Tooth and ENT Doctor

This afternoon, the Manuel L. Quezon University High School will be having a Grand Alumni Homecoming. It will be nice to see old faces and personalities. I hope many of my classmates will be able to attend so that we can catch up stories of how life has been after we stepped out of the Arlegui campus. I am a true blue Junior Quezonian and I am proud of it! Let us all think of thoughts that once flourished, now withered- Yes, let us all play ‘make pretend’, For yesteryear is made alive today, We go back to MLQU once again. The halls are bright and shiny- As once they were before, They lie in wait for us to see one time again- Open your ears to hear old voices Let your eyes blur for a moment And see the glorious past. Many of us has come and gone Roads we followed who knew we would But the dreams may yet still be engraved On the light blue walls of the Arlegui campus. Think back, look back The memories are wondrous and eternal An opportunity such as this ...

As my contribution to this year's Earth Day celebration, I am posting an essay I made regarding the role of MD's in averting climate change. We really should all be involved in this earth-saving endeavor for our sake and our children's future. It is our obligation as inhabitants of this planet. The Physician's Role in Averting Climate Change Anything and everything that will affect human health is our business as individual medical practitioners. Reports about the earth’s rapidly changing climate are not new to us and for several years now, we have heard planetary scientists conveying their concern over its effect to the balance of the biosphere. Numerous studies have also been showing its serious implications to the human health. We are now seeing a rising number of vector-borne infectious diseases every year. Respiratory diseases are also becoming less and less responsive to treatment. This could also probably explain the increasing cases of allergic rhi...

Eye Comfort Exercises Blinking (produces tears to help moisten and lubricate the eyes) Yawning (produces tears to help moisten and lubricate the eyes) Expose eyes to natural light Palming while seated, brace elbows on the desk and close to the desk edge let weight fall forward cup hands over eyes close eyes inhale slowly through nose and hold for 4 seconds continue deep breathing for 15-30 seconds Eye Movements close eyes slowly and gently move eyes up to the ceiling, then slowly down to the floor repeat 3 times close eyes slowly and gently move eyes to the left, then slowly to the right repeat 3 times Focus Change hold one finger a few inches away form the eye focus on the finger slowly move the finger away focus far into the distance and then back to the finger slowly bring the finger back to within a few inches of the eye fo...

As a relevant follow-up to the previous article on 'pinched nerve', I am posting this topic on 'ergonomics'. This will help us all in avoiding work-related injuries like pinched nerve. Ergonomics is the study of factors affecting the way humans relate to the world around them, with the aim of improving one’s performance, safety, and productivity. Simply put, it looks at the kind of work you do, the tools you use and your whole job environment, to find the best fit between you and your occupational conditions. Examples of ergonomic changes to your work might include Adjusting the position of your computer keyboard to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. Being sure that the height of your desk chair allows your feet to rest flat on floor Learning the right way to lift heavy objects to prevent back injuries Using handle coatings or special gloves to suppress vibrations from power tools No matter what the job is, ergonomics plays an im...

A friend of mine was allegedly brought to a hospital and was diagnosed to have a” pinched nerve”. I haven’t heard what happened to her next but I was asked by our other friends to expound more about this condition. It was suggested that I make it as a blog post, so here it is. Nerves are fibers that extend from the brain and spinal cord into the different parts of the body. They are responsible for our sensations as well as the motor activities of our body organs. In Tagalog, we refer to them as ‘ugat’, although this confuses some as referring to the arteries and veins which carry blood to and from the heart. But being composed of fibers, the nerves are the rightful “ugat”. A “pinched nerve”, as the term implies, is a condition where pressure is being applied to a certain nerve by the surrounding tissues causing irritation and disruption of the nerve's function, i.e. to give sensation or to cause movement. One of the most common examples of a single compressed nerve is the feel...

Treatment of LaryngoPharyngeal Relux (LPR) depends mainly on the symptoms. I usually advise these three: (1) Behavioral modification. Maintain an ideal body weight. But, when you go on a diet, be sure to eat breakfast and have small, frequent feedings. Also, avoid foods high in fat, spices, acid, alcohol and caffeine. Stop smoking! Do not lie down three hours after eating. Elevating the head off the bed 6-8 inches may help prevent reflux. Avoid drugs that promote reflux including calcium channel blockers, sedatives, or nitrates. When busy and unable to grab a bite, chew gum. This increases salivary bicarbonate production and may neutralize the acid. (2) Pharmacotherapy. The proton pump inhibitors (e.g. omeprazole, esomeprazole), commonly taken two times a day, block the terminal stage of gastric acid secretion. They are the most potent inhibitors of acid secretion available today. The H 2 blockers (e.g. ranitidine, cimetidine), typically taken two to three ...

The most common symptom of LaryngoPharyngealReflux (LPR) is laryngitis. Hoarseness is found in almost 70% of cases. Close to half of patients complain of feeling "a lump in the throat" that makes it difficult for them to swallow, which they often mistake as a ‘thyroid problem’, and about 51% have a chronic or recurrent cough, unrelieved by cough preparations. Chronic throat clearing of "phlegm", and sore throat are also common symptoms. Reflux laryngitis is characterized by hoarseness, voice fatigue, and breaking of the voice, especially towards the end of the day. This is commonly experienced by teachers and speakers/lecturers. Reflux has also been associated with vocal cord polyps, vocal cord granulomas, laryngospasm, and paradoxical vocal fold movement. These disorders may sometimes necessitate surgery already. In worse cases, LPR may lead to laryngeal cancer and a condition called subglottic stenosis, which is a narrowing of the air passage, making it hard...

A 32-year-old male came for consult six months ago because of a 3 month history of chronic intermittent cough and hoarseness. He claimed that his voice fatigues near the end of the day. He is a call center agent. He really had no other complaints other than that; specifically, no heartburn, ear pain, difficulty of swallowing, or foreign body sensation. Chest xray was unremarkable. On laryngoscopy, he had normal vocal cord mobility and no suspicious mucosal lesions. There was however extensive erythema of the posterior glottis and inner arytenoid space. My impression then was Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD) and I started him on omeprazole 20 mg 2x a day, advised him on dietary modification and reflux precautions. He responded very well to that and on follow up recently, after 3 months, he had complete resolution of symptoms. I maintained him on ranitidine 150 mg 2x a day and reiterated my previous advices. One of the more common cases I see in my practice is LPRD. Patien...