Devices to Help with Eustachian Tube Dysfunction During Airflight and SCUBA

EarPlanes Ear Plugs It is not uncommon that patients who suffer from eustachian tube dysfunction resulting in symptoms of clogged ears and inability to pop them easily participate in activities that WILL worsen their ear problems. Such common activities include SCUBA diving and airplane flying. Of course, treatment of eustachian tube dysfunction is best, but may take several weeks, and that airplane flight or SCUBA diving trip is happening in a few days before resolution is expected. …

9/29/2015 0

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Why Are So Many Singers Canceling Concerts due to Injured Vocal Cords?

There have been numerous celebrity singers who have cancelled concerts and even tours due to vocal cord injury of some kind. Although many blame poor vocal technique in such pop singers, my feeling is probably a very demanding schedule with no backup and severe financial pressure to perform even if the vocal cords are a bit off when vocal crest would have been preferred. Here's a few singers who have cancelled over the years: • Miranda Lambert - July 2015 •  Meghan Trainor  - July 2…

7/14/2015 0

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Acupuncture Helps with Tonsillectomy Pain

Back in 2013, I blogged how acupuncture may help with pain after tonsillectomy in children [ link ]. This was based on a study by Dr. Ochi published in Dec 2013 on 56 children. Another study has been published in April 2015 on 59 children by a different group of researchers which support Dr. Ochi's findings as well as another in 2019 found acupuncture helpful in adults. Although no significant differences in the amount of opioid medications administered or total post-anesthesia care t…

4/13/2015 0

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New Non-Invasive, Non-Medication Treatment for Laryngopharyngeal Reflux(LPR)

REZA Band is a new non-invasive device that may be able to treat LPR reflux without the need for medications. Furthermore, it may be able to address all the different forms of reflux regardless of whether it is acidic or non-acidic . The device is worn around the neck like a necktie and tightened snugly over the cricoid cartilage . By exerting pressure on the cricoid cartilage (see pic below), any reflux that occurs up into the throat region will not be able to pass up into the voicebox …

3/13/2015 0

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Acupuncture to Treat Allergy Symptoms (Where are the Spots?)

There has been increasing number of research and even support by the AAO-HNS Clinical Practice Guideline 2015 that acupuncture may help control allergies. According to the 2015 Guideline: "STATEMENT 13. ACUPUNCTURE: Clinicians may offer acupuncture, or refer to a clinician who can offer acupuncture, for patients with AR who are interested in nonpharmacologic therapy. Option based on RCTs with limitations, observational studies with consistent effects, and a preponderance of benefit o…

2/04/2015 1

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Cricoid Pressure May Minimize Symptoms of Reflux (LPR)

Specifically throat symptoms attributable to reflux such as globus , throat-clearing , phlegmy throat , chronic cough , etc. However, cricoid pressure may not be realistic nor practical even if it does help. In one of the more unusual studies I have seen, researchers deliberately infused 60 cc of hydrochloric acid into the esophagus of 14 patients who suffered from LPR as well as 12 healthy controls. 9 patients exhibited confirmed LPR (laryngopharyngeal reflux) events, but none in the co…

5/03/2014 0

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Acupuncture Alleviates Pain After Tonsillectomy in Children

The study showed that acupuncture significantly decreased pain after tonsillectomy in children (2-17 years of age) with reported pain levels before acupuncture of 5.52 (SD=2.28) out of 10 which fell to 1.92 (SD=2.43) after acupuncture. This retrospective research was conducted in 31 patients who underwent a tonsillectomy within a 3 month period of time by Dr. James Ochi , one of only a handful of dual board-certified ENT and medical acupuncture in the United States. No study patients rece…

12/14/2013 0

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Sinus Headache [video]

I could describe it... but I think it's better if you just watch the video... On a more serious note, more info on sinus headaches can be read here .

