Why Exhale?

As I describe Exhale Sinus, TMJ, Headache & Sleep people often ask me, “How did this concept come about?”.

When I was in my second year of otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat) residency, my mom was suffering from symptoms of headaches, ear pain, ear fullness, facial pain and chronic sinusitis. As she lives about 1,000 miles away, I was forced to rely on the reports and expertise of the physicians treating her. During the years that followed, she was treated by 3 different ENT physicians, as well as her general dentist. As she continued to suffer from these conditions without resolution from “typical ENT treatments”, she ultimately was recommended, and underwent 4 different procedures. The consequence of these procedures left her with a severely diminished sense of smell, a defect in the bone of her ear, and disappointingly, no improvement to her symptoms of ear fullness or facial pain.

As I started my work in private practice, I was shocked to see this situation repeat itself over and over again. Unfortunately, I was also at a loss in how to manage these symptoms. This was simply unacceptable to me. With the gift of loyal and persistent patients, I worked diligently to explore treatment options to build a recipe for effectively addressing these complex problems.

Here’s what went into that recipe: I discovered there are specialists within the fields of physical therapy and dentistry who have completed additional training to manage pain conditions of the head, neck, sinuses and ears. Their work can help my patient’s pain significantly. However, finding these specialists was a challenge on its own! So, I endeavored to make that easier by bringing them right into my own center.

During this same period, my wife and I struggled with infertility. We looked for help from traditional Western medicine and struggled to find success. Through research, my wife discovered the benefits of East-Asian (“Oriental”) Medicine and acupuncture. After meeting with a number of providers, we were referred to Lisa Decatorsmith. As my wife says, she is a calming soul. She walked my wife and I through her treatments. When we partnered her work with Western medical assistance, we found success! Through this experience I learned that East-Asian (“Oriental”) medicine has existed for thousands of years and offers a different way of understanding our body’s health. Incorporating this medicine lets me help folks to a greater extent than I was able to achieve on my own.

While I continued to make connections to specialists in the communities around me, I was fortunate to be introduced to a physician doing research on headaches, facial & ear pain, and their relationship to sinus function. His insight has opened an entirely new treatment option for patients suffering from these conditions. We are proud to be able to offer these treatments to our patients at Exhale Sinus, TMJ, Headache & Sleep in our office.

We at Exhale Sinus, TMJ, Headache & Sleep are truly delighted that you have found our practice. We are patient focused with a holistic approach, working collaboratively to aid you in your journey to health.

Feel better. Be better. Thrive.

Written by: Dr. Ryan Vaughn