National Better Speech and Hearing

Millions of Americans of all ages and from all walks of life suffer from some degree of hearing loss. Early detection can save valuable treatment time and enhance language development for babies and young children. Early testing can also help prevent a child’s hearing impairment from being mislabeled later as a learning disorder.

For teenagers and young adults, identification of a hearing problem can improve academic performance and social interaction.

For adults and the elderly, a proper hearing evaluation can increase confidence in communication with friends, family and colleagues.

If you notice signs of hearing loss, make an appointment to see an audiologist at Coastal Hearing and Balance Center (732-280-7855). A simple hearing test can determine the type and severity of hearing loss you may have.

Please visit our website at www.coastalhearing.com for more information on healthy hearing.
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Suzanne McCorry is Director of Audiology at Coastal Ear, Nose and Throat in Neptune, NJ and can be contacted at 732-280-7855; sbmccorry@coastalhearing.com; http://www.coastalhearing.com

NECK AND CANCER AWARENESS
Authored by Jaclyn Sylvia, PA-C


Cancer is a group of many related diseases that begin in cells. These cells begin to grow abnormally forming a mass of tissue, called a growth or a tumor. There are two types of tumors: benign and malignant. Benign tumors are not cancer. Malignant tumors are cancer. Their growth invades normal structures near the tumor and can spread to other parts of the body. Most head and neck cancers begin in the cells that line the mucosal surfaces in the head and neck area. These areas include lips, inside the mouth, tongue, salivary glands, nasal cavity, sinuses, pharynx, and the larynx (voice box).

Did You Know?

- Head and neck cancers, most of which are preventable, account for approximately 6% of all cancers in the United States
- More than 55,000 people in the U.S. will develop cancer of the head and neck in 2011; nearly 13,000 people will die from it
- Early detection and treatments are the keys to preventing these cancers
- Eighty-five percent of head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco use
- People who use both tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk of developing these cancers than people who use either tobacco or alcohol alone
- Cigarette smoking increases your risk of head and neck cancer by 15 times compared to a non-smoker
- Over the past ten years, an increasing number of people with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) who were young, non-smokers have developed oral, head and neck cancer

What Are the Common Symptoms of Head and Neck Cancer?

Symptoms of several head and neck cancer sites include a lump or sore that does not heal; a sore throat that does not go away, difficulty swallowing, and a change or hoarseness in the voice. Other symptoms may include the following:

- Oral Cavity: A white or red path on the gums, tongue or lining in the mouth, swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly, or unusual bleeding or pain in the mouth
- Nasal Cavity and Sinuses: Sinuses that are blocked and do not clear, chronic sinus infections that do not respond to treatment with antibiotics, bleeding through the nose, frequent headaches, swelling or other trouble with the eyes, pain in the upper teeth
- Oropharynx and Hypopharynx: Ear pain and blood in your saliva or phlegm for more than a few days
- Nasopharynx: Trouble breathing or speaking, frequent headaches, persistent pain or ringing in the ears, trouble hearing
- Larynx: Pain with swelling, persistent ear pain, difficulty breathing

These symptoms may be caused by cancer or by other, less serious conditions. However, raising awareness of cancer symptoms and treatment options is crucial because an estimated 60% of patients fail to see doctors until their disease have gone into advanced states.

Call our office at 732-280-7855 to schedule an appointment or visit our website at Coastal Ear, Nose and Throat.

Otitis Media (Inflammation of the Middle Ear)

Located within the middle ear space is a tube called the Eustachian Tube. This tube extends from the middle ear space to a region in the back of the throat and nose. In its normal state, the Eustachian tube is closed. However, when a person swallows or yawns, the Eustachian tube is forced open in order to allow air to enter the middle ear space, thus equalizing the air pressure in the middle ear to that within the ear canal. If the Eustachian tube fails to open and close properly, pressure builds up in the middle ear space allowing the accumulation of fluid.

A child’s Eustachian tube is an essentially narrow, straight, short tube which is the perfect condition for fluids and germs to gather in the middle ear space and cause problems. As children grow into adult bodies, this tube begins to widen, lengthen, and slope down into the back of the throat and nose space. Think of a properly functioning storm drain, an adult Eustachian tube allows for the proper drainage of fluid so that a buildup of fluid and germs is less likely to occur, similar to rain water properly running down the drain.

In addition to being at an anatomical disadvantage, a child’s immune system is not fully developed until the age of 7 years. Therefore, their bodies are not as good at warding off infections as adults. Environmental factors may also increase the risk of OM such as the use of pacifiers or bottles, exposure to second-hand smoke, and attending group child-care facilities where germs are easily spread.

In treating middle ear infections the physician will consider whether or not to use a “wait and see” approach, antibiotics, pressure equalization tube insertion, or a combination of two or more of these approaches. When planning the treatment approach the physician will consider the type and severity of the ear infection, frequency and duration of the ear infections, the age of the child, speech/language delays or learning disorders, state of hearing sensitivity and medical risk factors.

Pressure equalization tubes, or PE tubes, are surgically inserted in the ear drums. They help to drain fluid from the middle ear and equalize the pressure in the ear. The procedure takes about 10 minutes and is performed under general anesthesia. Children are most commonly able to leave about an hour after surgery and feel no pain after discharge.

If otitis media goes untreated, and fluid is allowed to remain in the middle ear for longer than 6 weeks, it may become thick. This thick fluid or mucous can cause significant damage to the eardrum and the tiny bones within the middle ear thus impairing hearing. Following your physician’s medical treatment plan is the best way to assure maximum recovery and hearing abilities.

Research about OM is ongoing; your doctor can talk to you about the current findings.

Coastal Ear, Nose and Throat has been treating monmouth county and ocean county for ear infections for over a decade. Our practice offers audiologic/diagnostic hearing evaluations our doctors of audiology. So come visit our board certified physicians and let them help you treat your otitis media. If you like our blog please visit our facebook page and like us.

Please visit our website at www.coastalhearing.com under helpful links for more healthy hearing information.
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Dr. Suzanne McCorry is Director of Audiology at Coastal Ear, Nose and Throat in Neptune, NJ and can be contacted at 732-280-7855; sbmccorry@coastalhearing.com; http://www.coastalhearing.com

Samuel Engel, MD

Samuel Engel, M.D., M.P.H.

Dr. Samuel Engel graduated Summa Cum Laude from Rutgers University. He received his master's degree in Public Health from the UMDNJ-School of Public Health and his medical degree from UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of Public Health and his medical degree from UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School where he received the Academic Achievement Award and was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society.

Dr. Engel completed his internship and residency in Otolaryngology at the Washington University School of Medicine. He completed his fellowship in Pediatric Otolaryngology at Children's National Medical Center, one of only six Pediatric Otolaryngology programs that are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Dr. Engel is chief of Pediatric Otolaryngology at Jersey Shore University Medical Center and the K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital. He specializes in all aspects of Pediatric Otolaryngology, with particular interest in pediatric airway disorders and obstructive sleep apnea, adenotonsillar diseases, otitis media, neck masses in children, pediatric sinusitis and pediatric voice disorders.