When The Doctor Becomes The Patient: A New Perspective On Sinus Surgery
As a physician at CornerStone Ear, Nose & Throat, whenever I discuss sinus surgery with patients, I tell them to only consider the procedure if their symptoms are actually affecting their quality of life. Recently, I had to take my own advice and undergo sinus surgery myself. Although I’ve performed sinus surgery for the past 15 years, becoming a patient gave me an entirely new perspective.
Hope for Chronic Sinusitis Sufferers: A Patient Success Story
Characterized by long-lasting and stubborn symptoms of thick, yellow to greenish nasal discharge, post nasal drip, nasal stuffiness, facial pain and possibly swelling, chronic sinusitis can be a frustrating condition for both patients and physicians. According to the Centers for Disease control, an estimated seven million Americans suffer with these and other symptoms related to chronic sinusitis, giving it its position as one of the most prevalent health problems in the country. When Treatment Fails So, when U.R. (initials used for patient privacy) had endured…
Coblation Tonsillectomy: Solving Breathing And Swallowing Problems For Young Patients
When Jonah Breedan was two years old, his parents noticed that he started to breathe through his mouth.. He also began to lightly snore when sleeping, and woke up frequently during the night. His pediatrician monitored Jonah’s condition for three years until his tonsils and adenoids became visibly enlarged and started to actually interfere with Jonah’s eating and his breathing. At that point, he was referred to Daron Smith, M.D. at CornerStone Ear, Nose & Throat. “When I first met Jonah, his mother outlined the…
Sinus Surgery Ends Decades Of Chronic Sinus Problems For One Married Couple
Congestion & headaches disappear; sleeping & blood pressure improve After 20 years of nasal congestion, constant and severe post-nasal drip, antibiotics, nasal sprays and over-the-counter decongestants, 70-year-old Joe Helms and his wife Louise finally found lasting relief from their chronic sinus problems at CornerStone Ear, Nose & Throat. While medications had provided a temporary remedy, sinus surgery was the answer. “We tell everyone,” said Louise. “There’s no reason to be afraid to have this surgery,” she says, adding, “It changed our lives.” Joe and Louise…
Finding Her Voice: An Outpatient Procedure Restored Patsy’s Voice After Vocal Cord Paralysis
Imagine opening your mouth to speak and your voice can’t get louder than a whisper. You can’t talk on the phone. It’s difficult to order food in a restaurant or even carry on a simple conversation. In an emergency, you can’t cry out for help. This is the world Patsy Blackburn lived in for seven years. After undergoing a left thoracotomy and excision of a small lung cancer in 1999, Patsy had experienced intermittent hoarseness and suffered with the progression of vocal cord weakness. While…
Breaking The Silence Of Vocal Cord Paralysis
Adult onset vocal cord (or fold) paralysis is due to abnormal nerve input to the laryngeal muscles. The associated nerves are the superior laryngeal nerve and the recurrent laryngeal nerve. The superior laryngeal nerve carries signals to the cricothyroid muscle. The recurrent laryngeal nerve carries signals to different voice box muscles responsible for breathing, coughing, swallowing and vibration during voice use. This nerve is involved in the majority of cases of vocal cord paralysis. Symptoms Adults suffering from vocal cord paralysis use a lot of…
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