The Whole Ball of Wax: A Longer Than Normal Post About Your Cerumen
“But what do I do with my ear wax?” says the man in my chair, a fully grown man who has lodged 6 successive Q-tips in his ear. It’s an impressive feat—a record even—and I have to give him respect….
Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty for Chronic Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
Two weeks after having balloon eustachian tuboplasty, Robin Goebel was on a flight to South America, where she hiked at high altitudes, visiting Machu Picchu at 7,970 feet and Cusco at 11,152 feet, and took 13 different flights to places…
McGovern Society Leaders Give Students a Roadmap Through Medical School
Pediatric otolaryngologist Zi Yang Jiang, MD, is one of 30 McGovern Society leaders who mentor new medical students, helping them develop a sense of responsibility for their own wellness, resilience, and professionalism as they work toward graduation from McGovern Medical…
Without Borders: Dr. Amber Luong Joins a Mission to Vietnam
Born in Vietnam, Amber U. Luong, MD, PhD, was 3 in April 1975 when her family left the country the day before the fall of Saigon. Last March, the fellowship-trained physician-scientist sinus surgeon had the opportunity to return to her…
Doctoring and Hearing Loss
In treating hearing loss, I’ve found there’s a particular tendency–especially in men losing their hearing in late middle age–for patients to attempt to dominate the conversation. Trying to put myself in their place, questions seem dangerous, silence uncertain. Loss…
Tonsillectomy: Tonsilloliths, Pandas, and Other Great Band Names
I can’t tell you how many times people at parties find out that I’m an ENT and have me look at their tonsils. I can’t tell you because you’re already bored. (Look at you, already thinking about checking Facebook. Maybe…
Eustachian Tubes: Time to Pop
This topic is a bit related to the ear tubes topic, and I think it’s worth covering because I get all kinds of weird depictions of how Eustachian tubes work from patients. I’ve gotten everything from a mysterious “channel that…
Gimme the Ear Tubes
In trying to sort out what to do with this blog and how it could be useful, I asked around among my friends what sort of topics could be useful. “TUBES!!!” shouted the horde of crying, exhausted mothers. “OK, I…
First in Houston to Offer a New Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
UT Physicians is now offering an alternative therapy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) when traditional approaches fail. The first six cases in Houston have provided a transformational, life-changing solution for people seeking a restful, healthy night of sleep. The new…
Head and Neck Surgical Oncology: How Do We Make the Experience Better for the Patient?
By asking cancer patients what they want, physicians in the Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Program at Memorial Hermann and UTHealth have designed a truly patient-centered experience. “Treatment of head and neck cancer requires so many moving parts, and none…