What are tonsils? Tonsils are mounds of tissue located in a pocket on both sides of the back of the throat. They are made of lymphoid tissue which help the body sample anything that comes in through the mouth to determine if any infectious organisms like bacteria or viruses are present. Why would you need…
Alamo ENT Blog
4 Ways to Prevent Hearing Loss
Our ears are continuously processing different noises and sounds. Unfortunately, we are not always aware of the damage we are doing to our ears by exposing ourselves to loud and harmful noises. Hearing loss can be the result of extreme exposure to loud noises and can increasingly worsen over time. Everyday noises, music, gunfire, and…
Signs of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can happen for a variety of reasons, and no one is immune to its devastating effects. When your hearing is impaired, it can affect your health, interests, job, relationships, and overall quality of life. Common causes of hearing loss can include, but are not limited to: Genetics Loud noise exposure Aging Injury Smoking…
New Research Trial For Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Currently, research is being conducted to try to restore hearing loss due to noise trauma. However, there is no treatment for noise-induced hearing loss or hearing loss due to aging. The key to good hearing is prevention and early detection. Protecting your hearing is vital since hearing cannot be restored. At this time there is…
In Office CT Scanner
To enhance the level of service that we can provide in our office, Alamo ENT Associates has installed a Xoran MiniCAT CT scanner at our Stone Oak location. This allows us to quickly and painlessly obtain high quality images of the sinuses and ears while at the same time only requiring 1/5 to 1/20 the…
Sinuplasty
Sinuplasty is a unique surgical technique using balloons to open the natural pathways of your sinuses. This procedure is less invasive than traditional sinus surgery. By opening the sinuses, the goal is to clear the obstructed passages with little damage to the surrounding tissue. By only enlarging the natural pathways, the healing process is quicker,…
Silent Reflux
Often, individuals find it difficult to believe they have silent reflux, also called laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). They do not complain of heartburn or feel a sense of food coming up the back of their throat. Instead, these people often complain of voice problems, hoarseness, throat clearing, postnasal drip, excessive phlegm in their throat or a…
Transnasal Esophagoscopy
Transnasal Esophagoscopy, TNE is a safe, inexpensive and quick way to examine the esophagus in patients with a history of reflux and at risk for esophageal cancer. TNE does not require sedation, and it is done in the office using local anesthesia. A flexible tube is placed through the nose and behind the voice box…
Ear Tubes
Each year nearly half a million ear tube surgeries are performed on children, making it one of the most common childhood surgeries performed with anesthesia. The typical age for insertion of ear tubes is from six months to three years. Inserting tubes reduces the risk of future ear infections, restores hearing loss caused by fluid behind…
Treatment of a Thyroid Disorder
Your thyroid gland is one of the endocrine glands that makes hormones to regulate physiological functions in your body, like metabolism (heart rate, sweating, energy consumed). Other endocrine glands include the pituitary, adrenal, and parathyroid glands and specialized cells within the pancreas. The thyroid gland is located in the middle of the lower neck, below…