Blog Articles

Hearing Aids vs. Hearing Amplifiers: Understanding the Differences

Hearing aids and hearing amplifiers each make quiet sounds louder, though they have significant differences. Amplifiers provide general, across-the-board amplification, while hearing aids compensate for individual hearing loss.

Jun 1st, 2025

Considering Otoplasty? Here's What You Need to Know

A plastic surgery to fix structural problems with the ear, otoplasty is most commonly performed on children after they reach the age of about 4, but there’s no reason why adults can’t opt for the procedure when needed.

May 1st, 2025

Are Strep Throat and Tonsillitis Connected?

Both strep throat and tonsillitis can result in a sore throat, and while medically related, they’re not interchangeable. Tonsillitis is a general condition causing swollen tonsils, while strep throat refers to illness caused by a specific bacterium.

Apr 1st, 2025

Who Needs a Hearing Screening?

Hearing screenings are quick tests that identify potential hearing loss. The screenings are suitable for patients of any age, and only those who fail one require a full hearing evaluation with a qualified audiologist.

Mar 7th, 2025

Missing the Sound of Silence? Put an End to Tinnitus

Tinnitus describes phantom sounds that come from your auditory nerves and brain. These sounds, which only you can hear, are usually a side effect of hearing loss and other conditions. It’s possible to mask tinnitus sounds to reduce their impact.

Feb 6th, 2025

Is Hoarseness Anything to Worry About?

Medically known as dysphonia, hoarseness is a common and usually temporary condition due to inflammation of the vocal cords. It’s not usually a cause for concern, but long-lasting symptoms could require treatment. 

Jan 1st, 2025

Here's How to Properly Clean Out Your Ear Wax

Ear wax may build up in the ear canal, causing discomfort, dizziness, and hearing loss. If you know the right ways to treat mild and moderate wax buildups at home—and avoid the wrong ways—you can prevent them.

Dec 1st, 2024

Can Anything Be Done to Prevent Hearing Loss?

While you can’t avoid all causes of hearing loss, there are some situations where reducing noise exposure now prevents hearing loss in the future. Here’s what you need to know to keep your hearing in top condition.

Nov 6th, 2024

Nasal Polyps: A Common Cause of Chronic Sinusitis

When your nasal symptoms last more than 12 weeks, beyond the duration of the allergies or respiratory infection that started them, you’ve got chronic sinusitis. The underlying reason may be related to growths in your airways called nasal polyps. 

Oct 10th, 2024

4 Exercises for Vertigo Relief

When vertigo becomes frequent, you have a greater risk of falling, suffering from nausea and vomiting, and experiencing headaches and vision problems. Many cases of vertigo are successfully treated with simple head position exercises.

Sep 11th, 2024

Can Corrective Voice Therapy Help With Age-Related Volume Loss?

If you find yourself struggling to be heard as you get older, it’s likely due to a condition called presbylaryngis, also known as vocal cord atrophy. Corrective voice therapy can help with age-related volume loss.

Aug 8th, 2024

5 Signs It's Time to Have Your Hearing Checked by an Audiologist

Hearing loss is a common problem in the United States, with about 15% of the population over the age of 18 suffering some level of hearing impairment. While hearing tests can detect and diagnose hearing loss, when do you know it’s time to have one?

Jul 18th, 2024

Who Should Have Skin Cancer Screening, and How Often?

The ultraviolet (UV) radiation you receive from the sun causes damage to your skin cells, disrupting the DNA within and causing changes that may lead to cancer. People with elevated risk for skin cancer should be screened promptly and regularly.

Jun 17th, 2024

Why You Shouldn't Ignore Your Child's Ear Pain

Though ear infections are a frequent childhood illness, they’re not an ailment to be disregarded as a harmless part of growing up. Ear infections can heal on their own, but serious complications could arise as a result.

May 13th, 2024

5 Common Signs of Vertigo

One of the most common symptoms that prompts people to visit a physician is dizziness. Also called vertigo, it’s as prevalent among patients’ complaints as back pain or headaches, affecting up to about 20% of adults in the United States.

Apr 3rd, 2024

Facial Pain and Sinusitis: How Are They Connected?

The common cold is a viral infection that often causes a condition called sinusitis. You may experience pain or tenderness around your nose, eyes, and forehead while sinusitis is active. Facial pain is a key symptom of sinusitis.

Mar 6th, 2024

When Is Corrective Voice Therapy the Right Course of Action?

A confident speaking voice is an asset in virtually every facet of life. Voice therapy helps patients who have any of a wide variety of vocal disorders feel and sound like themselves again, without surgery or medication.

