When the world starts to spin due to inner ear issues, you likely have benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, the most common inner ear disorder. This type of vertigo happens when tiny crystals of calcium roam away from their proper location.
Not all hearing loss is created equally. There are two types of hearing loss, as well as a third that combines those two. The most common type affects tiny hair cells and auditory nerves, while the other type usually results from physical blockages.
Thyroid growths — called nodules — are common and in most cases harmless. Often, thyroid nodules produce no symptoms, and you may not even know you have them. When they’re problematic, these growths are easy to treat.
Feelings of dizziness can describe a number of sensations. While it’s not likely a sign of serious illness, being dizzy can increase your risk of falls and interfere with everyday tasks that you take for granted.
While most people know that skin cancer screenings are important, they may not think of their ear, nose, and throat specialist as a go-to source of skin cancer expertise. However, the head and neck are associated with more aggressive skin cancers.
More than 35 million American adults have some level of hearing loss, but not all of them wear hearing aids, even when doing so could make their lives much easier. It’s a personal decision, and the more you know, the easier it is to choose.
When you have problems with the amount of calcium in your bloodstream, a doctor typically looks at the activity of four pea-sized glands behind your thyroid, the parathyroid glands. These glands regulate the level of calcium in your system.
Medically known as ankyloglossia, tongue tie is a condition present in some children at birth that may cause problems with feeding and, later, speech development. It’s usually easily corrected once it’s discovered.
Snoring is more than just a funny sound you make while you sleep. It can be the cause behind sleep disorders for you and those around you, as well as a symptom of a potentially serious health issue called obstructive sleep apnea.
When your voice no longer sounds like you and doesn’t seem to return to normal, you have a voice disorder, and therapy may be part of your treatment. Voice therapy is a highly customized treatment to help improve or eliminate vocal problems.
Vertigo is a symptom of many conditions, causing dizziness and nausea. When it’s severe, it can make daily living difficult as well as increasing your risk of falls or accidents. In some cases, you can make lifestyle changes to ease the problem.
Having a hoarse voice is a common problem, one that’s usually temporary and due to overuse. However, it can be a chronic issue for some, and one treatment option is corrective voice therapy. Here’s what you can expect.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer around the world. While some forms can be easy to treat with high rates of success, it depends on early detection. Here are five ways you can reduce your risk of developing any type of skin cancer.
Most people are familiar with sinusitis from the respiratory issues that accompany the common cold. The normally empty sinuses fill with fluid and make life miserable for a week or two. However, colds aren’t the only cause of sinusitis.
Earwax is a natural substance that protects your ear canal and eardrum. There can be too much of a good thing, though, and you can develop wax plugs in your ear from time to time, without realizing there’s an issue. Here’s what you need to know.
Occasional dizziness is normal. You recognize a light sensation and it’s over in a few seconds. If it develops to the point where you risk falling, though, it has progressed into vertigo, and you may need treatment to protect yourself.
It’s not inevitable that you’ll lose some of your hearing when you get older, but it’s very common. Despite this, it can be hard to recognize that your own hearing has suffered because your brain adapts to changing conditions. Here’s what to watch.
When your job requires long hours of talking, or if you’re affected by a wide range of other conditions, you could develop voice issues. Called dysphonia, the effects often create chronic laryngitis-type symptoms.
For all of the joy a newborn brings, parents face the big responsibility of ensuring the baby’s well-being. When you choose to breastfeed but your baby has difficulty, it might be due to a common inherited problem called ankyloglossia, or tongue-tie.
While it’s still months away from the start of a new calendar year, the passing of summer represents the end of your heaviest ultraviolet light exposure. It’s the perfect time to include a comprehensive screening for skin cancer.
Over 30 million people in the United States have some level of hearing loss, yet some may not seek treatment, since they’re unaware of an issue. Changes in hearing are often quite gradual, especially when your hearing loss is related to aging.
The tough time you have breathing during a sinus infection likely dominates your thoughts, at least until it eases up. However, you may notice that your top rear teeth are aching too. This is common if you have a sinus infection.
Children and ear infections go together like sunshine and a day at the beach, though the infections aren’t as much fun. Yet, that day at the beach could be the source of a common summertime ear infection called swimmer’s ear.
A sore throat accompanying a cold may be irritating for a few days, but did you know you could have pain while swallowing without a respiratory infection? Many conditions could affect your ability to swallow, and some are serious.
