Sometimes it’s hard to know if nasal congestion and sneezing are from an allergy or a cold. Many people have seasonal allergies or pet allergies, so they’re familiar with these symptoms and they usually know what’s causing them. In other cases, when people haven’t had severe allergies in the past, we usually start to consider allergies as a cause of congestion when the symptoms have lasted for over a week and haven’t responded to other types of treatment. If that’s the case, I’d ask the patient about things they may be exposed to, like a new pet in the house, for example. Or think about what might be flowering in that particular season that they might be reacting to, and recommend that they take an antihistamine on a trial basis to see if that helps their symptoms. If they’re still not getting better, and the symptoms have been lasting longer than a week, I’d recommend they see a doctor. Mount Sinai has urgent care centers in Manhattan and Brooklyn that are open every day, 365 days a year with extended hours, and you don’t need an appointment. So, just walk in and we’ll be happy to see you.
Judah Fierstein, MD is a board-certified emergency medicine physician at Mount Sinai Doctors, seeing patients in the Upper West Side, Brooklyn Heights, Dumbo, and Inwood. Trained in New York City, he is certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. He was awarded his medical degree from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he also completed his residency in Emergency Medicine. He is the Medical Director of Mount Sinai Doctors Urgent Care. Dr. Fierstein is fluent in Spanish.
“The cause of droopy eyelids can be due to a number of factors. In fact, there are a few different types of droopiness that can occur. The muscle itself within the eyelid could become detached. There could be swelling or edema of the eyelids causing them to droop. Or there could be excess skin or the fat coming forward causing droopy eyelids. This is usually a problem that requires surgery unless there’s an underlying medical issue that’s causing the droopiness of the eyelid, and that is something that we would discuss during an examination, once I found out the factors involved. If this is a problem that requires surgery, the type of surgery is dependent on the type of droopy eyelid that is present. We would do a variety of testing in order to determine whether or not the droopiness is interfering with your vision.”
Make an appointment with Monica Dweck, MD
Monica Dweck, MD is a board-certified ophthalmologist at Mount Sinai Doctors, seeing patients of all ages Monday – Friday in Brooklyn Heights. Trained in New York City and Cleveland, she is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, a board member of the New York State Board of Medicine, and a professional member of the National Medical Association and the American Academy of Ophthalmology. After majoring in Psychology at Princeton University, she was awarded her medical degree from SUNY Downstate Medical Center and completed her residency in Ophthalmology at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary and her fellowship in Ocular Plastic Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Dr. Dweck has been annually recognized in the US News and World Report’s “Top Doctor” list since 2011, Castle Connolly’s “New York Metro Best Doctors” issue since 2000, and the New York Times Magazine “New York Super Doctors” list since 2009. Prior to joining Mount Sinai Doctors, Dr. Dweck served as Director of Oculoplastic Surgery, Vice Chair, and Residency Program Director in the Department of Ophthalmology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center. She has a particular interest in eyelid, dry eye, and tearing problems and surgery in both children and adults.
Mount Sinai Doctors, 300 Cadman Plaza West, is a two-floor multispecialty practice with a walk-in urgent care center and more than 35 specialties, including Adolescent Medicine, Allergy, Cardiology, Dermatology, Diabetes Education, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Infectious Disease, Maternal & Fetal Medicine, Nephrology, OBGYN, Ophthalmology, Optometry & Optical Shop, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Pulmonology, Radiology, Rheumatology, Travel Medicine, Urology, and Vascular Surgery. The practice is located at 300 Cadman Plaza West, on the 17th and 18th floors, in Brooklyn Heights. You can make appointments online at http://www.mountsinai.org/bh or via ZocDoc at http://bit.ly/29LNAIG
” There really is no schedule of sleep in the newborn period. It’s developmentally led. In about three or four months, we can start to play our card. Follow the baby’s lead those first couple of months. B\y three or four months, you can really read their cues and learn them. A baby who is not hungry maybe shouldn’t be fed. So a newborn is feeding every two to three hours — even overnight because they need those calories. But the four-month-old isn’t always hungry. Yes, they’re teething, and they’re yelling at you. But you don’t have to feed them as much. So I look at it as getting that first stretch at night. Establish your bedtime routine. Read to them, perhaps take a bath, and then let’s try to get that bedtime going. That first stretch — whether it’s four to six hours — is your starting point and that sometimes does involve them waking and saying, “Hey, I’m awake and I need your help in going back to bed.” But maybe that’s the time to say “No, we need to have you self soothe and sleep learn” — if not sleep train. Yes, they might play their card and cry. It’s not simply the “cry it out” method that we promote. But we’ll do it together. We’ll figure them out. We’ll learn their cues, and we’ll try to get that stretch – so, hopefully by six or nine months, you’re maybe even seeing that ten to twelve magical hours of sleep, and you can return to being a normal person once again.”