Feb 6th, 2024

Two Types of Hearing Loss: Which Do You Have?

There are two primary types of hearing loss, and it’s perhaps easiest to think of these as mechanical and electronic. It’s also possible to have a hearing issue that combines elements of the two.

Jan 17th, 2024

When Should You Be Worried About Tonsillitis?

Your tonsils are one of the first lines of defense for your immune system, so they see a share of viral and bacterial infections as part of their duties. There are, however, times when you should be worried about tonsillitis.

Nov 30th, 2023

My Child Keeps Getting Ear Infections. What's Causing Them?

“Childhood” and “ear infections” sometimes seem to have a constant connection. One infection clears up and another takes its place. Why does your child get chronic ear infections? The answer relates to their youthful anatomy.

Nov 5th, 2023

Understanding Your Dysphonia Diagnosis

When your voice doesn’t sound like it usually does, it’s called dysphonia, though you’ll need a doctor to make that diagnosis. You’ll likely recognize it as hoarseness or loss of voice. Here are the basics to help you understand dysphonia.

Oct 9th, 2023

Adjusting Well to Your Hearing Aids

Corrective devices all carry adjustment periods. Eyeglasses tend to be easy, particularly if you’ve worn glasses for years. Hearing aids are another matter. Generally, these take longer to feel like your new normal.

Sep 5th, 2023

How to Relieve Your Acute Sinusitis Symptoms

You might think of acute sinusitis as a remnant of a cold or flu, a sinus infection, or just plain stuffiness. A sinus infection can create miserable headaches and uncomfortable breathing conditions. Here are some ideas to help.

Aug 7th, 2023

5 Signs of an Adult Ear Infection

Ear infections aren’t only a problem for youngsters. Adults can get them, too, but usually not with the same frequency as kids, who have their youthful anatomy working against them. A middle ear infection can be painful, no matter your age. 

Jul 12th, 2023

Helpful Tips on How to Protect Your Hearing

Just as your risk of skin cancer rises with every sunburn, your risk of hearing loss increases with every dangerous exposure to loud noise. Last night’s rock concert may not have an immediate effect, but it contributes over the long haul.

Jun 7th, 2023

Why Do I Lose My Voice Easily?

Losing your voice can be a disconcerting feeling, when you open your mouth and nothing comes out except a breathy rasp of a sound that barely carries your words. Chronic or recurrent dysphonia points to problems other than respiratory infections.

May 16th, 2023

How Do I Know if My Thyroid Isn't Functioning Properly?

Problems with the thyroid gland start when it either over- or under-produces its native hormones. The resulting symptoms depend on which side of the disorder you experience. However, it’s sometimes hard to trace symptoms back to the thyroid.

Apr 4th, 2023

Signs of Skin Cancer

While skin cancers can develop virtually anywhere on your body, those on your face and neck may be the most visible, and since these areas commonly receive sun exposure, they may be more vulnerable to the changes caused by ultraviolet light.

Mar 17th, 2023

What You May Not Know About Hearing Aids

Wearing hearing aids once meant a bulky box worn on a belt connected to an earphone. Today, tiny devices fit in or behind your ears that connect wirelessly to smartphones and sound systems. There’s lots you may not know about today’s hearing aids.

Feb 17th, 2023

Causes of Chronic Sinusitis

It’s common at some point through the winter to deal with sinusitis and its symptoms of runny nose, postnasal drip, and congestion. It’s common, that is, when it goes away in 7-10 days. When it lasts three months or more, it’s chronic sinusitis.

Jan 13th, 2023

Help! My Child Keeps Getting Ear Infections

Ear infections sometimes seem like a constant companion through childhood. It’s true that kids suffer from more middle ear infections than adults, some that require medical attention. Here’s what you need to know to help your child through the cycle.

Dec 11th, 2022

A Closer Look at Your Vocal Cords and What Can Go Wrong

The sound of your voice occurs because of the function of two smooth bands of muscle in your throat. Misuse or overuse of your voice is the biggest reason for vocal cord problems, which may be affected in a variety of ways.

Nov 8th, 2022

Problems That Can Occur if Your Child Has a Tongue Tie

Tongue-tie is a problem when a band of tissue under the tongue is short or tight, affecting normal range of motion. It won’t always cause problems for a child, but it might in severe cases. A simple surgical procedure corrects the issue.

Oct 11th, 2022

Am I at Risk for Vertigo?