Any time your voice doesn’t sound or act like it should, you have dysphonia. Though dysphonia is often associated with hoarseness, different types of conditions create wide-ranging voice effects. Here’s what you need to know.
If you have five severe sunburns in your life, you double your chance of developing melanoma. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, but it’s also the most survivable, and effective sunscreen practices may be your best preventive defense.
While infections are a common reason for earaches in the young and old alike, not every painful sensation in your ear traces back to bacteria. Ear disorders, injuries, and even problems unrelated to your ears can cause you to ache.
Skin protection for a day at the beach is a no-brainer, yet some people don’t give winter activities the same consideration. Just as the hot sun reflects off sand, snowy ground can bounce harmful UV rays back up and burn exposed skin.
A raspy voice that doesn’t clear up or spasms in your throat that interfere with speech are just two symptoms of dysphonia, any condition that affects the sound of your voice.
A stuffy nose and serious head congestion can result from an infection called sinusitis or in response to allergies that have respiratory effects. Because of this, the two conditions can sometimes be hard to distinguish from each other.
Vertigo isn’t usually a sign of serious illness, but it can cause you to lose your balance and fall, risking injury. There are some home care tips you can try to relieve the issue, or an otolaryngologist may help if you require medical treatment.
Tonsillitis is an infection that usually affects children while their immune systems are still developing. Caused most frequently by viruses, tonsillitis can also be bacterial, usually requiring antibiotic treatments to clear.
Though you may expect to adjust to hearing aids as quickly as to new prescriptions for eyeglasses or contact lenses, the process is usually different, as your brain needs longer to bring sounds into focus, particularly after slow hearing decline.
Children have more than their fair share of middle ear infections. This is due to the state of their developing bodies and, in some cases, genetics that make infections more likely. Effective treatment can prevent hearing and developmental problems.
Thyroid cancer is the most common cancer of the endocrine system. Though its overall occurrence rate is low, it’s more frequently diagnosed now. New cancer staging guidelines came into effect for thyroid cancer in January 2018.
Increased activity during the summer months is usually a healthy change for the better. It’s easy, however, to raise your risk of developing skin cancer with greater exposure to the sun and its harmful ultraviolet rays.
Occasional dizziness is common and usually not cause for concern, but when vertigo becomes chronic or puts you at risk of falling, then it’s no longer time to put off treatment. Accidental falls are a leading cause of death for older Americans.
Often affecting children over the age of 2, tonsillitis usually develops from common viruses. However, sometimes bacteria are responsible, and won’t clear up without antibiotics. There are three important reasons why treatment can make a difference.
We celebrated the 100th birthday of “the chair” as well as the 20th anniversary of the formation of the Kansas Voice Center.
Virtually everyone knows the misery of the respiratory effects that accompany the common cold. There’s also a chronic version of this condition, called sinusitis. Those who endure it have symptoms that persist longer than three months.
If you have a new lump on your neck, there’s likely nothing to worry about. But not always. That’s why any neck lump needs medical attention to confirm it’s not a rare or harmful concern.
One of the most common pediatric surgeries, ear tubes ease the pain and hearing loss resulting from chronic ear infections. It’s a fast, straightforward procedure with a short recovery time.
Age-related hearing loss affects about half of adults older than 65, and the rate increases as people age further. It’s hard to be aware your hearing is fading, since it’s so gradual. Here are five common signs of age-related hearing loss.
Being tongue-tied is never comfortable, but when it’s a physical condition and it involves your child, it could mean they have trouble eating or speaking. The culprit is a band of flesh under the tongue that’s easily treated once it’s diagnosed.
For most people, an infrequent nosebleed isn’t a big concern. Some people, though, have weekly issues, a condition called frequent epistaxis. When nosebleeds turn persistent, an ear, nose, and throat specialist can help.
With skin cancer rates rising, particularly among the elderly, it’s more important than ever to guard against the harmful components of the summer sun. It’s not only cancer. Sun exposure can prematurely age your skin, making you look years older.
A gradual hearing loss is not uncommon, but the sudden loss of hearing is an entirely different matter and requires immediate care. Here’s what you need to know.
More people in the US are diagnosed with skin cancer than all other cancers combined. Since May is National Skin Cancer Awareness month, we thought it would be a good idea to go over a few helpful ways you can prevent skin cancer.
