‘Mind-Body-Spirit’: Holistic Otolaryngologists Have a Different Perspective

Of the more than 13,000 health care providers who are members of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery,1 exactly three of them officially practice holistic otolaryngology as members of the American Holistic Medical Association, which itself is only about 1,000 members strong and just now entering its 30th year.2 These three physicians see many of the same ear, nose, and throat complications in their patients that their nonholistic colleagues see: tinnitus, allergies, sinusitis, and so on. All certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology, they have taken the same basic training and met the same requirements as their peers.

A major component that sets them apart, however, is that they often employ alternative therapies. For example, Benjamin F. Asher, MD, who runs a solo practice in New York, uses osteopathic manipulation for pain problems of the face, head, and ear. Robert J. Sciacca, MD, the founder of Alabama ENT Associates in Birmingham, occasionally performs acupuncture for treatment of chronic pain, ENT disorders, and tobacco addiction.

But a shared philosophy of having an open mind and of considering the whole person, not just the otolaryngological ailment, is the defining trait of these holistic otolaryngologists. The practice of holistic medicine is more of a mindset than a set of procedures, explained Jennifer H. Judkins, MD, of Upper Valley Medical Group in Lebanon, NH.