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Otolaryngology (ENT)

51 articles · Since 2014

Articles, page 2

The Podcast by KevinMD

Better dizziness diagnosis through skilled exams [PODCAST]

Physical therapist John Corsino discusses his article, "Lifelong learning: a game-changer in diagnosing dizziness." He highlights how often the answers to complex cases, like acute dizziness, are present in the exam room but can be missed due to an over-reliance…

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Physical therapist John Corsino discusses his article, “Lifelong learning: a game-changer in diagnosing dizziness.” He highlights how often the answers to complex cases, like acute dizziness, are present in the exam room but can be missed due to an over-reliance on diagnostic testing and systemic pressures that undervalue thorough physical examination. John …

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Better dizziness diagnosis through skilled exams [PODCAST]

Conditions and diseases

Beyond survival: How nerve repair is reshaping outcomes in jaw surgery

John Németh, winner of multiple Blues Music Awards, built his life and musical career as a singer and harmonica player. But X-rays taken during a routine dentist visit threatened to change that. John's dentist discovered an ameloblastoma, a benign but…

John Németh, winner of multiple Blues Music Awards, built his life and musical career as a singer and harmonica player. But X-rays taken during a routine dentist visit threatened to change that.

John’s dentist discovered an ameloblastoma, a benign but aggressive tumor, that was rapidly growing in his jaw and chin and needed to be surgically removed. This was a reality that could mean the end of his career and the …

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Beyond survival: How nerve repair is reshaping outcomes in jaw surgery

Physician voices

Performing in the clutch: lessons from a pediatric airway surgeon

I have a confession to make: I have blood on my hands. My actions have led to the death of children. Now, that sounds extreme, and in reality, it is. Not in the course of everyday life, of course. But…

I have a confession to make: I have blood on my hands. My actions have led to the death of children. Now, that sounds extreme, and in reality, it is. Not in the course of everyday life, of course. But as a pediatric otolaryngologist (ENT) and airway surgeon, I have had to make near-instantaneous decisions with life-or-death consequences for the patient. Fortunately, the vast majority of the time, things go …

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Performing in the clutch: lessons from a pediatric airway surgeon

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Health policy

Getting caught in the crossfire of the hearing aid wars

My hearing precipitously declined four years ago. As a patient and practicing physician, I became dependent upon hearing aids. Thus, I was introduced to the off-putting business of hearing aids in America. The American hearing aid market is estimated to…

My hearing precipitously declined four years ago. As a patient and practicing physician, I became dependent upon hearing aids. Thus, I was introduced to the off-putting business of hearing aids in America.

The American hearing aid market is estimated to generate between $3 to 4 billion per year annually. It is expected to grow six to eight percent annually as our population ages. Assistive listening devices can be a vast mystery …

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Getting caught in the crossfire of the hearing aid wars

Conditions and diseases

Virtual rehabilitation of central sensitization syndromes

Modern medicine often fails to effectively manage complex chronic conditions. Physicians are often constrained by tightly packed clinic schedules, leaving only brief windows of time for each patient encounter. While this setup may allow for basic diagnosis and treatment planning,…

Modern medicine often fails to effectively manage complex chronic conditions. Physicians are often constrained by tightly packed clinic schedules, leaving only brief windows of time for each patient encounter. While this setup may allow for basic diagnosis and treatment planning, there is scarcely enough time for comprehensive patient education, let alone providing the necessary support, guidance, and empowerment that complex patients need.

Fortunately, the post-pandemic surge in telemedicine has brought fresh …

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Virtual rehabilitation of central sensitization syndromes

Physician voices

Laughter is the best medicine (but use it wisely with patients)

According to The Onion founder Scott Dikkers, "Comedy is meant to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted." As physicians, our patients are the "afflicted," so how can we use comedy to comfort them? Before we get to the how,…

According to The Onion founder Scott Dikkers, “Comedy is meant to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted.”

As physicians, our patients are the “afflicted,” so how can we use comedy to comfort them? Before we get to the how, let us start with the why.

Why make patients laugh? Because laughter is the best medicine. After steroids. Steroids are the best medicine. Laughter is the second-best medicine, and it has fewer …

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Laughter is the best medicine (but use it wisely with patients)

Physician voices

Physician burnout: a surgeon’s story of exhaustion, recovery, and systemic change

An excerpt from Safeguarding Physician Wellbeing. There are numerous books written by physicians of various specialties, primary care, and subspecialists, on the topic of physician burnout. Most physician authors, like me, have been inspired to write a book due to…

An excerpt from Safeguarding Physician Wellbeing.

