EnglishFrequently asked questions
I am happy to answer your questions personally in my ENT practice!
General information about my ENT practice at Naschmarkt and at Göttlicher Heiland Hospital:
When is the office open?
With the exception of public holidays, my ENT practice is open every Monday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., Tuesday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. and every Thursday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the medical center “Medizin am Markt” in the 4th district. In the Göttlicher Heiland Hospital in the 17th district, I am available every Wednesday between 2 and 6 p.m.. You can view the available blocks of appointments by making an appointment online.
How much does a visit to the doctor of choice cost?
Depending on the service, the costs for a visit to my ENT practice range between €100 and €160. Since I orientate myself on the services of the statutory health insurance companies, my patients usually get 80% of the fee refunded.
Where is the office located?
My practice in 1040 Vienna is located in the medical center “Medizin am Markt” directly at the Vienna Naschmarkt. My ordination in 1170 Vienna is located directly in the Divine Savior Hospital.
What payment options are there?
Currently, the fee can be paid in cash, with a debit card or credit card directly on site. The cards are accepted by the following payment processors: Maestro, V PAY, Mastercard or VISA.
How do I best travel to the ordination?
If you use public transport, it is advisable to travel to the 4th district by subway line U4 to the “Kettenbrückengasse” station. I recommend taking tram line 43 to the “Dornbcher Straße” station to get to the 17th district.
How do I submit my fee note to the health insurance company?
You can submit your fee note online via the website of your statutory health insurance company. A paper form can also be used. I am happy to support you in my practice with the submission of your fee note.
Questions about diseases in the area of the throat:
What to do if you have a sore throat?
Not only classic colds, but also tonsillitis, lateral angina and even allergies could be the reason for the discomfort in the throat and throat area. But some serious illnesses are also initially announced by a sore throat and difficulty swallowing.
In normal cases, such as when you have a cold, a sore throat is annoying but not dangerous. If the symptoms do not subside significantly after 2-3 days, or are accompanied by a high fever and other symptoms, a visit to the ENT doctor is advisable. Chronic or recurring sore throats or difficulty swallowing should definitely be medically clarified!
What is salivary gland inflammation and what is the cause?
The most common cause of inflammation of the salivary glands is salivary stones. A salivary stone (sialolith) blocks the excretory duct of the salivary gland, causing a backlog of saliva. Bacteria or viruses multiply in the blocked secretion and lead to inflammation of the salivary gland. Other causes can be scars, viral diseases, drugs or tumors. In any case, a clarification with an ENT specialist is recommended.
What can cause a swelling of the neck?
The most common causes of a swelling of the neck include non-specific inflammation of the lymph nodes, cysts or diseases of the salivary glands or thyroid. Even benign and malignant tumors can often have a throat swelling as the first symptom.
If a swelling in the neck persists for more than 3 – 5 days, an assessment in an ENT practice is highly recommended.
What is a salivary stone and how is it formed?
The smallest concrements in the excretory ducts of the salivary glands are called salivary stones. They consist of calcium phosphate or calcium carbonate. Salivary stones are caused by functional disorders of the salivary glands, by foreign bodies in the duct of a salivary gland or by diseases such as blood sugar disease (diabetes mellitus).
Since the saliva produced by the submandibular gland is more viscous, this gland is most commonly affected by salivary stones.
What is the cause of a cough?
A cough can be caused by various diseases: by allergic symptoms, an infection or by what is known as reflux – i.e. acid flowing back from the stomach. An examination of the larynx, which we can carry out as your ENT doctor, will clarify this.
What to do in case of acute shortness of breath?
Swelling in the neck area can cause acute shortness of breath or shortness of breath, which can be life-threatening. Find the nearest ENT outpatient clinic here as soon as possible or call the emergency number 144.
Questions about diseases in the area of the nose:
What to do if you have obstructed nasal breathing?
Impeded nasal breathing is often caused by a cold or the flu. This leads to a massive swelling of the spongy bodies in the nose, the so-called turbinates. An allergy, a crooked nasal septum (septum deviation) or inflammation of the paranasal sinuses are also possible causes. Frequent use of nasal drops and nasal sprays can also contribute to poor nasal breathing – it is therefore important not to use these medications for longer than recommended by your ENT specialist.
In any case, an assessment by an ENT doctor is recommended in order to find out the cause of the obstructed nasal breathing and to be able to treat it specifically! A specialist in ear, nose and throat diseases should be consulted, especially if the symptoms persist for a long time.
What causes nosebleeding?