Vertigo is a symptom that’s connected with a wide range of medical conditions, but it’s dominated by a condition that’s harmless, except for a greater risk of falling. Virtually everyone can experience vertigo, but your chances increase as you age.

Sep 14th, 2022

How Loud Noises Affect Your Hearing Over Time

Loud noises can cause hearing loss, at the time of exposure and cumulatively, after repeated exposures. Single events may result in temporary effects, but long-term exposure usually causes permanent hearing loss.

Aug 9th, 2022

4 Reasons You Keep Getting Sinusitis

When your head is stuffy because of a cold or flu, you have sinusitis. It makes your life miserable for about 10 days, and then goes away — unless you have a chronic form of the problem. These are four reasons why your sinusitis may be recurrent.

Jul 1st, 2022

What You Need to Know About Three Kinds of Skin Cancer

While you may not think of an ear, nose, and throat doctor as the go-to practitioner for skin cancer, head and neck tumors are indeed part of their practice. Here’s what you need to know about the most common forms of the disease.

Jun 1st, 2022

The Link Between Vertigo and Calcium Crystals

When the world starts to spin due to inner ear issues, you likely have benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, the most common inner ear disorder. This type of vertigo happens when tiny crystals of calcium roam away from their proper location.

May 1st, 2022

Understanding the Different Types of Hearing Loss

Not all hearing loss is created equally. There are two types of hearing loss, as well as a third that combines those two. The most common type affects tiny hair cells and auditory nerves, while the other type usually results from physical blockages.

Apr 5th, 2022

I'm Concerned About Growths on My Thyroid: What Are They?

Thyroid growths — called nodules — are common and in most cases harmless. Often, thyroid nodules produce no symptoms, and you may not even know you have them. When they’re problematic, these growths are easy to treat.

Mar 8th, 2022

I Feel Dizzy All the Time: Do I Have Vertigo?

Feelings of dizziness can describe a number of sensations. While it’s not likely a sign of serious illness, being dizzy can increase your risk of falls and interfere with everyday tasks that you take for granted.

Feb 1st, 2022

The Importance of Getting Checked for Skin Cancer

While most people know that skin cancer screenings are important, they may not think of their ear, nose, and throat specialist as a go-to source of skin cancer expertise. However, the head and neck are associated with more aggressive skin cancers.

Jan 6th, 2022

Is It Time to Get Hearing Aids?

More than 35 million American adults have some level of hearing loss, but not all of them wear hearing aids, even when doing so could make their lives much easier. It’s a personal decision, and the more you know, the easier it is to choose.

Dec 8th, 2021

Understanding Parathyroid Disorders

When you have problems with the amount of calcium in your bloodstream, a doctor typically looks at the activity of four pea-sized glands behind your thyroid, the parathyroid glands. These glands regulate the level of calcium in your system.

Nov 5th, 2021

What Causes Tongue Tie?

Medically known as ankyloglossia, tongue tie is a condition present in some children at birth that may cause problems with feeding and, later, speech development. It’s usually easily corrected once it’s discovered.

Oct 8th, 2021

3 Reasons You Shouldn't Ignore Snoring

Snoring is more than just a funny sound you make while you sleep. It can be the cause behind sleep disorders for you and those around you, as well as a symptom of a potentially serious health issue called obstructive sleep apnea.

Sep 7th, 2021

What's Involved in Voice Therapy?

When your voice no longer sounds like you and doesn’t seem to return to normal, you have a voice disorder, and therapy may be part of your treatment. Voice therapy is a highly customized treatment to help improve or eliminate vocal problems.

Aug 12th, 2021

Lifestyle Adjustments for Vertigo

Vertigo is a symptom of many conditions, causing dizziness and nausea. When it’s severe, it can make daily living difficult as well as increasing your risk of falls or accidents. In some cases, you can make lifestyle changes to ease the problem.

Jul 26th, 2021

Corrective Voice Therapy: What to Expect

Having a hoarse voice is a common problem, one that’s usually temporary and due to overuse. However, it can be a chronic issue for some, and one treatment option is corrective voice therapy. Here’s what you can expect.

Jun 20th, 2021

5 Ways to Lower Your Risk for Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer around the world. While some forms can be easy to treat with high rates of success, it depends on early detection. Here are five ways you can reduce your risk of developing any type of skin cancer.

May 12th, 2021

Sinusitis: Understanding the 4 Underlying Causes

Most people are familiar with sinusitis from the respiratory issues that accompany the common cold. The normally empty sinuses fill with fluid and make life miserable for a week or two. However, colds aren’t the only cause of sinusitis.

