A brief history of snoring: from ghastly to gimmicky
With all the news buzz and products that claim to stop snoring, you’d think it was a modern-age problem. But there is evidence that snoring and its ill effects have been plaguing people for millennia. There is evidence of snoring going back 3500 years to the ancient Egyptians, who were known to have treated snoring… Read More
Not your father’s CPAP
We’ve come a long way with this life-saving device. CPAP machines have been steadily improving since the first commercialized CPAP was introduced in the 1980s. The devices have become much smaller, quieter, much more comfortable, and more effective in treating sleep apnea. To see just how far CPAP technology has come, let’s peek back in… Read More
Dr. Friedman answers frequently asked questions about thyroid cancer
Dr. Michael Friedman is one of the worlds’ leading thyroid and parathyroid experts and surgeons. He has authored and published numerous articles and textbooks and has lectured on thyroid and parathyroid surgery all around the world. Dr. Friedman has performed more than 5200 thyroid procedures. Here are some of the questions patients often ask. Does… Read More
What that pesky itch may really mean
Fast Facts: Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in the U.S. with an annual cost in excess of $18 billion. In a U.S. survey, more than half (54.6 percent) of the people reported indicated that they had positive reactions to one or more allergens. Q&A with Dr. Ayesha Siddiqi, Allergist at Chicago… Read More
Custom earplugs = protection + comfort
Ahhh …. summer. The great outdoors. Picnics, swimming, sports, festivals, fireworks! It’s a fantastic time of the year, especially for us Midwesterners. But with all the fun and fanfare, it can be easy to forget the “hidden dangers,” that is, the sounds of summer. Lawnmowers, concerts, cheering crowds – prolonged exposure to all of these… Read More
Under pressure: Tiny tubes can cause big discomfort
The eustachian tube (named after Italian physician Bartolomeo Eustachio) is a small passage extending from the back of the nose to the middle ear. You have one for each ear. Its function is to regulate pressure between your ear and the external environment. Ideally, the pressure is balanced. The eustachian tube opens when you swallow… Read More
This is the Voice!
Season 16 of The Voice has a winner, and her story might surprise you. Marlyn Jarmon, 26 of Frisco, TX blew everyone away with her performance of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” at the season finale. But her heavenly voice and pitch is even more spectacular when you consider that Marlyn is hearing impaired. Chronic ear infections… Read More
oh/toe/lair/in/goll/oh/jee
Let’s just say “ENT” Think about your routine interactions with the environment. Could you breathe easier today? Were you able to walk a straight line? Was it no trouble to talk with and listen to your friends? We usually don’t think about such things unless there’s a problem. Issues with our ears, nose, and throat,… Read More
I did WHAT last night?
Parasomnias can pose a real danger. A teenager is found sleeping in a tower crane 130 feet above the ground, having walked across a narrow metal beam to get there. A man gives his roommate a nightly play-by-play of his dreams as they occur. A sleeping man drives across town, chokes his stepfather and stabs… Read More
Inspire | CPAP alternative for sleep apnea
Romeo Shoshoo, a Chicago ENT patient, suffered through daily episodes of falling asleep suddenly, even while walking