Yes, 2 to 4 percent of children have a form of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and ten percent snore regularly, leaving them susceptible to the same health risks and problems that occur in adults with OSA, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology. Sleep apnea is a disease where there is a cessation of airflow for 10 seconds or more. This may occur hundreds of times during the night. While not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, snoring is one of the major indicators.

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​If your child has been plagued with constant ear infection, one of our ear, nose and throat doctors may have suggested ear tube placement.  A myringotomy, or ear tube placement, is an outpatient procedure where an otolaryngologist uses a surgical microscope to make a small incision in the ear drum.It’s not common, but sometimes ear tubes may not fall out on their own or they become stuck in the ear wax in the ear canal.

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If you've had your tonsil removed when you were a child, you most likely had your adenoids removed at the same time. While everyone knows where their tonsils are located, many aren’t aware of where their adenoids are and don’t understand the role they play in preventing infection.

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When medication intervention fails to relieve chronic sinus problems, millions of Americans turn to sinus surgery to provide long-term relief. Our ear nose and throat physicians at Raleigh Capitol ENT have decades of experience performing sinus procedures, and we’ve outlined some of the most common.

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For most Americans, hoarseness is merely an inconvenience. It often starts as a scratchy throat that gradually transforms your voice into a raspy hoarseness – which is also called dysphonia. While it is often caused by colds, allergies, or reflux, chronic hoarseness can indicate a more serious health problem.

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Communication is a gift we take for granted. It’s easy to forget how effortless it is for many of us to speak with confidence to friends, coworkers or even family members. There are few things more frustrating than trying to express yourself when the power of speech fails you. Stuttering and other common speech disorders make it difficult to impart even the simplest ideas, and as a result can lead to social isolation and depression.

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If you’ve experienced consistent whistling every time you breathe through your nose, you may have a perforated septum. This occurs when a trauma, accident or injury creates a hole in the bone separating your nose into two sides.

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It’s not unusual to occasionally experience a ringing in your ears, especially after being exposed to a loud noise or during a bad ear infection. While the noise is irritating and inconvenient, it eventually subsides.

But imagine what your life would be like if it didn’t.

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Sinuplasty has proven itself to be a very effective treatment for those dealing with chronic rhinosinusitis. Through this minimally invasive procedure, a tiny balloon is inserted into the blocked sinus cavity, inflated, deflated and then removed. As a result, the sinus passages are opened, allowing fluid to drain.

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If your child has chronic throat infections, it may seem like the tonsils do nothing but cause trouble. In actuality, they do have a role to play as a part of the body’s natural defense against germs. However, when your child has recurrent tonsillitis, removing the tonsils can make a dramatic improvement in his or her life.

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