Adult Tonsillectomy Pain Levels Over Time (0 to 4+ Weeks)

Unlike children under 12 years who undergo tonsil removal surgery, adults undergoing tonsillectomy  is perhaps one of the most painful recoveries anyone will ever experience in their lifetime. The pain can be quite vicious and prolonged, typically lasting about 3 weeks. Adults on average lose about 5 pounds due to inability to eat solid foods and decreased caloric intake. In spite of a liquid diet and multiple prescriptions for pain control , it is still a miserable recovery. In our office, 3 …

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World Cup Soccer Player Wearing Face Mask After Facial Fracture

Son Heung Min South Korean soccer star and captain, Son Heung Min, was seen wearing a face mask during the World Cup in Qatar in November 2022. This was due to an orbital facial fracture to his left eye during a Champions League match for Tottenham for which he had to undergo surgical correction. This fracture was sustained when his face collided with Marseille defender Chancel Mbemba.  Another World Cup soccer player, Croatian Josko Gvardiol, also was seen sporting a face mask to protect a br…

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Blue Hairy Tongue and White Hairy Tongue Syndrome

Blue Hairy Tongue Hairy tongue syndrome is a relatively uncommon tongue condition causing a thickened and discolored tongue appearance. The most common discoloration is black (see below). However, other colors may be less commonly seen such as brown, white, and most rarely, even blue. Regardless of the color, the treatment is all the same. Normally the dorsal surface of the tongue mucosa is covered by filiform papillae protrusions that typically rise less than 1mm from the surface. However, in…

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Time Lapse of a Severe Skin Infection Healing over 30 Days (Impetigo, Cellulitis)

Impetigo is a mild skin infection caused by Streptococcus and/or Staphylococcus aureus. Cellulitis is when the infection spreads into the deeper layers of the skin. In this particular patient, impetigo was initially present involving the face, neck, legs, and arms. It was treated with mupirocin and cephalexin, but the infection continued to get worse. Given the lack of improvement, cultures were obtained from the oozing sores which revealed a multi-drug resistant staph infection. By the time …

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All Natural Alginate Therapy for Long-Term Reflux Control

Standard medications to treat reflux include H2 blockers (peptcid, zantac) and proton pump inhibitors (prilosec, nexium, prevacid, protonix), but long-term use is typically not recommended since these medications can cause unacceptable side effects. (Watch video below to understand how these medications work.) An alternative all-natural and safer way to treat reflux long-term is with sodium alginate derived from seaweed. When taken after meals, it coats the esophagus and stomach lining, b…

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Clogged Ear Tube (Ventilation Ear Tube Clogged Closed)

Ear tube placement through the eardrum is a very common surgical procedure performed both in adults and kids. Ear tubes are placed in adults typically for chronic eustachian tube dysfunction while in kids, they are usually placed for chronic ear infections or hearing loss due to retained fluid. Whether in kids or adults, sometimes this surgically placed tube can get clogged (as shown in the picture) preventing it from working properly. This would result in the recurrence of the same symptoms se…

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