Acute laryngitis can result from something as simple as yelling too much at a football game or as disruptive as allergies or as painful as an upper respiratory infection. In any event, too much strain on your vocal cords can lead to the formation of throat polyps and chronic laryngitis, … Read More
Remember that time you cleared your second plate and then went whole hog at the Thanksgiving dessert table? You may not recall the exact foods you ate, but the bloating, nausea, and discomfort that ensued are likely etched into your brain. Now imagine suffering these feelings multiple times a week, … Read More
It’s easy to reach for antacids or prescription medications when the fiery pain of heartburn strikes. But you may find more relief by changing your diet and lifestyle instead. Heartburn is just one symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition that is often related to the foods you eat … Read More
Asthma is often thought of as a disease of childhood, but it can affect anyone at any age. In fact, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute reports that about 25 million Americans—including 7 million children—have asthma. It’s a condition in which the airways become inflamed and narrowed. Your airways … Read More
You may have heard the term scleroderma but what does it mean? The first half of the word has roots in the Greek word "skleros," or "hard." The second half of the word, "-derma," means "skin." According to the American College of Rheumatology, “Scleroderma (or systemic sclerosis) is an autoimmune … Read More
Smoking, drinking alcohol, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) all can increase your risk of throat cancer, but genital human papillomavirus (HPV) has become a leading cause of oropharyngeal cancers in the United States. In fact, some 9,000 people are diagnosed each year with throat cancer that may be caused by … Read More
If you have trouble swallowing, you have dysphagia. If that trouble swallowing is associated with pain, it’s called odynophagia. These are big words for an annoying—and potentially dangerous—disorder that most of us call “trouble swallowing.” According to the National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders, the number of those who have trouble … Read More
Up to 15 million Americans every day are thought to suffer from heartburn—a form of indigestion that feels like a burning sensation in the chest. It isn’t normal, however, to have heartburn after every meal, according to Mount Sinai gastroenterologist Brijen Shah, MD. “If you do," he warns, "it’s possible … Read More
Acid reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), occurs when the contents of the stomach pass into the esophagus and cause inflammation. For many people, it causes mild but unpleasant symptoms of heartburn, regurgitation, and trouble swallowing, but if left untreated, it can increase the risk of stomach cancer. … Read More
Esophageal cancer is on the rise in the U.S.—according to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 17,000 new cases were diagnosed in 2016. Symptoms typically don’t become apparent until late in the disease, and the fact this cancer is often detected at an advanced stage means that outcomes are poor. … Read More