6/06/2013 0

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Negative Ear Pressure Causing Inability to Pop a Clogged Ear

Have you ever closed the lid on an air-tight container containing a left-over hot meal and stuck it in the refrigerator? And than when you try to open the lid the next day once that hot meal cools down, it is REALLY hard to open the lid because of the accumulated negative pressure? In essence, the negative pressure has "locked" the lid down. Well, something similar can also potentially happen inside the ear with eustachian tube dysfunction , especially with negative pressure (rather…

2/05/2013 4

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"Mother's Kiss" to Remove Nasal Foreign Bodies

In 1965, a general practitioner Vladimir Ctibor described the "Mother's Kiss" technique of removing nasal foreign bodies in a child. Essentially, a trusted adult (like a mother) places her mouth over the child's mouth as if to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. While pinching off the unaffected nostril, the adult than blows gently into the child's mouth until resistance is felt caused by the child closing the glottis . At that moment, the adult gives a sharp explosi…

10/24/2012 0

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Ear Pain Causes Based on Acupuncture Principles

When a patient complains of ear pain or pressure , I wonder if an acupuncturist sees a problem with the whole body rather than a problem just around the ear itself...

9/17/2012 0

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Yoga Pose to Treat Ear Pain or Pressure

So here's something I learned about yoga... There is a yoga pose called Karnapidasana which can supposedly cure ear pain and pressure gradually over time. The term derives from "Karna" meaning ear and "Pida" which means pain, discomfort, or pressure. So... who knows? Give it a try... if you can physically do it safely. DISCLAIMER: Not recommended for those who are not flexible. Also, not something I personally recommend to treat ear pain and pressure.

9/10/2012 3

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How Can Nasal Obstruction CAUSE Clogged Ears?

It is not uncommon that patients who suffer from a clogged nose also develop  clogged ears . Why??? There are 2 major and 1 minor reasons. First a little anatomy lesson. In the back of the nose, there is an opening that leads into a tunnel (eustachian tube) that goes up into the ear. When the ears get clogged, a person can get the pressure out by " popping the ears ." This can be accomplished by yawn, swallow, or trying to blow out the nose that is pinched shut. When the ea…

7/24/2012 1

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Barometric Sinus Headache

MSNBC published a story on April 26, 2012 regarding headaches that come and go with pressure changes such as when flying in an airplane. The neurological researchers call it "airplane headache" and the story makes it sound like a newly discovered headache, but in actuality, it is something that has been known for a very long time. Human sinus cavities are air-filled cavities. When outside pressure changes relative to the air pressure within the sinus cavity, air pressure litera…

4/27/2012 0

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Video of Eustachian Tube Popping Open with Valsalva

Ever wonder what the eustachian tube looks like when the ear pops open with valsalva maneuver? Valsalva is accomplished by trying to blow air out a nose that is pinched closed. The eustachian tube is a tunnel that goes from the back of the nose to the ear. Well, here you go! Video provided courtesy of Dr. Vijay Anand . Watch this video to see where this eustachian tube is exactly located. Read more about ear popping and when one is NOT able to pop the ears, a condition called eu…

4/23/2012 0

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Video on Ear Clogging and What Happens When They Pop Open (or Don't)

A new video has been created describing anatomically how a person pops the ear open when it feels clogged or under pressure. Also explained is what happens anatomically when the clogged ear is very difficult if not impossible to pop open; a condition called eustachian tube dysfunction . Check the video out here ! Here's a video explaining what is happening more from an anatomical perspective: Here's another video showing how an ear infection may cause a clogged ear. …

4/18/2012 1

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Stabbing Headache Around Eye or Cheek

Do you suffer from a stabbing headache in the areas denoted in red? Do these headaches seemingly come out of nowhere one day? Perhaps started after a viral upper respiratory infection? You may be suffering from a condition known as contact point headache . This type of headache is also known as: • Sluder's neuralgia • Anterior ethmoid neuralgia • Sphenopalatine ganglion neuralgia • Pterygopalatine ganglion neuralgia This type of headache has often been confused with cluster heada…

12/31/2011 1

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