Ear, Nose & Throat
Ear and hearing.
The practice evaluates and treats the ear itself and everything it affects: hearing loss, ear infections, tinnitus, dizziness and balance, and blocked or painful ears. Care runs from ear wax removal and hearing evaluations through medical and surgical treatment to hearing aid fitting and long-term follow-up, for adults and children.
Start with what you feel
What are you feeling?
Say it the way you would say it out loud. Each of these opens the page that explains what it usually is and how the practice treats it.
The patient journey
Wherever you are in this, start there.
Put a name to it.
Four conditions cover most of what brings people in. Each page explains causes, symptoms and treatment, in plain language.
The evaluation comes first.
Every path through ear care starts the same way: an exam that establishes what is actually happening. A hearing evaluation measures what you hear. VNG testing measures the inner ear’s balance centers. Both happen in the office, at either location, and some first conversations can happen by video.
From ear drops to surgery.
Treatment is matched to the cause and type: prescribed antibiotics, steroids and ear drops for many infections; in-office ear wax removal; the Epley maneuver for positional vertigo; and surgical care, including draining fluid from the middle ear, when medicine alone is not enough.
Hearing aids, fitted and followed.
When hearing loss is not medically treatable, hearing aids are the path, and the practice stays with you from the evaluation and FDA-recommended medical clearance through fitting and the long-term management of the aid. The practice works with Signia, Starkey, Oticon, Phonak and TruHearing.
When not to wait
See us sooner if…
- Hearing in one ear drops suddenly, over hours or a few days. Call the same day.
- Ear pain comes with a high fever, or pus or blood drains from the ear.
- Ringing or hearing loss sits on one side only.
- Ear pain persists more than a few days, or keeps coming back.
- Dizziness with a severe headache, weakness, numbness, or trouble speaking or seeing. Call 911.
Not a complete list, and not a diagnosis. When something feels wrong, call the office: 586-463-5831 in Mount Clemens, 810-479-9236 in Port Huron.
Who you’ll see
Ear care here is four people deep.
Physician evaluation and surgery, nurse-practitioner care and hearing-instrument fitting, all inside one practice. The journey ends with a person, not a referral.
Founder and principal surgeonRead the bio →
From patients of this practice
“I have been a patient for over 5 years… He is by far one of the best ENT I have been to in years… never guesses the problem and you leave with some type of solution.”
Common ear questions
Asked in this office, answered in plain language.
What causes ear pain?
Most ear pain in children comes from infection: the Eustachian tube that drains the middle ear becomes blocked, fluid builds up, and pressure causes pain. Other causes include impacted ear wax, a ruptured eardrum, pressure changes from flying, swimmer’s ear, and irritation from cotton swabs. Persistent pain deserves an evaluation.
Can hearing loss be treated or reversed?
It depends on the type. Conductive hearing loss, caused by mechanical problems like wax blockage or fluid in the middle ear, can often be reversed with medication or surgery. Sensorineural hearing loss, from damage to nerve cells in the inner ear, is usually permanent, and hearing aids can compensate for much of it.
Is tinnitus serious?
Usually tinnitus is more of a nuisance than a serious health problem, but it can indicate an underlying condition, and it is worth evaluating when the sounds are persistent. Treatment starts with finding and treating the cause; maskers, sometimes working with hearing aids, can make the noises more tolerable.
Should I remove ear wax at home?
No. Ear wax removal is recommended only under trained supervision, because the inner workings of the ear are delicate and easily harmed. Attempting to clean the ear with a swab often pushes wax deeper and causes the blockage. In-office removal is quick and relatively painless.
Do I need medical clearance for a hearing aid?
The FDA recommends that anyone requiring a hearing aid receive medical clearance from a physician. A hearing evaluation determines whether a hearing aid will help your specific condition, and the practice provides the clearance and follows hearing-aid patients from the first fitting through ongoing management of the aid.
Why do I get dizzy when I roll over in bed?
Brief, intense spinning triggered by a change in head position is the signature of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV, the most common balance disorder. It is diagnosed in the office and often treated the same day with the Epley maneuver, a sequence of guided head rotations.
Ask anything
Do you remove ear wax in the office?
Every page of this site answers in plain language. Tap the question, or ask in your own words.