Hugh Gilgoff, MD is a board-certified pediatrician at Mount Sinai Doctors Brooklyn Heights. He has a particular interest in newborn care, asthma, and development issues, incorporating teachings from both Eastern and Western medicine. He is a contributing author on the parenting blog, A Child Grows in Brooklyn, and is very active in the local community, speaking at PS 29, the Dodge YMCA, and several child-birth classes. Dr. Gilgoff is fluent in Spanish. He offers free prenatal consultations every month. Mount Sinai Doctors Brooklyn Heights is a two-floor practice with a walk-in urgent care center and more than 35 specialties. Located at 300 Cadman Plaza West, the practice is situated on the 17th and 18th floors.
“I get a lot of patients coming in asking about symptoms that they’ve Googled, and it tells them one thing or another. In general, I would say it’s better to ask your doctor for websites if that’s your preferred way of getting information. But it’s never harmful to come in to your primary care doctor and ask your questions directly with somebody who knows. If Google provided all the answers, I don’t think I would have a job. Especially if it’s something that you’re really worried about, it’s best to consult with your primary care doctor. They can do tests there or refer you to a specialist if needed.”
Camila Passias, MD is a board-certified primary care doctor at Mount Sinai Doctors Brooklyn Heights, seeing patients Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. She has a particular interest in women’s health and is fluent in Spanish. Mount Sinai Doctors Brooklyn Heights is a two-floor practice with a walk-in urgent care center and more than 35 specialties. Located at 300 Cadman Plaza West, the practice is situated on the 17th and 18th floors.
“Measles and chicken pox infections are caused by viruses and very commonly happen in young children who have not had vaccinations against them. It is possible that even if you have had vaccinations that you can have an infection with measles or varicella, the name for chicken pox, when you’re older. These infections are often more severe than when they are gotten by young children. It’s very important to be immunized — both at one year old and then again at about age four. But if you haven’t been immunized, you can catch up in your adolescent years.”
Paula Elbirt, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician, specializing in Adolescent Medicine, at Mount Sinai Doctors Brooklyn Heights. She has several published writings, including: Dr. Paula’s Good Nutrition Guide for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers; Dr. Paula’s House Calls to Your Newborn; and Seventeen Magazine’s Guide to Sex and Your Body. She has a particular interest in adolescent empowerment and risk reduction. Mount Sinai Doctors Brooklyn Heights is a two-floor practice with a walk-in urgent care center and more than 35 specialties. Located at 300 Cadman Plaza West, the practice is situated on the 17th and 18th floors.
“There are two general types of ear infections. There’s an outer ear infection, which is most commonly called a swimmer’s ear. You get it from swimming, and it’s pain in the outer ear. There’s also a middle ear infection, or otitis media. That’s when there’s an ear infection in the middle ear, which often causes fever and pain. The middle ear infection often needs to be treated by antibiotics. However it depends on the age of the child and how sick they are. The outer ear infection is often treated with ear drops. In order to determine the difference, the best thing to do is to schedule an appointment with a pediatrician who can take a look in your child’s ear. Often times, there is no infection. Sometimes there’s just fluid in the middle ear, which causes pain. Or a lot of babies will often pull at their ears from teething, and it is not, in fact, an ear infection.”
Stephen Turner, MD is a board-certified pediatrician and Medical Director at Mount Sinai Doctors Brooklyn Heights. He has a particular interest in child development and is a proponent of childhood vaccinations, making sure that all his patients have the most accurate information regarding medical decisions. He offers free prenatal consultations every month. Mount Sinai Doctors Brooklyn Heights is a two-floor practice with a walk-in urgent care center and more than 35 specialties. Located at 300 Cadman Plaza West, the practice is situated on the 17th and 18th floors.