There are numerous books written by physicians of various specialties, primary care, and subspecialists, on the topic of physician burnout. Most physician authors, like me, have been inspired to write a book due to personal experience with a high degree of burnout, and/or have had academic interests and research on the topic. Writing such books can be cathartic, intended as a warning for our …

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Physician burnout: a surgeon’s story of exhaustion, recovery, and systemic change

Physician voices

The virtuous yellow brick road in medicine

Studies involving the virtue ethics of a sound medical practitioner have provided insight into the nature of ethical demands on the physician as a moral person. Kotze et al., the authors of "Virtue in Medical Practice: An Exploratory Study," agree…

Studies involving the virtue ethics of a sound medical practitioner have provided insight into the nature of ethical demands on the physician as a moral person. Kotze et al., the authors of “Virtue in Medical Practice: An Exploratory Study,” agree that thinking about virtues contributes to doctors’ and medical students’ thinking about common moral dilemmas in medicine. However, they also acknowledge that the question of what virtuous medical practice …

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The virtuous yellow brick road in medicine

The Podcast by KevinMD

Wisdom from 50 years a doctor [PODCAST]

"This last doctor was also the happiest doctor I have ever met. He was not a youngster but had a wonderful following of patients and was loved by the entire hospital staff. And he had a very nice singing voice.…

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“This last doctor was also the happiest doctor I have ever met. He was not a youngster but had a wonderful following of patients and was loved by the entire hospital staff. And he had a very nice singing voice. Today this would be considered dangerous.” …

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Wisdom from 50 years a doctor [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Toughness is not defined by a dollar amount [PODCAST]

"It has now been almost four years since I transitioned to academia. I see fewer patients per day and take fewer call. I also have more time with each patient, more time to recharge, more time for other academic pursuits,…

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“It has now been almost four years since I transitioned to academia. I see fewer patients per day and take fewer call. I also have more time with each patient, more time to recharge, more time for other academic pursuits, and more time for creative outlets. My compensation has decreased, but …

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Toughness is not defined by a dollar amount [PODCAST]

Physician voices

Stop and smell the cadavers

Medical students are an odd bunch. At least in my day. Warning: The following may seem a little distasteful, violating the doctrine of proper decorum expected of medical professionals. I feel your anguish for those bent to the more sensitive…

Medical students are an odd bunch. At least in my day. Warning: The following may seem a little distasteful, violating the doctrine of proper decorum expected of medical professionals. I feel your anguish for those bent to the more sensitive side, but to sugar-coat a narrative only robs it of its essence.

I attended the Medical College of Wisconsin in the late 1980s, so what follows may not represent medical training. …

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Stop and smell the cadavers

The Podcast by KevinMD

Hearing is connected to well-being [PODCAST]

"As an audiologist, treating hearing loss is a part of my everyday life. Even still, I’m sometimes amazed at the difference hearing aids can make in patients’ lives. For example, recently, when an older patient with longstanding hearing loss was…

Listen on Apple Podcasts · Spotify

Listen and followApple PodcastsSpotifyYouTubeMore apps · Browse all episodes

“As an audiologist, treating hearing loss is a part of my everyday life. Even still, I’m sometimes amazed at the difference hearing aids can make in patients’ lives. For example, recently, when an older patient with longstanding hearing loss was fitted with a pair of hearing aids, he was suddenly able to participate …

Read more…

Hearing is connected to well-being [PODCAST]

Conditions and diseases

Hearing loss is a significant public health problem

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Hearing loss can be a real pain in the rear. Aside from its annoyance on friends and loved ones, it can pose a significant health problem. For instance, there is growing evidence linking hearing loss and dementia. Yes, impaired hearing…

Hearing loss can be a real pain in the rear. Aside from its annoyance on friends and loved ones, it can pose a significant health problem. For instance, there is growing evidence linking hearing loss and dementia.

