Ear, Nose and Throat Health

Usually when someone has a “seasonal” allergy, it means springtime symptoms caused by pollen. Although pollen allergy certainly can cause nasal, eye or asthma symptoms, it rarely would cause a rash ... continue reading  about  I have a seasonal reoccurring rash. Can this be related to allergies?

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.

Many articles have been written about the connection between decreased blood flow from cardiovascular disease and hearing loss. The inner ear is very small, and changes in blood flow in the body can cause the r... continue reading  about  I recently read that hearing loss is more common in people with heart disease or those who've had a heart attack. Why would this be?

Hearing loss is often the main culprit with concerns about communication difficulties. Communication is the ability to hear, listen and respond to others appropriately. In order to hear, the auditory system (ou... continue reading  about  It's hard for me to follow a conversation when two or more people talk at once. I'm a 48-year-old woman who has had no hearing problems in the past. Should I be concerned?

A couple of possible answers come to mind. First, there is a large source of blood flow in your head close to the bottom of your ear canal. The carotid artery is large and can sometimes produce a pounding or he... continue reading  about  What would cause a muffled thumping sound in my left ear (almost like hearing a heart beat)? This sound is not in the right ear, only the left. It doesn't happen all the time and there is no hearing loss.

I would suggest you return to the office that you purchased the hearing aids from and have adjustments made. If two hearing aids are warranted, then it may be a matter of turning them both down for comfort. It ... continue reading  about  I have two hearing aids, but find that sometimes when I use both, the sound is too intense, so I remove one. Are two hearing aids really necessary?

It sounds as though you have done all of the 'self-help' measures you can. I would recommending discussing with your primary care physician or seeking an otolaryngology referral to try other medications that ar... continue reading  about  I've been plugged up for months with allergies. I've used decongestants, antihistamines, and sinus rinses but nothing seems to help. Any advice?

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?

Retracted eardrums are usually an indication that there is negative pressure (a vacuum) behind the eardrums in the middle part of the ear. Some of the symptoms can be: a feeling of fullness or pressure in the e... continue reading  about  Our doctor told my husband that he has a retracting eardrum. What does this mean?