Earwax, called cerumen, is produced by special wax-forming glands located in the skin of the outer one-third of the ear canal. It is normal to have cerumen in ear canal as this waxy substance serves as a self-cleaning agent with protective, lubricating, and antibacterial properties. The absence of earwax

Fine needle aspiration (FNA), also called fine needle biopsy, is a type of biopsy where a needle is inserted into a lump or mass to collect a sample of cells. These cells are then looked at under a microscope to help your doctor determine if the mass or lump is cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign).

Fungal sinusitis is a broad term used to describe various situations when fungus might be involved in the cause or symptoms of nasal and sinus inflammation. Fungus is an entirely separate “kingdom” from plants and animals; they are plant-like but cannot create their own food like plants do. Because

Acid reflux occurs when acidic stomach contents flow back into the esophagus, the swallowing tube that leads from the back of the throat to the stomach. When acid repeatedly “refluxes” from the stomach into the esophagus alone, it is known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, if the

Rhinitis is an inflammation of the mucous membranes or lining of the nasal cavity. Geriatric rhinitis, or rhinitis in senior patients, is a common but often neglected or overlooked condition because it is not life-threatening. Patients with geriatric rhinitis may have nasal obstruction or congestion,

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the front of the neck. It produces thyroid hormone, which controls your metabolism, temperature regulation, and keeps your muscles and organs working properly. Goiter refers to an enlarged thyroid gland. A single or multiple nodules, Graves’

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the front of the neck. It produces thyroid hormone, which controls your metabolism, temperature regulation, and keeps your muscles and organs working properly. Graves’ disease causes the thyroid gland to become overactive. It is an autoimmune

Each year, more than 55,000 Americans will develop cancer of the head and neck (most of which is preventable). Nearly 13,000 will die from cancer of the head and neck. Head and neck cancers are curable if caught early. Fortunately, most of them produce early symptoms. You should know the potential warning

Hoarseness (also called dysphonia) is an abnormal change in the quality of your voice, making it sound raspy, strained, breathy, weak, higher or lower in pitch, inconsistent, fatigued, or shaky, often making it harder to talk. This usually happens when there is a problem in the vocal cords (or folds)

HPV, or human papillomavirus, is a sexually transmitted virus. It is not transmitted through casual contact. Many different subtypes of the virus exist, and it usually affects the throat or the reproductive tract. HPV can cause cancer, but not all HPV infections lead to cancer. Most people contract HPV

Hyperacusis, or sensitive hearing, describes a problem in the way the brain’s central auditory processing center perceives noise, often leading to pain and discomfort. People with hyperacusis have a hard time tolerating sounds that are typically not loud to others, such as noise from running water,

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the front of the neck. It produces thyroid hormone, which controls your metabolism, temperature regulation, and keeps your muscles and organs working properly. In hyperthyroidism, the thyroid gland is producing too much hormone. This excess

Hyposmia is a decreased sense of smell, or a decreased ability to detect odors through your nose. Anosmia is the inability to smell anything. These conditions are not very common. The smell is one of our most basic, important senses, and has meaning in our lives when it comes to enjoying a new sensation,

Cancer of the voice box, or laryngeal cancer, is not as well known by the general public as some other types of cancer, yet it is not a rare disease. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be about 13,150 new cases of laryngeal cancer (10,490 new cases in men and 2,660 new cases in women),

Ménière’s disease (also called idiopathic endolymphatic hydrops) is one of the most common causes of dizziness originating in the inner ear. In most cases, only one ear (unilateral) is involved, but both ears (bilateral) may be affected. Ménière’s disease typically affects people between the

A broken nose, or nasal fracture, can significantly alter your appearance. It can also make it much harder to breathe through your nose. Getting struck on the nose, whether by another person, a door, or the floor is not pleasant. Your nose will hurt, usually a lot. You’ll likely have a nose bleed and