Category: Ear, Nose and Throat

Hold the phone - long-term use of a cell phone may cause inner ear damage and can lead to high frequency hearing loss, according to a new study. According to research presented at the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation’s Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in Washington, DC, 100 people who had used mobile phones for over a year suffered increases in the degree of hearing loss over the span of 12 months.

American Idol contestants, beware - singers who don’t get paid to perform are also less likely to recognize subtle changes in their voices that can indicate serious vocal problems. The results are reported in a new study that attempts to identify specific factors that influence how singers perceive the impact of voice problems on their lives.

Cochlear implants, which restore hearing in profoundly deaf patients, also allow many recipients to hear and enjoy music, significantly increasing their quality of life (QOL), according to a new study. The findings, presented at the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation’s Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in Washington, DC, indicate that while implant recipients experience a significant decrease in their listening habits, about half still enjoy music.

New surgical procedures are being developed that could help to speed healing time and reduce pain for adult patients suffering from chronic tonsillitis. In a paper presented at the 2007 AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO, researchers discuss the efficacy of Co2 laser tonsil subtotal ablation and bipolar radiofrequency ablation tonsillectomy as an alternative treatment to conventional cold-steel tonsillectomy.

Acute bacterial rhinosinusitis in adults is a common malady, with between 30 to 35 million cases a year. These patients are seen by a range of practitioners, from primary care physicians to otolaryngologists. Findings from a meta-analysis that examined the use of antibiotics for treatment of these patients are presented at the 2007 AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO.

Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPR) is a chronic, often uncomfortable, condition that affects millions of people. Unlike gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), in LPR the stomach acids actually rise all the way up the throat and the back of the nose, often without any symptoms of heartburn.

A basic hearing evaluation generally involves the use of tuning fork tests. In the Weber tuning fork test, the tuning fork is hit, causing it to vibrate, then placed on the midline forehead. Patients are asked if the sound forms in only one ear, or is midline. A person with normal hearing would hear the sound in the midline, but certain types of hearing loss will cause the sound to be heard in one ear more than the other.

Vocal cord paralysis is a common disorder, and symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening. Vocal cord injection is a procedure that is employed to reposition a patient’s paralyzed vocal cord to improve the voice and to alleviate difficulty in swallowing and coughing that can result when food or liquid slips into the trachea and lungs.

Children with severe to profound hearing loss under evaluation for cochlear implantation have traditionally been given a three to six month hearing aid trial to verify that they don’t receive sufficient audiometric and speech benefit from hearing aids before proceeding with cochlear implantation.

It doesn’t take much asking around to find someone who has had their tonsils removed. When asked why they had a tonsillectomy decades ago, people commonly respond, “Well, we all had them removed. It was the thing to do!” Historically, tonsils (with or without adenoids) have been removed in kids with chronic throat or tonsil infections.