“I hear just fine!” That is what a lot of times we hear from patients who were politely asked (i.e. forced) by family members to come and get their hearing checked. Most of us might not necessarily be aware of decreased hearing acuity ourselves, but our loved ones can often point out difficulties in communication […]
Sore throats and laryngitis are some of the more common reasons for patients to experience raspy quality of the voice or breathy sounds as they try to speak. Occasionally, postnasal dripping from sinus infections or allergies can also affect the quality of the voice. Alternatively, secretions from acid reflux can also affect the vocal cords […]
The issue of payment and billing in medical practice has been the subject of much debate both politically and socially. While in some countries medicine is socialized and all the payments are made by the government, in other countries there is no form of insurance and patients have to pay for all their care out […]
Reflux in general refers to acid content in our stomach that is then pushed back in reverse into the upper digestive tract. Depends what the reflux is doing, and in which ways you are being affected, there are various names for reflux issues. Let’s review some basic physiology first. As we swallow food, that food […]
Our vocal cords are V-shaped structures that constantly open and close in order to allow for breathing versus vibrating and generating voice for speech. Occasionally, overuse or misuse of the vocal cords through shouting, loud singing, or other habits can cause damage to the vocal cords. One condition that can develop is called vocal cord […]
Guest blogger: Peter Fan, AuD For many people, hearing loss is a natural part of the aging process, and the onset is so gradual they aren’t aware their hearing is deteriorating. Hearing loss can also be caused by genetic and/or medical conditions, ear infections, illness, traumatic injury or prolonged exposure to noise. Hearing loss is […]
Hearing loss is a problem that affects many people at different stages of life. Children often suffer from hearing loss which is due to fluid in the ears. This is usually self-limiting process, and may often be improved with medical therapy and placement of tubes. As we grow older, however, hearing loss may be due […]
The care of the nose and sinuses has become a huge industry. There are numerous remedies for dry noses, allergies, sinus infections as well as any combination of the above. Many of these remedies are over-the-counter, the rest need to be prescribed by a physician. This article we focus on the over-the-counter nasal washes, mostly […]
Our nasal passages are the first point in our respiratory system. All the oxygen that we need for daily consumption goes through the nasal passages, and in return the carbon dioxide is exhaled back. If you do the math, that means a lot of airflow on a constant basis. In addition to just being a […]
In our body, we have three pairs of salivary glands in the head and neck area. They typically do the job of creating saliva, and then releasing it into our mouth to maintain moisture. Some of this is released on a steady pace to keep regular moisture. The saliva is also produced in spurts during […]