Throat

Your body produces mucus constantly throughout the day – one to two quarts, to be exact. It mixes with saliva and is swallowed, a normal and harmless response that you usually don’t notice. When excess mucus is created or it is thicker than usual, it becomes noticeable as it runs down the back of the nose to the throat. This is known as postnasal drip. Causes An excess of mucus can be caused by a

Keeping your voice healthy will ensure you are able to communicate properly, and for some people who rely on it to earn a living – singers, teachers, and lawyers, for instance – good voice health is essential. These same individuals tend to put more strain on their vocal cords. Even those whose professions don’t require constant speaking still suffer when experiencing voice-related health issues. It is estimated that 7.5 million people experience voice disorders. Understanding

As children grow, there are certain milestones parents look forward to, such as crawling, walking, and speaking. By their first birthday, most children know a word or two; at 18 months, their vocabulary should consist of five to twenty words and include simple two-word sentences. But these are rough guidelines. Every child progresses at a different pace. Approximately one out of every four children experiences a speech delay, and most eventually catch up without any

When you swallow, you are chewing food and moving it to the esophagus, a tube that connects to the stomach. Dysphagia, the medical term for difficulty swallowing, is characterized by the sensation of food or liquid getting stuck in the throat or chest. There are numerous factors that can cause swallowing difficulty, most of them fairly benign. The Swallowing Process Few of us give much thought to the act of swallowing, but it’s actually a

Speech audiometry is a very basic way to test for hearing loss – but it plays an extremely important role in your complete hearing evaluation. Unlike other hearing tests, which measure a patient’s hearing abilities, speech audiometry measures a patient’s comprehension abilities. Audiologists often use speech audiometry in conjunction with other tests during a hearing loss evaluation. Speech tests can sometimes reveal a hearing impairment that other tests don’t disclose or measure effectively. What Is

Sleep is vital for good health. Experts recommend a minimum of seven to eight hours of sleep per night for most adults; a lack of sleep can affect your hormone levels, mood, weight and work or school performance and may result in physical, mental, social and emotional problems. Reaching that goal is difficult for many, thanks to the growing prevalence of sleep disorders. What Is A Sleep Disorder? Sleep disorders are conditions that prevent you

Snoring is a problem that affects a large number of adults; about 45 percent of people snore at least occasionally, and one in five American adults are habitual snorers. It’s no laughing matter either: snoring can cause a rift in the strongest of relationships because it robs the spouse of rest and can lead to a variety of problems ranging from resentment to separate bedrooms. Not only that, but snoring may be hazardous to your

Snoring is extremely common: 45 percent of American adults snore occasionally, and 25 percent are habitual snorers. While many consider it a mere nuisance, snoring is actually a sleep disorder that can be a sign of a serious medical condition. What Causes Snoring? When you sleep, your tongue, throat muscles, and soft palate relax. If they relax too much, they can droop backward and block the airway, vibrating together when you breathe. This causes the

Sleep apnea is a disorder in which breathing is interrupted periodically throughout the night. These pauses, or gaps, in breathing may be accompanied by choking or gasping but rarely awaken the sleeping individual. An estimated 18 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, many of them unaware of their condition. Causes There are two main types of sleep apnea: obstructive and central.  Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the throat muscles relax and droop during sleep, blocking

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is a surgical procedure to remove excess tissue in the throat in order to widen the airway, making it easier to breathe. It’s designed to treat obstructive sleep apnea, a sleeping disorder that can cause serious health problems over time. Why UPPP? UPPP involves the removal of tissues that may include the uvula, soft palate, tonsils, adenoids, and pharynx. In some instances, a small portion of the tongue may be removed as well.