Apr 1st, 2021

What to Do About Impacted Earwax

Earwax is a natural substance that protects your ear canal and eardrum. There can be too much of a good thing, though, and you can develop wax plugs in your ear from time to time, without realizing there’s an issue. Here’s what you need to know.

Mar 3rd, 2021

Are My Dizzy Spells a Sign of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo?

Occasional dizziness is normal. You recognize a light sensation and it’s over in a few seconds. If it develops to the point where you risk falling, though, it has progressed into vertigo, and you may need treatment to protect yourself.

Feb 19th, 2021

4 Signs of Age-Related Hearing Loss

It’s not inevitable that you’ll lose some of your hearing when you get older, but it’s very common. Despite this, it can be hard to recognize that your own hearing has suffered because your brain adapts to changing conditions. Here’s what to watch.

Jan 13th, 2021

How Corrective Voice Therapy Helps to Treat Dysphonia

When your job requires long hours of talking, or if you’re affected by a wide range of other conditions, you could develop voice issues. Called dysphonia, the effects often create chronic laryngitis-type symptoms.

Dec 15th, 2020

Why Won't My Baby Breastfeed?

For all of the joy a newborn brings, parents face the big responsibility of ensuring the baby’s well-being. When you choose to breastfeed but your baby has difficulty, it might be due to a common inherited problem called ankyloglossia, or tongue-tie.

Nov 12th, 2020

It's Time for Your Post-Summer Skin Cancer Check

While it’s still months away from the start of a new calendar year, the passing of summer represents the end of your heaviest ultraviolet light exposure. It’s the perfect time to include a comprehensive screening for skin cancer.

Oct 5th, 2020

Recognizing the Signs of Early Hearing Loss

Over 30 million people in the United States have some level of hearing loss, yet some may not seek treatment, since they’re unaware of an issue. Changes in hearing are often quite gradual, especially when your hearing loss is related to aging.

Sep 16th, 2020

Could That Tooth Pain Be Related to Sinusitis?

The tough time you have breathing during a sinus infection likely dominates your thoughts, at least until it eases up. However, you may notice that your top rear teeth are aching too. This is common if you have a sinus infection.

Aug 14th, 2020

Why Children Are More Prone to Ear Infections — Especially in Summer

Children and ear infections go together like sunshine and a day at the beach, though the infections aren’t as much fun. Yet, that day at the beach could be the source of a common summertime ear infection called swimmer’s ear.

Jul 17th, 2020

Why You Should Never Ignore Pain While Swallowing

A sore throat accompanying a cold may be irritating for a few days, but did you know you could have pain while swallowing without a respiratory infection? Many conditions could affect your ability to swallow, and some are serious.

Jun 26th, 2020

The Science Behind Dysphonia

Any time your voice doesn’t sound or act like it should, you have dysphonia. Though dysphonia is often associated with hoarseness, different types of conditions create wide-ranging voice effects. Here’s what you need to know.

May 21st, 2020

5 Facts About Sunscreen You Should Know

If you have five severe sunburns in your life, you double your chance of developing melanoma. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, but it’s also the most survivable, and effective sunscreen practices may be your best preventive defense.

Apr 24th, 2020

Ear Pain: Is it an Infection?

While infections are a common reason for earaches in the young and old alike, not every painful sensation in your ear traces back to bacteria. Ear disorders, injuries, and even problems unrelated to your ears can cause you to ache.

Mar 11th, 2020

Why Wintertime Skin Care Matters

Skin protection for a day at the beach is a no-brainer, yet some people don’t give winter activities the same consideration. Just as the hot sun reflects off sand, snowy ground can bounce harmful UV rays back up and burn exposed skin.

Feb 1st, 2020

Dysphonia: Why is My Voice so Raspy?

A raspy voice that doesn’t clear up or spasms in your throat that interfere with speech are just two symptoms of dysphonia, any condition that affects the sound of your voice.

Jan 3rd, 2020

Is it Allergies or Sinusitis?

A stuffy nose and serious head congestion can result from an infection called sinusitis or in response to allergies that have respiratory effects. Because of this, the two conditions can sometimes be hard to distinguish from each other.

Dec 1st, 2019

What Causes Vertigo (And What Can I Do About It)?

Vertigo isn’t usually a sign of serious illness, but it can cause you to lose your balance and fall, risking injury. There are some home care tips you can try to relieve the issue, or an otolaryngologist may help if you require medical treatment.

