Let’s take a trip back in time to your elementary school days. You should remember stepping outside of class, usually to the gym or the library, to undergo a mandatory hearing test. You got to don a pair of those big, studio-monitor headphones as the doctor or nurse instructed you to listen for a series […]
Asthma is a year-round condition, but as winter gives way to summer, the situations that actuate an asthma attack change with the seasons, too. Be on the lookout for these common asthma triggers in summer, which can blemish the long-awaited summer without the right preparation. Warm Air For most asthma sufferers, it’s the cold and […]
Spring is a time of renewal, fresh starts, and plants coming into bloom. Spring is a welcome sight, but considerably less welcome are the allergic reactions that arise from exposure to pollen grains. Pollen, which carries reproductive material for seed-bearing plants, contains proteins and enzymes that the human body often mistakes for pathogens. This overreaction […]
Cartoons often depict their sleeping characters as noisily and humorously snoring. When this happens to you or your bed partner in real life, however, it’s nothing to smile at. Rather, it could be indicative of serious breathing problems. What causes the sound is simple: snoring occurs when inhaled air passes relaxed muscle tissue, which vibrates […]
In the second half of our two-part look at adult-onset conditions comes an unfortunate realization: when it comes to developing a chronic condition, we are never truly out of the woods. Much as we can develop food allergies in adulthood after years of eating peanuts, shellfish, or soy without incident, we can come to experience […]
While hearing aids have been able to restore this important sense to those who are hard of hearing, for many years there was no solution to profound or total hearing loss. That changed in the late 20th century with the innovation of the cochlear implant. By using a microphone and an electric current to stimulate […]
Picture this: you’ve concluded your Thanksgiving smorgasbord with a slice of delicious pecan pie. But as you sit down for the final leg of the day’s football tripleheader, you notice you’re nauseated, short of breath, and breaking out in hives—and it has nothing to do with your investment in the game’s outcome. Suddenly, your mood […]
Pervasive breathing problems from chronic sinusitis and obstructive sleep apnea can severely impede your quality of life. Fortunately, in the last fifteen years, a simple and minimally invasive outpatient procedure known as balloon sinuplasty has made it possible for people to get that quality back. In this guide to balloon sinuplasty, we’ll examine its history, […]
Whoever said a little fresh air never hurt anyone has never tried to drain their sinuses after inhaling pollen all day. When you have bad environmental allergies, there’s nothing invigorating about working outside. Whether we’re talking about hourly work in the field or some weekend-warrior chores in the yard, you may have to get the […]
When we talk about putting away childish things, one of the things we’re most glad to put away are ear infections. As the ears’ Eustachian tubes grow and fall into place during adolescence, their improved drainage ability precludes most ear infections in adulthood. Nevertheless, even as the drainage issues of otitis media subside, adults can […]
