NYT: Tonsil Stones (aka Tonsilloliths)

The NYT published a story on tonsil stones on Aug 31, 2009. Tonsil stones , otherwise known as tonsilloliths, are "stones" that are found and ejected from tonsils that consist of mucus, dead cells and other debris that collect in the deep pockets of the tonsils and gradually condense into small, light-colored globs. Bacteria feed on this accumulated matter, giving rise to the odor. The only known cure for tonsilloliths is tonsillectomy , though more conservative measures are encou…

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Dr. Chang Featured in Local Newspaper

Well, to be more accurate, Fauquier Hospital used Dr. Chang as advertisement for its "Be Yourself" campaign. Other physicians have been portrayed in a similar fashion. This ad appeared in the September 2009 Discover Fauquier's Values publication.

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Chewing Gum Improves Memory?!!

Image by Mayr from Wikipedia I came across interesting research that hinted at the possibility that chewing gum improves tasks that require memory recall. This was first suggested in a study published in 2002 in the journal Appetite where chewing gum was found to selectively improve aspects of memory in healthy volunteers. The researchers took seventy-five adults and separated them into three groups: those that chewed gum during a twenty-minute test of memory and attention, those that mim…

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Another Reason to Stop Smoking... Decreased Sense of Taste

Greek researchers published a study in which they described a significant decrease in taste ability in smokers compared to non-smokers. In the study titled " Evaluation of young smokers and non-smokers with electrogustometry and contact endoscopy ," 62 male Greek soldiers were evaluated for smoking and taste by using two different instruments called electrogustometry (measures taste thresholds) and contact endoscopy (wich evaluated the morphology and density of papillae on the tongue…

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Online Hearing Test (Audio)

Phonak, one of the major manufacturers of high end hearing aids, has developed a screening hearing test you can do online in the comfort of your home. Take the test here . If you do poorly on this exam, please see your local ENT in order to get a more reliable hearing test and see what options you have to improve your hearing (or keep what hearing you have left).

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Another Article on Dangers of Hearing Loss from Loud Concerts and iPods

The Daily News on Aug 21, 2009 published yet another article on the dangers of loud concerts and iPods resulting in permanent hearing loss. The article is titled " Beware: Loud concerts and iPods make music dangerous ." In our practice, there have been a few patients every year in their 20s and 30s who have experienced sudden hearing loss as bad as 80 year olds after attending a loud rock concert. The hearing disappears after the concert... and it never comes back. This phenomenon…

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Music Can Help Understanding Speech in Noisy Environments?

Many older adults will say, 'I can hear what you're saying, but I don't understand you,' especially in a location where there is background noise (such as a restaurant) leading to frustration and social isolation. However, new research is offering tantalizing clues to prevent this from happening through music training. Musical training makes musicians really good at picking out melodies, such as the treble line or the sound of their own instruments, from surrounding complex soun…

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NYT: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Death Due to Strep Throat?

Image by Wikipedia Well according to a NYT article published on Aug 17, 2009, yes he potentially did. In the article titled "What Really Killed Mozart? Maybe Strep ," the journalist reports on a paper published in the Aug. 18 issue of The Annals of Internal Medicine where the researchers have done an epidemiological analysis that suggested he was a victim of an epidemic streptococcal infection. Read the NYT article here . Read the actual paper abstract here . This story illus…

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Stress Can INCREASE a Person's Allergies!

Researchers at Ohio State University recently published an article in the June 2009 journal Psychoneuroendocrinology titled " How stress and anxiety can alter immediate and late phase skin test responses in allergic rhinitis ." What they found was that allergic responses to a skin prick increased after a stressful event compared to a non-stressful event. Anxiety also substantially enhanced the effects of stress far into the future as even skin tests performed the day after the stre…

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Does Honey Relieve Allergy Symptoms? NO!

Came across an interesting blog article by allergist Dr. Ves Dimov regarding whether honey actually helps allergic individuals. The blunt conclusion was that honey does NOT help people with their allergies. As quoted from a Fort Worth newspaper article , "The bees don't know what you're allergic to," he said. Most people are allergic to windborne pollens that come from grass and trees, but bees mostly gather flower pollens, he said. Another problem: You'd have to eat …

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Our Website Referenced In An O'Reilly Textbook!