Yes, impaired hearing can lead to dementia, which is an impairment of cognition. Cognition is the mental process that allows one to acquire knowledge and understanding through thought. It is the …

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Hearing loss is a significant public health problem

Physician voices

Toughness is not infinite and is not defined by a dollar amount

We knew the job would be tough but never considered how tough. Demanding jobs should be compensated accordingly, but what is the correlation between job choice, toughness, and salary? Is no job too tough as long as they pay you…

We knew the job would be tough but never considered how tough. Demanding jobs should be compensated accordingly, but what is the correlation between job choice, toughness, and salary? Is no job too tough as long as they pay you enough?

After residency, I narrowed my options down to two private practice positions. One was a small group practice with one office location and a higher call burden in the Midwest. …

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Toughness is not infinite and is not defined by a dollar amount

Conditions and diseases

How hearing is connected to well-being

As an audiologist, treating hearing loss is a part of my everyday life. Even still, I'm sometimes amazed at the difference hearing aids can make in patients' lives. For example, recently, when an older patient with longstanding hearing loss was…

As an audiologist, treating hearing loss is a part of my everyday life. Even still, I’m sometimes amazed at the difference hearing aids can make in patients’ lives. For example, recently, when an older patient with longstanding hearing loss was fitted with a pair of hearing aids, he was suddenly able to participate in conversation with his son again. The smile across his face said everything.

Hearing well can slow cognitive …

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How hearing is connected to well-being

Physician voices

Ergonomics: How to live pain-free and have a long surgical career 

Ergonomics is the study of how humans and machines interact. More specifically, it addresses the interplay between humans and machines through an examination of optimal positioning of equipment and personnel to allow for the most efficient work play and use…

Ergonomics is the study of how humans and machines interact. More specifically, it addresses the interplay between humans and machines through an examination of optimal positioning of equipment and personnel to allow for the most efficient work play and use of time and space. With its study and importance growing in scope following the invention of the assembly line by Henry Ford in 1913, ergonomics has now found itself as …

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Ergonomics: How to live pain-free and have a long surgical career 

The Podcast by KevinMD

Stories of surgery, clarity, and grace [PODCAST]

"My mother, bless her ninety-year-old heart, is slowing down. The things that made her happiest — getting to church, visiting friends, taking walks, and wandering the aisles in the grocery store —are increasingly difficult. She worries that her lack of…

Listen on Apple Podcasts · Spotify

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“My mother, bless her ninety-year-old heart, is slowing down. The things that made her happiest — getting to church, visiting friends, taking walks, and wandering the aisles in the grocery store —are increasingly difficult. She worries that her lack of energy will soon make every activity impossible.

It is 2005 and …

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Stories of surgery, clarity, and grace [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Menopause changes women’s singing voices [PODCAST]

"Until recently, voice changes from menopause and aging have been almost unmentionable. If a woman talked about her challenges, especially if she was a professional singer, it could have meant decreased opportunities and even the end of her career. Most…

Listen on Apple Podcasts · Spotify

Listen and followApple PodcastsSpotifyYouTubeMore apps · Browse all episodes

“Until recently, voice changes from menopause and aging have been almost unmentionable. If a woman talked about her challenges, especially if she was a professional singer, it could have meant decreased opportunities and even the end of her career. Most women have stayed silent, coping as best as they …

Read more…

Menopause changes women’s singing voices [PODCAST]

Conditions and diseases

Menopause changes women’s singing voices

Singing during the years around menopause can bring unforeseen challenges for some women. To Elaine, a 56-year-old professional singer and voice teacher, her voice has felt like a mystery for the last few years. Her vibrato was wider than it…

Singing during the years around menopause can bring unforeseen challenges for some women. To Elaine, a 56-year-old professional singer and voice teacher, her voice has felt like a mystery for the last few years. Her vibrato was wider than it used to be, her usual songs didn’t feel good anymore, and her flexibility and agility had decreased.

On top of that, the vocal transition, or break, between her high and low …

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Menopause changes women’s singing voices

Physician voices

When Brooklyn meets Alabama: a physician story from a 50-year career

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I never expected to have a friend from Alabama. My upbringing in Brooklyn, New York, didn't include anyone from the South, and this was a time in American history when the South was in turmoil. I recall black and white…

I never expected to have a friend from Alabama. My upbringing in Brooklyn, New York, didn’t include anyone from the South, and this was a time in American history when the South was in turmoil. I recall black and white images on our family’s TV showing federally enforced integration of schools and communities, swelling civil rights marches, and disturbing scenes of riots and attack dogs used to intimidate …

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When Brooklyn meets Alabama: a physician story from a 50-year career

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