Office-based, surgeon-performed, ultrasound-guided, fine needle aspiration (FNA) of head and neck lesions yields a statistically significant higher diagnostic rate compared to the standard palpation technique, indicates new research in the March 2010 issue of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. FNA is a diagnostic procedure used to investigate superficial lumps or masses…

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Laryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx due to overuse, irritation or infection. Inside the larynx are the vocal cords. The irritation causes a hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice. Normally the vocal cords open and close smoothly. They form sounds through their movement and vibration. In laryngitis, the vocal cords become inflamed or irritated…

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A team of University of Oregon researchers have isolated an independent processing channel of synapses inside the brain’s auditory cortex that deals specifically with shutting off sound processing at appropriate times. Such regulation is vital for hearing and for understanding speech. The discovery, detailed in the Feb…

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Proton beam radiation therapy shows encouraging results for patients with locally advanced sinonasal malignancies, according to a study presented at the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium, sponsored by AHNS, ASCO, ASTRO and SNM. Sinonasal cancers are very rare but aggressive types of cancer…

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New research from scientists in Liverpool has revealed the relationship between agility and vision in mammals…

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A new Cochrane review did not find clear evidence that taking zinc supplements reduces the occurrence of middle ear infections or otitis media in healthy children. About 164 million people around the world have long-term hearing loss caused by inflammation of the middle ear, and about 90 percent live in developing countries. “Deafness is a disaster for these children…

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Surgically implanted hearing aids anchored to the skull bone appear to be a durable treatment option that noticeably improves hearing among children with deafness in one ear, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals…

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Have a cold that just won’t go away or is getting worse? Chances are your cold has developed into a sinus infection a common problem this time of year, says Alan Wild, M.D., assistant professor of otolaryngology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. “Most colds resolve without progressing to a sinus infection,” Wild said…

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Oral thrush (oral candidiasis) is a condition in which the fungus Candida albicans causes an infection on the lining of the mouth. It is also known as “Thrush”. When occurring in the mouth or throat of adults it may also be termed candidosis or moniliasis. Oral thrush causes white lesions, usually on the tongue or inner cheeks…

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An oral allergy treatment administered in drops under the tongue is a safe and effective alternative to injections for adults who are allergic to ragweed pollen, according to a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology by allergic disease specialist at Allegheny General Hospital. Widely used in Europe, but not yet approved by the U.S…

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