Mount Clemens 586-463-5831Directions Port Huron 810-479-9236Directions
Michael Sherbin, D.O. and Associates

Ear, Nose & Throat

Throat, head and neck.

Voice, swallowing, tonsils, sleep and the neck all run through this territory, and the practice treats all of it: persistent sore throats and mouth sores, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, snoring and sleep apnea, and unexplained neck lumps, with medical care first and surgery, including tonsillectomy, when it is needed.

Request an appointment Start with a symptom

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.

“My throat is sore, and it isn’t going away.”Sore throat and mouth sores “My voice has been hoarse for weeks.”Hoarseness “Food feels like it gets stuck when I swallow.”Difficulty swallowing “I found a lump on my neck.”Neck lumps “My partner says I stop breathing at night.”Snoring and sleep apnea “My child’s tonsils keep getting infected.”Tonsillectomy

The patient journey

Wherever you are in this, start there.

01Something’s wrong

Put a name to it.

Five conditions cover most of what brings people in. Each page explains causes, symptoms and treatment, in plain language.

Sore throat and mouth soresPainful sores can appear in the mouth, on the tongue and in the throat for many reasons: viral, bacterial, fungal or simple irritation. They generally last ten to fourteen days, and far longer without treatment. HoarsenessA difficulty producing vocal sounds, usually from a problem involving the vocal cords. Whispering can actually strain them more than talking; many types are treated in the office. Difficulty swallowingOccasional difficulty swallowing is normal; persistent, uncomfortable difficulty is not. Any constant trouble moving food or liquid from mouth to esophagus deserves medical attention. Neck lumpsAny unusual growth in the neck is an abnormal neck mass. Often harmless, sometimes not; a specialist evaluation with testing settles which. Snoring and sleep apneaHabitual loud snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea: pauses in breathing during sleep. About 90% of people who have it do not realize it; a partner usually notices first.
02Get it looked at

The evaluation comes first.

The exam is matched to the symptom: in-office testing and samples for neck masses, which can often be treated during the same appointment; a sleep test to diagnose sleep apnea; and a look at the vocal cords for voice trouble. Both offices see throat patients, and some first conversations can happen by video.

03Treat it

Medical care first, surgery when it counts.

Many conditions here respond to medication and office treatment. When surgery is the right call, the practice performs it: tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for recurrent infections, and airway surgery for sleep apnea.

TonsillectomyThe surgery to remove tonsils that have become bothersome or repeatedly infected, often together with the adenoids. The working threshold: three sore throats a year for three years, five a year for two years, or seven in the past year.
04Living with it

Managed, not just treated.

Some of this territory is long-term: C-PAP therapy for sleep apnea, adjusted until it is comfortable enough to actually use.

Snoring and sleep apnea

When not to wait

See us sooner if…

  • Hoarseness lasts more than three weeks.
  • A neck lump persists past two weeks, or keeps growing.
  • Swallowing is getting harder, or you are losing weight without trying.
  • A severe sore throat with drooling, trouble breathing or a muffled voice. Go to the emergency room.
  • Coughing or spitting up blood.

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

Who you’ll see about your throat.

Physician evaluation and surgery with nurse-practitioner care alongside, inside one practice. The journey ends with a person, not a referral.

Michael SherbinD.O., F.O.C.O.O.Board-certified otolaryngologist and facial plastic surgeon, American Osteopathic Board of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology
Founder and principal surgeonRead the bio →
Nouha AlammarD.O.Board-certified otolaryngologist and facial plastic surgeon, American Osteopathic Board of Ophthalmology and OtolaryngologyRead the bio →
Margaret KuczynskiMSN, NP-BCBoard-certified nurse practitionerRead the bio →

Meet the physicians and care team

From patients of this practice

“Life changing! … I had a very serious issue that no one could figure out how to fix for over 7 years and Dr. Sherbin and his staff showed compassion immediately.”
Jordan G. · Google review · Dr. Sherbin

Common throat questions

Asked in this office, answered in plain language.

When should I worry about a sore throat?

When it persists, keeps returning, or comes with fever, painful swallowing or swollen neck glands. Recurrent tonsillitis has a working threshold: three sore throats a year for three years, five a year for two years, or seven in the past year is the point where removing the tonsils is usually discussed.

How long is too long to be hoarse?

Hoarseness can linger for weeks, even months, if left untreated, and whispering actually strains the vocal cords more than talking. A voice that stays hoarse past three weeks deserves an examination. Many types of hoarseness are treated successfully in the office.

Does snoring mean I have sleep apnea?

Not necessarily, but snoring is most commonly the first symptom that brings people in. Sleep apnea means breathing actually pauses during sleep, sometimes five to over thirty times an hour, and about 90% of people who have it do not realize it. A sleep test settles the question.

What could a lump on my neck be?

Abnormal neck masses have many causes: bacterial or viral infection, a cyst, an injury, or rarer conditions. Painful masses are more likely to be infected, but only a doctor can diagnose the specific cause, using tests and samples. Often they can be treated in the office during an appointment.

Do tonsils still get taken out?

Yes, when tonsillitis or adenoiditis becomes recurrent rather than occasional. Age, medical history and overall health all factor into the decision. The patient usually returns home the same day, and afterward many recurring ear, nose and throat concerns disappear.

Do you treat thyroid problems?

Thyroid disease itself is not a specialty of this practice. The neck is examined here, and a lump or swallowing trouble sometimes traces back to the thyroid; when an evaluation points that way, you are referred to the right specialist and your findings go with you.

Ask anything

Do you treat sleep apnea?

Every page of this site answers in plain language. Tap the question, or ask in your own words.