O'Reilly has published a new textbook for health-conscious consumers called " Your Body: The Missing Manual ." The neat thing is that on page 146, there are 2 photos of the larynx taken (with permission) from our website . Check it out! You can buy this book on Amazon.com :

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YouTube Video on Robotic Thyroidectomy Which Eliminates Neck Incisions

Surgeons in Texas have uploaded a YouTube video showing a thyroidectomy being performed by a robot under surgeon guidance without making any incision on the neck. The robot is utilizes the DaVinci system. Check it out here ! Non-robotic thyroid surgery can be seen in this video here  which does use a neck incision.

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Why Can Some People Eat Red Hot Chili Peppers and Others Can't?

The New York Times on Aug 10, 2009 answered this question nicely in their Science/Health Section. Read the answer here .

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NYT: Story on Phantosmia (Phantom Smells)

In the Aug 10, 2009 issue of the New York Times, a story entitled " A Pungent Life: The Smells in My Head ," describes the life of an individual who suffers from phantosmia, a frustrating disorder where a person smells disagreeable odors that is not actually present. Such odors range from raw sewage/garbage to burning. Though actual physical pathology may cause this symptom including brain tumors, sinus infection , nasal polyps , etc. Too often, everything comes back normal. Thou…

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Redheads Have Lower Pain Thresholds

The New York Times on Aug 6, 2009 published a story " The Pain of Being a Redhead " that describes research why redheads experience more pain than other individuals. Apparently, red hair color is caused by variants of the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene. People with naturally red hair are resistant to subcutaneous local anesthetics and, therefore, may experience increased anxiety and pain regarding dental care as well as other surgical procedures. Having this gene variant sign…

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A New Way to Diagnose Exercise-Induced Vocal Cord Dysfunction!

Researchers in Helsinki, Finland validated a new method to diagnose exercise-induced vocal cord dysfunction (VCD). And what a simple idea they came up with! In a study titled " Fiberoptic videolaryngoscopy during bicycle ergometry: A diagnostic tool for exercise-induced vocal cord dysfunction ," the authors performed fiberoptic video laryngoscopy WHILE a patient was exercising on a bicycle. Given that so often the symptoms of vocal cord dysfunction occur ONLY when a patient has bee…

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Does Weather Temperatures Influence Patient Sickness Levels?

According to a new Harvard Medical School Study it does. In a research paper called " Does annual temperature influence the prevalence of otolaryngologic respiratory diseases? " published in the July 2009 Laryngoscope, the author analyzed the prevalence of upper respiratory diseases between the years 1998 to 2006. What was found by regression analysis through the study years was that there was no significant relationship between average annual temperature and the prevalence of disease…

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High Tech Tonsillectomy: Quantum Molecular Resonance Tonsillectomy

I did not make that up which sounds like something out of Star Trek... there is actually a device called the Molecular Quantum Generator made by Vesalius that incorporates quantum molecular resonance coagulation that uses molecular resonance to cut and coagulate precisely, cleanly, and without any bleeding, all at low tissue temperature levels (not more than 45-50 degrees C). This technology does offer a new possibility for tonsillectomy patients allowing for faster recovery without increas…

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Our Office Now Carries Ear Band-Its Swimming Headband!

Due to numerous patient requests, our office now carries in stock the swimming headband called Ear Band-Its that helps keep ear plugs in and water out when kids go swimming. Too often during swimming, the ear plugs get knocked out or in spite of a parents' best efforts, water seems to get by the plugs. Though swimming caps over the ears would work/help, most kids refuse to wear them. However, kids don't seem to mind wearing headbands as it apparently is "cool." Made of 3mm…

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New Webpage on Tongue Tie (Ankyloglossia) and Its Treatment

A new webpage has been added to our website discussing a condition called tongue tie (otherwise known medically as ankyloglossia) along with its treatment. Photos on the steps on how this is surgically treated is also included! Click here to check it out!

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RANDOM: Treatment for Kids Who Keep Putting Objects in the Ear???

So I saw this patient who had an unusual earring as depicted to the left... And I thought... AHA!!! This may be a neat way to prevent kids from putting peas, erasers, pebbles, etc in the ear, especially if they have a history of repeatedly doing so! Not sure how many parents would actually take this step.

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New Video Uploaded of Adult Laryngomalacia

A new video has been uploaded to our website showing what laryngomalacia looks like in an adult. This patient also happens to have a right vocal cord paralysis. Because of the vocal cord paralysis, there is some hooding of her arytenoid mucosa resulting in partial airway blockage, especially with strong inhalation breath (and produces a slight wheezing sound as well). Click here to check it out!

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