EarPopper versus Otovent... Which is Better?

Before describing which device is better to treat a clogged, muffled ear whether it contains fluid or not, first a short description of the problem itself known as eustachian tube dysfunction. Although (most) adults can easily pop the ears to alleviate the ear pressure with a swallow, yawn, or blowing against a pinched nose, it is not unusual for most young children to not know how to do this. Some may not even know how to blow the nose. Even some adults may struggle after an upper respiratory…

Dr. Chang Assisting in the Production of DIY Physical Therapy

In early 2018, Dr. Chang was asked by a pair of physical therapists, Andy Dart and Nick Gallo, to see about making some videos to help individuals perform physical therapy at home rather than in a medical office. Such DIY videos are helpful ESPECIALLY because there is often a yearly insurance cap on physical and speech therapy services combined (~$3700).

After agreeing to help make these videos, it was noted that there are already MANY physical therapy videos online. In order to distinguish ou…

Free Educational App Demonstrating How Inner Ear Balance Works in Conjunction with Eye Movements

Australian researchers have created a free educational app that attempts to demonstrate how the inner ear balance system works and its relationship with eye movement. The app, called aVOR (angular Vestibular Ocular Reflex), is available for download to tablets and smartphones.

The neat thing about this app is that one can manually toggle settings specifying whether there is dysfunction present and where it is present. Once settings have been set, one can than see how it affects eye movements.

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Celine Dion Cancels Concerts Due to Patulous Eustachian Tube

On March 21, 2018, Celine Dion announced on Facebook that she is cancelling her concerts in March and April 2018 due to "Patulous Eustachian Tube," a middle ear condition that causes hearing problems.

In a normal human middle ear, there is a tunnel that connects to the back of the nose. When pressure builds up in the middle ear such as going up in an airplane, an individual is able to "pop" the ear thereby releasing the pressure and alleviating the clogging sensation.

When …

Dr. Chang Quoted in a Refinery29 Lump in Throat Article

Dr. Chang was recently quoted in a Refinery29 article discussing the lump in throat complaint that people often have with extreme emotional changes.

Read the full article here which was first published on February 28, 2018.

Tonsillectomy Has Higher Risk of Complications if Younger Than 3 Years

Tonsillectomy is commonly performed in children for really 2 main conditions... chronic tonsillitis (whether from strep of other) or obstructive sleep apnea. This surgery is overall considered safe and effective. However, experienced clinicians have also known that complications occur more frequently in children under 3 years of age. As such, for a very young child, this surgery is often recommended to be delayed if at all possible until a child is over 3 years old.

But is this concern actually…