Nov 1st, 2019

Signs You May Have Tonsillitis

Tonsillitis is an infection that usually affects children while their immune systems are still developing. Caused most frequently by viruses, tonsillitis can also be bacterial, usually requiring antibiotic treatments to clear.

Oct 1st, 2019

Tips for Adjusting to Life With Hearing Aids

Though you may expect to adjust to hearing aids as quickly as to new prescriptions for eyeglasses or contact lenses, the process is usually different, as your brain needs longer to bring sounds into focus, particularly after slow hearing decline.

Sep 1st, 2019

What Makes Children More Susceptible to Ear Infections?

Children have more than their fair share of middle ear infections. This is due to the state of their developing bodies and, in some cases, genetics that make infections more likely. Effective treatment can prevent hearing and developmental problems.

Aug 2nd, 2019

Understanding The New TNM Staging System for Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer is the most common cancer of the endocrine system. Though its overall occurrence rate is low, it’s more frequently diagnosed now. New cancer staging guidelines came into effect for thyroid cancer in January 2018.

Jun 1st, 2019

The Best Preventive Measures Against Skin Cancer

Increased activity during the summer months is usually a healthy change for the better. It’s easy, however, to raise your risk of developing skin cancer with greater exposure to the sun and its harmful ultraviolet rays.

May 1st, 2019

Vertigo and the Risk of Falls

Occasional dizziness is common and usually not cause for concern, but when vertigo becomes chronic or puts you at risk of falling, then it’s no longer time to put off treatment. Accidental falls are a leading cause of death for older Americans.

Apr 1st, 2019

3 Reasons Tonsillitis Is Still Commonly Treated

Often affecting children over the age of 2, tonsillitis usually develops from common viruses. However, sometimes bacteria are responsible, and won’t clear up without antibiotics. There are three important reasons why treatment can make a difference.

Mar 1st, 2019

A Time of Celebration and Thanksgiving!

We celebrated the 100th birthday of “the chair” as well as the 20th anniversary of the formation of the Kansas Voice Center.

Feb 11th, 2019

Having Trouble Tasting and Smelling? This Could Be a Sign of Sinusitis

Virtually everyone knows the misery of the respiratory effects that accompany the common cold. There’s also a chronic version of this condition, called sinusitis. Those who endure it have symptoms that persist longer than three months.

Feb 1st, 2019

What You Should Know If You Feel a Lump On Your Neck

If you have a new lump on your neck, there’s likely nothing to worry about. But not always. That’s why any neck lump needs medical attention to confirm it’s not a rare or harmful concern.

Jan 7th, 2019

Ear Tube Surgery: All Your Questions Answered

One of the most common pediatric surgeries, ear tubes ease the pain and hearing loss resulting from chronic ear infections. It’s a fast, straightforward procedure with a short recovery time.

Dec 7th, 2018

5 Signs You May be Suffering From Age-Related Hearing Loss

Age-related hearing loss affects about half of adults older than 65, and the rate increases as people age further. It’s hard to be aware your hearing is fading, since it’s so gradual. Here are five common signs of age-related hearing loss.

Nov 21st, 2018

Diagnosing and Treating Tongue-Tie in Babies

Being tongue-tied is never comfortable, but when it’s a physical condition and it involves your child, it could mean they have trouble eating or speaking. The culprit is a band of flesh under the tongue that’s easily treated once it’s diagnosed.

Oct 8th, 2018

How We Can Help Remedy Recurrent Nosebleeds

For most people, an infrequent nosebleed isn’t a big concern. Some people, though, have weekly issues, a condition called frequent epistaxis. When nosebleeds turn persistent, an ear, nose, and throat specialist can help.

Sep 26th, 2018

Summertime Tips to Prevent Skin Cancer and Other Sun-Related Skin Issues

With skin cancer rates rising, particularly among the elderly, it’s more important than ever to guard against the harmful components of the summer sun. It’s not only cancer. Sun exposure can prematurely age your skin, making you look years older.

Jul 3rd, 2019

That Sounded Great!

Dr. Reussner experiences the Hearing Loop at the Lied Center

Sep 6th, 2018

Signs of Sudden Hearing Loss

A gradual hearing loss is not uncommon, but the sudden loss of hearing is an entirely different matter and requires immediate care. Here’s what you need to know.

Aug 27th, 2018

5 Tips for Preventing Skin Cancer

More people in the US are diagnosed with skin cancer than all other cancers combined. Since May is National Skin Cancer Awareness month, we thought it would be a good idea to go over a few helpful ways you can prevent skin cancer.

Jul 25th, 2018