How Our Team Can Help with Internal Nasal Valve Collapse
By Daniel Givens MD FACS| Dubuque ENT, Dubuque, Iowa If you struggle with chronic nasal congestion or difficulty breathing through your nose—especially during exercise or at night—you may be dealing with more than allergies or a deviated septum. One often-overlooked cause of nasal obstruction is nasal valve collapse, which can significantly impact airflow. At Dubuque…
One and Done: Why Surgical Excision Outperforms SRT for Facial Skin Cancer
By Daniel Givens, MD, FACS | Facial Plastic Surgeon & Otolaryngologist | Dubuque, Iowa When it comes to treating facial skin cancer, patients are often presented with a choice: surgical removal with immediate reconstruction or non-surgical options like stereotactic radiation therapy (SRT). While radiation may seem appealing due to its non-invasive nature, surgery offers better…
Facial Skin Cancer Removal and Reconstruction: What You Should Know
By Daniel Givens, MD, FACS | Facial Plastic Surgeon & Otolaryngologist | Dubuque, Iowa Being diagnosed with skin cancer on the face can be an overwhelming experience. Understandably, patients are often concerned about two things: removing the cancer completely and preserving their appearance. Fortunately, with today’s surgical techniques, both of these goals can be achieved…
Septoplasty vs. Rhinoplasty: What’s the Difference?
By Daniel Givens MD FACS | Dubuque ENT, Dubuque, Iowa When it comes to improving the function and appearance of the nose, two common procedures often come up: septoplasty and rhinoplasty. While they may sound similar and can sometimes be performed together, they serve very different purposes. At Dubuque ENT, we believe that understanding your…
Skin Cancer
Insight into detection, prevention, and treatment What is skin cancer? How is skin cancer diagnosed? Am I at risk for skin cancer? and more… The skin is the largest organ in our body. It provides protection against heat, cold, light, and infection. The skin is made up of two major layers (epidermis and dermis) as…
What is Noise Induced Hearing Loss?
How Can Sounds Hurt Your Ears? Background sound is a constant in our busy lives. Normally, background noises are at safe levels that do not negatively impact our hearing. But repeated exposure to noise above 85 decibels (dB) can cause noise induced hearing loss. The louder the sound, the less amount of time it takes…
What is Unilateral Hearing Loss?
What is Single Sided Deafness? Sometimes referred to as unilateral hearing loss, single sided deafness is a condition in which an individual experiences hearing loss in only one ear but can hear normally out of the other ear. While most patients with a hearing impairment suffer from bilateral (two-sided) hearing loss, SSD affects approximately 60,000…
What is Sudden Hearing Loss?
For most people who experience hearing loss, the condition comes on gradually over a period of years. In rare cases, an abrupt loss of hearing occurs with little or no warning. This condition is known as sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL). What is Sudden Deafness? Sudden deafness is an unexplained and rapid hearing loss that…
How Do I Know When My Child Has Sinusitis?
Your child’s sinuses are not fully developed until age 20. Although small, the maxillary (behind the cheek) and ethmoid (between the eyes) sinuses are present at birth. Unlike in adults, pediatric sinusitis is difficult to diagnose because symptoms can be subtle and the causes complex. The following symptoms may indicate a sinus infection in your…
Why Do Children Have Earaches?
To understand earaches you must first know about the Eustachian tube, a narrow channel connecting the inside of the ear to the back of the throat, just above the soft palate. The tube allows drainage — preventing fluid in the middle ear from building up and bursting the thin ear drum. In a healthy ear,…