Ear, Nose and Throat Health

One of two problems is going on here. Either you have ear wax blocking your ear canal (a condition called cerumen impaction), or your allergies won't permit your ears to "pop", meaning that your eustachian tube... continue reading  about  I have spring allergies and this year I have a plugged left ear, which I'm attributing to this. I've been using the over-the-counter ear wax remedies which have been working somewhat, usually for a day or two, and then my ear becomes plugged again.

You might want your primary physician to refer you to an Ear Nose and Throat doctor. Some ear canals can have “pockets” that are not noticeable by looking in the ear canal with a standard otoscope, ... continue reading  about  For the past three months, I've had a constant and irritating tickle in my inner ear. It even wakes me up at night. I've used ear rinses and had my primary care doctor examine it, but she could not find anything. Any suggestions?

Hearing loss is not always inevitable for everyone. There are many factors that contribute to hearing loss and aging. The most common is noise exposure over many years. Noise exposure can be as slight as workin... continue reading  about  Is hearing loss inevitable as we age? Is there anything we can do to prevent it?

Ear wax build-up is something we see daily in our clinic. It can range from very small amounts of wax that is not blocking the ear canal to large hard “plugs” of wax that can completely occlude the ... continue reading  about  How do I get a buildup of wax out of my ears? My friend suggested an over-the-counter product (Deprox). Are there any home remedies that I can use, and what do you think of ear candles?

I read several studies that seem to link increased risk of hearing loss to use of NSAIDS (ibuprofen is an NSAID). It is important to understand that there is an increase RISK of hearing loss in both women and m... continue reading  about  I take ibuprofen daily for back problems, but I read recently that sometimes it can cause hearing loss. Is this true, and how much would you need to take to cause this to happen?

Hearing loss has many causes and affects people at different times in their lives. If we look at hearing loss and aging, it is difficult to isolate hearing loss causes without looking at several factors: geneti... continue reading  about  Is there any research being done to help treat and prevent hearing loss? So many older people I know seem to be dealing with it.

If you feel a sore throat starting, this is usually a sign of a viral infection. To minimize symptoms, cool liquids/ice chips are quite helpful, although some people prefer warmer liquids. Gargling with salt wa... continue reading  about  I feel a sore throat coming on. What can I do keep the condition from worsening?

There are many brands of hearing aids and some are clearly more advanced than others. Without seeing your hearing test and taking a thorough history of your listening needs, it is hard to say what would work th... continue reading  about  I have moderate hearing loss in both ears. I've been fitted with behind the ear hearing aids at three centers with no real improvement in discerning speech (ambient noise comes through loud and clear). Which are best to help me hear normal conversations?

The loss or diminishment of the senses of smell and/or taste are common with sinus infection problems. Tissues inside the nose become swollen and secretions are increased, both which alter airflow through the n... continue reading  about  I have been diagnosed with chronic sinusitis and have lost my sense of smell and taste. Prednisone has helped but I refuse to take it on an ongoing basis since I also have osteoporosis. I can't take NSAIDS with a history of gastric ulcer. Any suggestions?