Ear, Nose, Throat & Mouth

Allergies

Allergies are triggered by environmental components, or allergens, that cause an increased response or sensitivity to your nasal passages and sinuses. These environmental allergens can range from pollen or grass, to dust mites or mold.

Balance Disorders

A balance disorder is a condition that makes you feel unsteady or dizzy. If you are standing, sitting, or lying down, you might feel as if you are moving, spinning, or floating. When you are walking, you may feel as if you will fall.

Cleft Lip and Palate

Cleft lip and cleft palate are openings or splits in the upper lip, the roof of the mouth (palate) or both. Cleft lip and cleft palate occur early in pregnancy when tissues in an unborn baby’s face and mouth don’t close completely. Normally, the tissues that make up the lip and palate fuse together in the second and third months of pregnancy. But in babies with cleft lip and cleft palate, the fusion never takes place or occurs only part way, leaving an opening (cleft).

Deviated Septum

A deviated septum is when your nasal septum — the thin wall that separates your right and left nasal passages — is displaced to one side. You may be born with this condition or it occurs due to an injury.

Granuloma

A granuloma is a buildup of scar tissue in either the back of the vocal folds or along their surface. It is most often caused by a minor injury in the presence of laryngo-pharyngeal reflux.

Head and Neck Cancers

Head and neck conditions include a wide range of malignant (cancerous) and benign diseases, including cancers of the larynx, pharynx or salivary glands, HPV-associated growths, advanced cancers of the skin in the head and neck region (melanoma, basal cell, and squamous cell carcinoma) or chronic salivary gland infections.

Hearing Loss

Hearing loss can vary from mild to total loss of hearing and occur in one or both ears. It can be caused by many different factors, some of which can be successfully treated with medicine or surgery, depending on the disease. Hearing loss usually comes on gradually but may occasionally develop suddenly.

Laryngo-pharyngeal Reflux

Laryngo-pharyngeal Reflux is a condition caused by an irritation and swelling of the throat and larynx when acidic stomach content “backflows” into the back of the throat. Many people who have laryngo-pharyngeal reflux do not get heartburn.

Nasal Obstruction

Nasal obstruction is blockage of the nose or nasal cavity and can be caused by a wide variety of complications. Most cases are caused by sinusitis, allergies, or the overuse of nasal sprays. The blockage may also be caused by an anatomical factor, such as a deviated septum, enlarged adenoids, nasal polyps (swellings of the nasal and sinus mucous membrane) or foreign bodies in the nose.

Sinusitis

Sinusitis is inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the sinuses. It affects more than 30 million people at least once each year, making it one of the most common illnesses in the United States.

Spasmodic Dysphonia

Spasmodic dysphonia causes involuntary movement of the larynx that can lead to extensive vocal strain. In rare cases, this results in an unpredictable opening of the vocal folds with loss of voice and breath.

Swallowing Disorders

If you have a swallowing disorder you might feel pain or discomfort when you eat or drink. This type of condition can make it difficult to get all the calories, fluids and nourishment your body needs. Our expert team evaluates, counsels and treats all swallowing disorders, including those caused by a stroke, ALS, Parkinson's disease, brain tumors, surgery, or radiation therapy to the neck.

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome is a disorder of the jaw muscles and nerves caused by injury to the temporomandibular joint. The temporomandibular joint is the connection between the jawbone and the skull. When the joint is injured, it can lead to pain with chewing, clicking, crackling, and popping of the jaw; swelling on the sides of the face; nerve inflammation; headaches, including migraines; earaches; and tooth grinding.

Upper Airway Disorders

Upper airway disorders can cause painful inflammation that makes it difficult to breath. These types of disorders can sometimes be confused for asthma. Our expert team evaluates, counsels and treats a full range of upper airway disorders to help you breathe easier.

Vocal Fold Hemorrhage

A hemorrhage occurs when one or more of the blood vessels in the vocal folds breaks open, filling the vocal fold and potentially forming a small ball or hemorrhagic polyp. It is caused by trauma to the vocal fold, such as extensive coughing or extensive screaming.