Houston ENT and Allergy Blog

Vocal cord disorders can not only impact your vocal cords, but your voice and ability to talk, too. Vocal cord nodules affect both boys and girls of any age and commonly cause voice problems in both adults and children. What are Nodules of the Vocal Cords? Vocal cord nodules are defined as growths that grow on your vocal cords. But, are vocal cord nodules dangerous? They're benign (non-cancerous) bumps, and can be likened to calluses you get on your hands. Your next question may be, "can vocal cord nodules become cancerous?" Typically, benign nodules go away if you practice voice therapy or rest your voice. It's rare that you would need vocal cord nodules surgery.  Vocal nodules are also called "vocal fold" nodules by doctors and "Singer's nodules" since individuals can inadvertently "abuse" their vocal cords when they use their voice regularly and cause these growth formations along with other related voice problems.… Read More

Houston ENT and Allergy are committed to ensuring the well-being and safety of our employees, clinicians, and patients always, but particularly because of the recent concern and outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. As such, we have added the safety and convenience of telemedicine to our practice. … Read More

    Spasmodic dysphonia (SD) is defined as a voice disorder. It leads to involuntary spasms in your larynx or voice box muscles. It causes your voice to break and have a strained, tight or strangled sound. Spasmodic dysphonia can lead to issues that range from having difficulty saying one or two words to not having the ability to talk at all. It's a life-long condition, often affecting women (usually between 30 and 50 years old) more than men. … Read More

  Many individuals require their voices for work. Among those who need their voices for work, most commonly it's singers, public speakers, teachers, sales people, customer service representatives, and lawyers. Around 17.9 million individuals in the United States say they experience issues with their voice. Voice abuse/misuse can be avoided by properly caring for your voice. What Is Vocal Abuse/Misuse? Voice abuse/misuse is where you use your voice in specific ways that can contribute to or cause the development of laryngeal pathologies. This means that you sprain or strain your voice resulting in injury to one or more of your vocal cords. Some include vocal abuse behaviors and using inappropriate vocal components like:… Read More

  Facial pain is linked with high levels of healthcare utilization and significant morbidity and continues to be a challenge in both diagnosis and therapeutic approaches for both doctors and patients. It's often diagnosed on the basis of exclusion. … Read More

Sinus and nasal complaints are common reasons for a visit to your primary care doctor, an allergist or an otolaryngologist (ENT). If you're asking yourself, "what are the reasons why I can't breathe through my nose," two common culprits to consider are a nasal obstruction and chronic sinusitis.… Read More

  Sinus pressure and sinus pain occur when your nasal passage membranes become swollen or inflamed. A variety of factors can cause sinus pressure and pain, including having chronic sinusitis. What Is Sinusitis? Your sinuses are cavities filled with air and are situated: Behind your forehead and eyebrows Inside your cheeks' bony structure In front of your brain, behind your nose One either side of the bridge of your nose Sinusitis is an inflammation of your sinuses. It can be of two forms: Acute sinusitis. If you have acute (temporary) sinusitis, it typically goes away after three to eight weeks on its own.  Chronic sinusitis. If you're dealing with chronic sinusitis, it lasts longer than eight weeks or more than 12 weeks occurring multiple times per year, and requires treatment. Chronic sinusitis symptoms can last for months, or even years. Some physicians will call sinusitis chronic instead of acute if it lasts a minimum of three months.… Read More

  You probably take your sense of smell for granted, but do you ever wonder what it would be like if you had a loss of sense of smell? A total loss of smell is known as anosmia. When you don't have a sense of smell, your food will taste different, you won't be able to smell flowers — and you may even find yourself in dangerous circumstances unknowingly (i.e. gas leaks).… Read More

Sinus infection (sinusitis) is a major health issue. It impacts 31 million individuals in the U.S. alone, with Americans spending over $1 billion on OTC medications each year to treat it. Chronic sinusitis is evaluated and managed in a similar manner as acute sinusitis. Below you'll learn more about chronic sinusitis and six of its most common symptoms.  What Is Chronic Sinusitis? Sinusitis is inflammation of your nasal or sinus passage. Chronic sinusitis is where you have chronic inflammation of your nasal or sinus passages that lasts for over 12 weeks at a time. If you experience more than four sinusitis episodes within a one-year period, it's considered recurrent sinusitis.… Read More

View Video Vocal cord paralysis can impact how you speak and breathe, resulting in vocal cord muscle paralysis.This is due to your vocal cords (or your vocal folds) doing much more than simply produce sound. Your vocal cords also keep your airway protected by preventing your saliva, your food and your drinks from entering your trachea (windpipe) and causing you to choke.… Read More