Throat

Dysphagia refers to difficulty swallowing. Swallowing difficulty may arise from abnormalities in the mouth, throat, esophagus, or from neurologic or muscular disorders. Treatment initially is aimed at discerning a cause of the dysphagia and may require further testing via x-ray exams (barium swallow,

Hoarseness may be defined as any change in vocal quality. Hoarseness may be described as breathy, coarse, gravelly, or weak, among many other descriptions. Hoarseness may be caused by diseases of the vocal fold - infection, inflammation, neoplasms (growths - may be benign or cancerous), neurologic, or

Reflux, Care: Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) describes acid which may flow from the stomach into the esophagus. GERD most often causes heartburn and burping, among a multitude of other symptoms. Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) refers to the flow of acid from the stomach, via the esophagus, into the

Throat pain may come from a number of different problems - viral, fungal, or bacterial infection, allergies. acid reflux, postnasal drainage or other sinus or allergy problems, or tumors, among many others. Establishing a diagnosis, usually based on history and exam, which may include looking in the

Vocal fold nodules are thickened areas of the vocal folds, akin to scar or callous, usually caused by trauma from vocal abuse or misuse. Care usually involves speech therapy to change the problem / causative vocative habits. Nodules may take a long time to resolve with speech therapy, but therapy is

Polyps of the vocal folds are usually benign and inflammatory in nature. A small percentage may represent cancer of the larynx. They are usually a result of exposure to an irritant (most commonly cigarette smoke). Treatment is primarily focused on avoidance or treatment of the triggers, and may include