Bleeding from the nose usually occurs in the front area of the nasal septum, which is very well supplied with blood, the so-called Locus Kiesselbachi. A nosebleed is often a first symptom of e.g. high blood pressure, which must then be clarified and treated by the family doctor. Other causes can include a dry nose (rhinitis sicca), a deviated septum, tumors, and other rare causes. If there is only slight bleeding, a moisturizing nasal ointment is usually sufficient; if bleeding is heavier, the bleeding is stopped with caustics or electricity (electrocoagulation).
How do you treat a sinus infection?
The paranasal sinuses are air-filled mucosal sacs in the nasal cavity. Common symptoms of inflammation are headaches, a feeling of pressure in the face, exhaustion, difficult breathing through the nose and congestion in the respiratory tract.
In principle, a distinction is made between acute and chronic sinusitis (sinusitis).
Acute bacterial rhinosinusitis usually occurs as a superinfection from a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. Illnesses are referred to as chronic sinusitis if they last longer than 12 weeks.
Therapeutically, the first attempt is always to alleviate the symptoms with conservative therapy methods. If this does not succeed, surgery is often the therapy method of choice for chronic sinusitis.
My child snores. Are my child’s polyps enlarged?
A general answer is not possible here – the cause of snoring can certainly be enlarged polyps in children (pharyngeal tonsils). Whether these need to be operated on just because your child snores, however, depends on the individual case. For example, if your child does not have any resulting problems and sleeps restfully despite snoring, does not produce breathing pauses or suffers from frequent infections, surgery is not necessarily necessary. In any case, a visit to your ENT doctor is advisable in order to prescribe the right therapy.
Questions about diseases in the area of the ears:
What to do if you have an earache?
In addition to the classic illnesses of the cold season, such as a cold or flu, earache can also have other causes. If ear pain does not subside within a few hours, you should consult an ENT doctor.
The most common causes of pain in the ears include ear canal infections and middle ear infections. Fluid behind the eardrum, the so-called tympanic effusion, can also cause earache.
As part of the ENT assessment, both ears are inspected with a microscope, the so-called ear microscopy.
What is the cause of an ear canal infection?
Inflammation of the external auditory canal (otitis external) is when the skin of the auditory canal becomes inflamed. Otitis externa is usually a harmless condition, but it can sometimes be very painful. In rare cases it is a little longer.
The healing process is problem-free with professional treatment by an ENT doctor and heals without consequences.
Often, as a result of minor injuries caused by improper cleaning of the ears (e.g. ears should not be cleaned with cotton swabs), bacteria penetrate the skin, which then causes inflammation.
What is the cause of a middle ear infection?
Smaller children often fall ill with an acute middle ear infection (otitis media) as part of an acute cold infection. Due to the fact that the ear tube is not yet sufficiently developed (length, diameter and positioning in the head), germs can quickly rise through the nose and throat into the middle ear in children as part of infections of the upper respiratory tract. In addition, the immune system is not yet fully mature.
As a rule, such an inflammation heals quickly with symptomatic (expectorant preparations, decongestant nose drops, pain-relieving medication) therapy. Only rarely is the administration of an antibiotic necessary.
In rare cases, however, the bacteria can spread from the middle ear to the inner ear. With such an otitis media, which is then described as toxic, damage to the inner ear can then occur. This may result in permanent hearing loss, dizziness or tinnitus.
What can be the causes of hearing loss? How is this clarified?
Hearing loss is a reduction in hearing ability in a diseased hearing organ. The extent of the hearing loss can be determined using various methods of hearing testing. The causes can be varied. For example, an effusion in the middle ear (tympanic effusion), a middle ear infection or ossification of the auditory ossicles (otosclerosis) can be the cause of hearing loss. I would be happy to clarify your hearing ability in my doctor’s office and advise you on the existing therapy options.
What are the causes of ringing in the ears or tinnitus?
According to the WHO definition, tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom, i.e. the effect of something else. In the majority of cases, physical (physical) or psychological (emotional) stress is the trigger for tinnitus.
Jaw joint misalignments, cervical spine problems and acute or chronic middle ear infections can also be the cause of ringing in the ears. Tinnitus can also develop as part of dizziness, such as Menière’s disease or Lyme disease. In a number of patients, however, neither a cause nor a trigger can be identified.
Therapy varies from case to case. Unfortunately, there are no medications that eliminate long-standing tinnitus.
What is the best way to clean your ears?
Human ears have their own cleaning system. It repels everything superfluous and any dirt particles from the ear canal into the auricle. You can then remove this dirt with a damp cotton swab. Please do not use Q-tips and only clean the auricle, not the ear canal. Because that entails certain risks: You may damage the ear canal, cause inflammation or produce a plug of earwax. If you have stuck earwax in your ear canal, we recommend a visit to an ENT specialist. Here the auditory canal can be cleaned with a microscope and special instruments.