The Surprising Tradition of Using Fire to Remove Ear Hair

Ear hair is a completely natural part of aging, especially in men, and for most people it’s managed with simple grooming tools. But in some parts of the world, a far more dramatic method exists— using fire . I only recently heard about this myself. This technique, sometimes called  ear singeing  or  ear flaming , blends grooming with cultural tradition and has drawn curiosity (and concern) from both travelers and medical professionals. Where Does This Practice Come From? Ear hair removal with …

4/25/2026 0

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How an ENT Removes a Fishbone from the Throat Without Sedation

A step-by-step look at a common (but delicate) procedure Accidentally swallowing a fishbone is more common than you might think—especially with certain types of fish that contain fine, sharp bones. While many pass harmlessly, some become lodged in the throat and require removal by an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist. Fortunately, in many cases, this can be safely and efficiently handled right in the clinic using  McGill forceps under endoscopic guidance . Why Fishbones Get Stuck Fishbo…

4/10/2026 0

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How The Simpsons Accidentally Beccomes an ENT Medical Show at Times

For a cartoon,  The Simpsons  contains a surprising number of ear, nose, and throat (ENT) related medical scenes. Over the decades, the show has featured everything from choking emergencies and nosebleeds to sleep apnea and smoker’s voice changes. While played for comedy, many of these scenes actually reflect real medical conditions and treatments seen in ENT clinics and emergency rooms every day. Choking and Foreign Bodies One of the most common ENT emergencies shown in  The Simpsons  is choki…

4/05/2026 0

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From the Exam Room to the Ice Rink: Why an ENT Doctor Started Making Videos on Concussion Evaluation

Yes... the doctor/coach represented in the image does not look like Dr. Chang. (Videos at the Bottom.) If you had asked me a few years ago whether concussion management would become a regular topic of my professional life, I would have said no without hesitation. As an ENT physician, my day-to-day work focuses on the ears, nose, throat, balance, hearing, and the complex systems that connect them. While those systems certainly overlap with neurology, concussion was not something I routinely eval…

1/20/2026 0

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Untreated Hearing Loss Increases the Risk of Imbalance and Falls: What the Science Says

Falls are a major public health concern, especially for older adults. According to a large systematic review and meta-analysis of more than  5 million participants , individuals with hearing loss had a  51% greater odds of falling  compared with those without hearing impairment. Over time, hearing loss was also associated with a  17% greater longitudinal risk of future falls —meaning that even after adjusting for other factors, people with hearing loss had a significantly higher chance of falli…

1/20/2026 0

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Untreated Hearing Loss Before Age 70 May Raise Dementia Risk by ~60%

Hearing loss is common as we age, but many people treat it as a minor inconvenience rather than a serious health issue. Emerging research shows that ignoring hearing loss — especially before age 70 — could have  major implications for your brain health , including a significantly  higher risk of dementia . Fortunately, addressing hearing loss early with hearing aids may help reduce this risk. Why Hearing Loss Affects the Brain When the ears don’t send clear sound information to the brain, the b…

1/03/2026 0

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