Tuesday, February 18, 2025

What’s wrong in each of these pictures?

If you aren’t sure, you might need to see Dr. L

She goes by Dr. L or Dr. Lintzenich if you can follow the phonetics (LINZ-NIK).

Dr. L grew up on the Peninsula and went to Menchville High School. Her mom was a nurse at Riverside and her dad was an aerospace engineer at NASA before founding a computer software company. She worked at Water Country USA® where she made $4.10 an hour doing everything from cleaning bathhouses to ridding the pools of cigarette butts. She was never afraid of work.

Catherine Rees Lintzenich also loved to sing. From choirs and choral groups to musicals and family weddings, her singing included plenty of voice lessons along the way.

How, you ask, is any of this related to the above picture?

Lintzenich attended the University of North Carolina, then enrolled in medical school at Wake Forest where, fueled by her love of singing, she naturally gravitated toward the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialty.

Enter picture number 1

An incredible 79 percent of people using lawn equipment do not wear hearing protection. Overall, noise-induced hearing loss is estimated to impact 24 percent of the total population.

“Ear protection is kind of like sun damage, everyone has to come to grips with it,” says Lintzenich, adding that it hasn’t caught on as quickly because, unlike sunburn, hearing loss doesn’t usually occur until later in life. But that is not always the case.

The basic rule is that if you must yell over the noise, that noise level could damage your hearing. You can also test the noise impact of a large variety of noises by clicking on this National Institute of Deafness test.

Lintzenich and her colleagues treat all ages in their Williamsburg office, including children who can be more susceptible to hearing loss. The benefit to Williamsburg residents is they can get hearing tests and related high-quality services without having to travel far from home.

Enter picture number 2

You can do real and permanent damage over-stressing your throat and vocal cords because you don’t know how to speak, sing or even yell in the most body-beneficial way.

“I treat a lot of singers, but I also treat anybody who uses their voice a lot as part of their profession: ministers, radio announcers, call center employees, emcees and people who have to speak or give presentations,” notes Lintzenich.

When it comes to singers, Lintzenich notes that “it’s astonishing how many singers have never seen their vocal cords, even though it’s the instrument they rely on.”

“We ask them to show us how they sing. And while we focus on vocal cords, we understand that singers use their whole body including the palate, lips, tongue, lungs, and respiratory muscles”

“Often, I rely on my team, including our speech pathologists, and, considering their singing style, seek the right treatment for their particular problem.”

Dr. L still sings in the car and wins an occasional karaoke contest.

Dr. Lintzenich’s own singing career has tapered off a bit between raising a family and treating others. But she does admit to a little car singing on her commute (songs from Hamilton being a favorite at the moment).

Having been in Williamsburg for four years and still growing her thriving Williamsburg practice, Dr. L truly loves the fact that she has come home.

“One of the great things about treating people in Williamsburg is I meet the most fascinating people. It’s so interesting to hear their backgrounds, high levels of experience and intellectualism.”

“We have extended family here, I grew up here, we are so happy with the community and want this to be our forever home,” she adds.

Click here to read comments from real patients.

To schedule an appointment please call: 757-345-2600

Office location:
Riverside Ear, Nose & Throat Physicians & Surgeons
A Department of Riverside Regional Medical Center
120 Kings Way, Suite 2550
Williamsburg, VA 23185

 


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