIL you become desensitized through:

1. Balance training
2. Posture training
3. Habituation (gradual exposure with reduction of symptoms)
4. Stress management training

Working with a physical therapist who specializes in vestibular therapy is key ✅

👉🏻 Some patients may also benefit from targeted supplementation, medications and neuromodulation therapies. In other words…there’s a lot we can do to help vestibular migraine disorder 🩷

PMID 39109532, 35859353, 33972917

Welcome to midlife. 😝

👇🏻Comment your house below…

then 👉🏻 click the pinned 📌link to my podcast with Tracy Steen of to hear to why this happens 🩷

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👩🏻‍⚕️ Spent the weekend speaking at the Mississippi Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology conference about what I call the “missing middle” in rhinosinusitis care.

Conventional medicine is excellent at treating the peaks:
✔️ acute infections
✔️ allergy flares
✔️ exacerbations
✔️ surgery when needed

👉🏻But many patients spend years living in the space between those events - never quite feeling well, cycling through symptoms, and wondering why they keep ending up back in the same place.

That space between visits is the missing middle.

It’s where integrative medicine shines 🌟

✅ Not because it replaces evidence-based conventional treatments, but because it helps address the factors that influence inflammatory resilience in the first place.

Here are 3 takeaways:

1️⃣ Treat the vulnerability, not just the infection.
Many patients with recurrent “sinus infections” are dealing with an underlying dysfunctional terrain that makes every viral illness hit harder and last longer.

2️⃣ Daily habits shape airway inflammation.
Sleep quality, nutrition, physical activity, stress, and environmental exposures all influence how resilient our immune system is when challenges arise.

3️⃣Collaboration beats competition
I was especially encouraged by the enthusiasm from this allergy group for collaboration across specialties. The future isn’t ENT vs Allergy or Medicine vs Dentistry. The future is working together to help patients. 🩷

One line from the lecture that seemed to resonate 👇🏻
Conventional medicine treats the peaks. Integrative medicine helps patients navigate the undercurrent.

If we change the terrain, we change the disease 🌱

Comment RECOVERY and I’ll send my free guide on how to recover more quickly and completely from sinus infections, plus introduce practical strategies to address the “missing middle” before the next flare starts.

🍭A woman recently shared that a sugary candy helps stop her migraine attacks.

It sounds strange, but there may be a biologic explanation 🧠

For some people, rapidly correcting low blood sugar or providing quick fuel to the brain may help interrupt an evolving migraine attack.

The bigger lesson? 👇🏻

Migraine treatment is rarely one-size-fits-all 💕

When patients ask me how to treat sinus migraine or vestibular migraine, the answer depends on their triggers, lifestyle, symptoms, and medical history.

⭐️ Finding relief is often a process of curiosity, experimentation, and partnership with a clinician who understands migraine disorder.

💬 Migraine sufferers: what’s the strangest thing you’ve discovered that actually works?

Tell us below 👇🏻

(No judgment—we’re all taking notes. 😅)

It’s not a calorie thing…

I’m supporting my immune system 🦠

Travel is one of the biggest stress tests we put our bodies through ⬇️

😴 Less sleep
💧 Dehydration
😩 Increased stress
🦠 Exposure to hundreds (or thousands) of people
🍪 Easy access to ultra-processed foods

All of these can affect immune function and increase susceptibility to respiratory viruses.

As an ENT, I see this all the time…Someone comes back from a trip and within a few days they’re dealing with congestion, postnasal drip, ear pain, sinus symptoms, or a cough.

While no snack can prevent illness, what you eat can influence how well your body responds to the challenges of travel.

What’s your go-to travel snack?

FamilyTravel SinusHealth IntegrativeHealth

I see patients every day who have been treated for years for “ear infections” or “chronic sinusitis” when the real culprit is migraine disorder. 😞

Many people don’t realize that migraine can cause:
👂 Ear fullness
🤕 “Sinus” headaches
🌪️ Vertigo and dizziness
👃 Nasal pressure and congestion
👂🏼 Tinnitus

A major clue? 💡 Symptoms that are RECURRING.

If your sinus pressure, headaches, ear fullness, or dizziness keep coming back despite a normal exam, normal imaging, or treatments that only help temporarily, it may be time to think beyond sinus and ear infections.

👇🏻 Comment RECURRING below to join my newsletter

For migraine awareness month, June’s newsletter will cover the most common ENT migraine variants and why so many patients are surprised to learn their “sinus problem” may actually be a neurologic one.

Because the right treatment starts with the right diagnosis. 🩷