Health Topics /

Allergies & ENT

A family of three sitting outside in the park after learning that allergies are genetic

Are allergies genetic? How family history impacts your health

Health Topics

Sep 3, 2025

If you've ever wondered whether your child might inherit your seasonal sneezing, cat allergy or food sensitivities, you're not alone. Are allergies hereditary? Or are environmental factors more to blame? Let’s take a closer look. Are allergies genetic? What the...

Lump in throat allergies.jpeg

Lump in your throat? 4 common causes and how to relieve it

Health Topics

Apr 18, 2024

Have you ever felt like there's a lump in your throat? It's more than just an expression, it could be a medical condition. It's always important to listen to your body, so learn what could be causing a lump in...

An allergist’s top tips for dealing with cedar allergy season

Health Topics

Oct 20, 2023

One of the biggest problems in the fall and winter season for allergy sufferers—adults and kids alike—is mountain cedar, also known as Ashe juniper. It produces pollen in the fall and winter and grows plentifully in the Texas Hill Country,...

Sinuses got you down this spring? What to do about chronic sinusitis

Health Topics

Mar 20, 2022

It’s that time of the year: the flowers are blooming, the grass is turning green and people who suffer from nasal allergies and sinus pain are struggling to catch their next breath. Many people in Texas suffer from chronic sinusitis,...

Stuffy nose? 6 ways to get rid of those annoying allergies

Health Topics

Mar 20, 2022

It’s that wonderful time of year again when you’re accompanied by used tissues wherever you go, you have to wear extra makeup to cover up those puffy eyes and your nose resembles a certain reindeer of Santa’s.Yep, it’s spring, and...

Allergy treatment: Are medications or allergy shots right for you?

Health Topics

Mar 16, 2022

Allergy symptoms are all-too-common. More than 50 million Americans experience them each year. Allergens, sadly, are almost everywhere—from your pets to your yard to your workplace.But there’s good news, too: allergies can be treated by physicians in a wide array...

Tips to avoid ear pain and injury while flying

Health Topics

Nov 14, 2021

Fly the friendly skies. Something special in the air. You are now free to move about the country… as long as you don’t have ear pain.If you typically experience ear pain while flying, you’re not alone. D. Randall Pinkston, MD,...

What to do if you think you have a sinus infection

Health Topics

Sep 28, 2021

Sinusitis, or sinus infection, is likely a familiar term. After all, about one in seven people has a sinus infection each year, for a total of more than 30 million cases. But you may not be familiar with all the...

Allergies: A genetic superiority from our ancestors

Health Topics

Jun 20, 2021

When you wake up in the morning, sneezing, you don’t need to look at the calendar to know your allergies have returned. The nose knows! Let’s break down all the why’s and how’s of allergies.What are allergies?Allergy is the modern...

What’s got you wheezing? Treatment options for allergy-induced asthma

Health Topics

Apr 24, 2021

If we’re to believe movies and TV shows, asthma is something that only happens to the nerdy kid in who has to take a break and use his inhaler in the middle of a ball game or gym class. That,...

Can local honey really help your allergies?

Health Topics

Apr 9, 2021

When winters are mild, our trees, bushes and flowers start blooming early, and doctors’ offices start filling up with patients with allergy complaints. Everyone wants the same thing: relief.To get it, some allergy sufferers reach for local honey to help ease...

What’s causing your sore throat?

Health Topics

Jun 23, 2020

Chances are, you have had a sore throat from time to time. Whether it’s scratchy, dry or just downright painful, it can be easy to worry that every little throat tickle is something serious.  But don’t panic — a sore...

The best foods to help you fight allergies

Health Topics

Jul 28, 2018

Allergies affect more than 50 million Americans, and it turns out allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, symptoms are our bodies’ way of being overprotective.The immune system mistakes irritants such as airborne pollen, dust, mold or pet dander as viruses, bacteria...

Are allergy seasons getting worse year after year?

Health Topics

Jul 9, 2018

Springtime is marked by blooming flowers and hours of sunshine which, unfortunately for some, means runny noses and watery eyes. Seasonal allergies occur from pollen in the air, which is in full force this time of year.Allergic reactions result when...

7 ways to take better care of your voice

Health Topics

Jul 2, 2018

There’s one part of your body you likely don’t think about often, even though you use it every day — your voice.As the saying goes, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.It’s easy to take our vocal cords...

4 things you need to know about pets and your allergies

Health Topics

Jun 2, 2018

They’re cute and oh-so-cuddly, but your sneezes, watering eyes and headache are anything but adorable.Pet allergies, including those to cats and dogs, are among the most common allergies. While an animal can be a wonderful addition to any home, talking...

How viruses like the flu can damage your vocal cords

Health Topics

Apr 2, 2018

Winter is always a difficult season, with upper respiratory infections such as the common cold, cough and worst of all, the flu. It is quite common to experience laryngitis during an upper respiratory infection or other virus.Laryngitis results when the...

Clearing up throat problems [Podcast]

Health Topics

Sep 13, 2017

Sam Baker says he goes most places without people recognizing him. That is, until he opens his mouth.“It usually happens when I’m standing in line somewhere like the grocery store,” Baker said. “I start talking to the cashier and then...

Empowering your voice: Therapy for vocal cord dysfunction

Health Topics

May 17, 2017

In 1983, doctors at the National Jewish Center described a condition that has the potential to mimic asthma. Those findings eventually lead to inaccurate diagnosis and inappropriate, potentially harmful treatment. This condition is called Vocal Cord Dysfunction, or VCD. The...

Aging Voice: The Art of Voice Therapy

Health Topics

Mar 27, 2017

Aging has vast effects on our body, and our voice is not immune to that process. A lot of elderly patients come to my clinic seeking voice therapy. Some after operations, some due to general hoarseness and some due to...