How Popping the Ear can Help Diagnose Serious Heart Conditions

The Valsalva maneuver is a simple procedure that involves the patient exhaling forcefully against a closed airway, typically by closing the mouth, pinching the nose, and blowing as if trying to inflate a balloon.  It is the maneuver used to help clear a clogged ear when flying or swimming deep underwater.  Interestingly, this maneuver can also help diagnose serious heart conditions like aortic stenosis or hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, a condition that often leads to sudden death in …

Continue Reading

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss Due to a Virus (Pathological Evidence)

At least once a month, I encounter a patient who has suffered a sudden onset significant hearing loss in one ear. One moment, hearing was fine... and the next moment, hearing had significantly degraded without any apparent  triggering event (ie, shooting gun, loud fireworks, loud concert, etc).  No other symptoms are present. Just the hearing loss. Ear examination is normal without any earwax or ear fluid presence. Hearing test shows nerve hearing loss present in the affected ear. There are s…

Continue Reading

SCAM Alert! Scam Emails Pretending to Come From Medical Practices (Including Our Own)

This email is a SCAM! Note the @tidewater.net domain name. A patient recently alerted my practice of a scammer sending emails pretending to come from our medical practice. Here is a picture of what the email looked like. THIS EMAIL IS A SCAM and did NOT come from our office! Note the sender's domain @tidewater.net which is not associated with our practice (even though the username preceding the @ contains the word "fauquierent"). Any emails from our office will either be from @F…

Continue Reading

Epipen Alternative That is a Nasal Spray! (And One Warning Against Its Use)

Called Neffy, it was approved by the FDA on 8/9/24. Neffy is a single dose nasal spray administered into one nostril. As with epinephrine injection products, a second dose (using the new nasal spray to administer neffy in the same nostril) may be given if there is no improvement in symptoms or symptoms worsen.  The cost of neffy is anticipated to be around $199 for two doses via digital pharmacy sites like GoodRx and around $25 for commercially insured patients through a co-pay savings progra…

Continue Reading

Is There Finally An Effective Treatment for Viral Upper Respiratory Sinus Infections? (And it is OTC!)

The herbal over-the-counter medication Sinupret (containing Gentianae radix, Primulae flos, Rumicis herba, Sambuci flos and Verbenae herba ) has been widely employed as a 'mucoactive' agent in Germany for 70 years for symptoms of respiratory infections. A number of studies have come out that suggest it "works" to address symptoms of the viral common cold as well... better then mucinex and other commonly used over-the-counter drugs in the United States. Additional studies ha…

Continue Reading

Suddenly Have Dizziness Lasting Hour(s)? Quick Way to Determine if Due to Stroke vs Inner Ear Problem

When a person suddenly experiences dizziness lasting hour(s) that does not subside even when still , the main concern is whether a stroke has occurred. There is a type of stroke that occurs in the cerebellar region of the brain which will not affect speech nor result in any type of paralysis. In this situation, the vast majority will go to the ER to get further evaluation. However, even in the ER, a HINTs examination (which can also be done at home) may be performed in under 1 minute to quick…

Continue Reading