What is Earwax?
Earwax is often the butt of many an ill-conceived joke on a Saturday morning cartoon. Your Boone audiologist is here to set the record straight – earwax is important. Cerumen is the medical term for the waxy, yellowish substance found in healthy ears. It not only protects your ear from bacteria, water and foreign particles,…
Learn to be Your Own Mechanic.
For many in Boone, North Carolina with hearing loss, their hearing aid is their connection to the outside world. Much like a car, you don’t want to become stranded if something goes wrong and you don’t have the ability to fix it. To prevent that, you know how to change a tire; do you know…
How to Travel Safely with Food Allergies
If you or a loved one has a food allergy, you know how challenging it can be. Eating out at a local restaurant comes with its fair share of pitfalls, never mind when you travel. Fortunately, technology is here to help. There are a number of new smartphone apps on the market designed specifically to…
Resolve to Finally Do Something About Your Sinuses
Do you often experience cold-like symptoms such as nasal congestion and discharge, postnasal drip, sore throat, facial pressure and swelling, loss of smell and taste, headache, fever, fatigue and bad breath? If so, you are not alone. Boone otolaryngologists estimate that 37 million Americans suffer from an inflammation and swelling of their sinus tissue known…
The Baffling Booger
Deposited into a tissue and then thrown away, boogers are typically never given a second thought. But do you know what they are? What they’re made of? What your Boone physician can tell about you from them? What are Boogers? So let’s start from the beginning. A booger is a mixture of water, mucus and…
Causes of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is common. In fact, it is the third most common physical condition in the United States behind only arthritis and heart disease. Turns out, there are a wide variety of causes for this popular condition. Age-Related Hearing Loss Presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss, is one of the most common causes. It occurs as…
Halloween and Food Allergies
Now that it is finally October, Halloween is almost here. Time to break out the skeletons, pumpkins and allergen-free treats. Unfortunately, not all families in Linville, NC are on the same page about the third item on the list – allergen-free treats. Halloween is a holiday designed to be scary. But for those children with…
Balancing Act (Part 2)
As we discussed in the last blog post, our balance system is made up of our inner ear and what we see and feel. This week, we will discuss what happens if something goes wrong. Causes of Balance Disorders Countless things can cause a balance disorder: medications, head injury or a change in the inner…
Balancing Act (Part 1)
Have you ever been walking and suddenly lost your balance and stumbled? That’s probably one of the few times when you actually think about your ability to balance. While it may seem simple, all you have to do is stand up and then stay standing, it turns out that balancing is quite complex. There is…
Audiologist vs. ENT
Audiologists and ENT physicians work hand-in-hand at Boone Ridge ENT to provide patients with the best possible care. But what sets these two specialties apart? Audiologists An audiologist is a health care professional who specializes in evaluating, treating and managing hearing loss, tinnitus and balance problems. They are required to complete rigorous training, earning a master’s or doctoral…