The "Morning Person" Gene

German scientists have potentially discovered a genetic reason why some people are morning people whereas others are night-owls. The gene called ABCC9 dubbed "morning person" gene was identified by analyzing 4251 individuals who reported their sleeping pattern. The ABCC9 variant type and number of copies significantly affected the number of hours of sleep. To confirm this finding, scientists modified the ABCC9 gene in the fruit fly and obtained similar results. The gene codes…

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"Mouthwatering" Foods May Be a Misnomer?

In the spirit of Thanskgiving where thoughts of food predominate,  British researchers have determined that humans are NOT able to produce more saliva by merely thinking of foods whether hungry or not. This includes looking at pictures of sumptuous foods. What researchers did determine is that SMELLING foods increased salivary production significantly. Tasting and chewing was even more influential in salivary production. So at least for humans, unless the food is smelled, tasted, or ch…

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Cuddly Robot That Cures Snoring!

The robot which is shaped like a polar bear essentially listens for snoring while monitoring oxygen levels of the snorer. The individual sleeps on this robotic bear. When oxygen levels drop coupled with snoring heard through its microphone, the robot lifts its paw and tickles the forehead which induces the snoring individual to shift position resulting in snore cessation all without actually waking the individual. Watch video below. Of course, there's no studies I'm aware of that …

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Website Commenting System Changed to DISQUS

We have used Google Friend Connect as the main way for people to comment on individual webpages on our practice website since 2009. Unfortunately, Google recently announced that they are planning to  shut down Google Friend Connect  on March 1, 2012. As such, we have taken the proactive step in replacing the Google commenting system throughout our website and replaced it with  DISQUS  which offers even more power and flexibility. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caus…

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With A Deviated Septum, Why Does Nasal Obstruction Come and Go?

A deviated septum  is a well known factor causing nasal obstruction in people. However, many patients with a deviated septum will also state that there are times when they can breath just fine from their nose. As such, can a deviated septum truly be the cause of their nasal obstructive symptoms? Shouldn't the obstruction be constant? The blunt answer is ABSOLUTELY nasal obstruction can be intermittent OR constant with a deviated septum!!! It's more a question of degree. To beg…

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New Video on "Where" Snoring Comes From and Treatment

Our office has produced a new video describing "where" snoring comes from determined by a simple procedure known as sedated or sleep endoscopy . At its most basic definition, snoring is noise produced from a vibrating mucosal surface in the upper airway. Though snoring can be defined simply, the tough question is WHERE are these vibrating mucosal surfaces? Because unless one can define WHERE the snoring is coming from, successful treatment can't be pursued definitively. …

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Can What Makes a Lion Roar Help Human With a Weak Voice?

Researchers in Iowa have discovered what makes a lion or tiger roar so effectively. Apparently, there is a layer of fat within large feline vocal cords that makes the vocal cords especially prone to vibrate easily with minimal exhalation effort. What import does this have to humans? Well, there are patients who have a very weak voice due to vocal cord atrophy as well as vocal cord paralysis . Standard interventions include voice therapy as well as surgical procedures using an implant …

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Want to See a Specialist Doctor Who Does Not Take Your Insurance? There Are Options...

It is not unusual nowadays that a patient may want to see a specific medical specialist who unfortunately does NOT participate with their  health insurance plan . This doctor is what is known in insurance parlance as a "non-par provider." In this situation, there are two options. 1) The patient pays the medical bill (self-pay) and forwards the receipt to the insurance company who hopefully will reimburse the patient. 2) The patient can request a "Letter of Medical Necessi…

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Singer Keith Urban to Undergo Vocal Cord Surgery

The year 2011 so far seems to be the year for vocal cord surgery in singers... John Mayer , than Adele , and now Keith Urban. On Nov 3, 2011, it was announced that country singer Keith Urban will be undergoing vocal cord surgery to remove a polyp from his vocal cords forcing him to cancel/postpone upcoming concerts. Read ABC News report here . A vocal cord polyp would cause a mild rasp in the voice that is worse in the upper pitch range and soft voice. Onset delays and pitch breaks are c…

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The Doctors TV Show Does Chronic Throat Clearing

The Doctors TV show recently did a segment on chronic throat clearing . The ENT expert who explained this very annoying condition was Dr. Reena Gupta, a well-respected laryngologist with the Osborne Head and Neck Institute. During this TV show, Dr. Gupta provided the two most common reasons for chronic throat clearing which were post-nasal drainage and reflux . At its most basic explanation, mucus can come from the nose down into the throat (post-nasal drainage) OR mucus can come up from…

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ENT Position Available With Our Practice

Our practice is looking for a board-eligible or board-certified otolaryngology-head & neck surgeon sometime in 2014 time frame with guaranteed income that first year followed by partnership. We are located in Northern Virginia about 45 minutes directly west of downtown Washington DC and is run by Dr. Chang in solo practice. The practice itself is located on hospital grounds situated in the lovely tree-lined rural city of Warrenton, VA where one can even see the Appalachian mountains…

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Magic Ears Club Founded by Fauquier ENT Hosts Halloween Party

The Magic Ears Club kicked off its existence with a first ever Halloween Party on October 29, 2011 where over 15 kids from elementary to high school ages who wear hearing aids co-mingled and played games while their parents talked amongst each other their experiences. Prizes and free hearing aid goodies were also distributed. Dr. Catie Chalmers , audiologist with Fauquier ENT who founded the Magic Ears Club, stated that the purpose of the club is to help parents, as well as their hard-…

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