The 20 Best Swallowing Difficulty Doctors Near Me in Pikesville, MD

Dr. Onwueme graduated with Distinction from Yale University with dual BSc/MSc degrees in chemistry and received MD and PhD degrees from Weill Cornell Medical College. He completed his Internal Medicine residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Clinical Fellow Harvard Medical School) and his Gastroenterology fellowship at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He is currently the Director of clinical trials at Woodholme Gastroenterology and has an ardent interest in the role of microbial metabolites in gut diseases. Dr. Onwueme prizes commitment to quality and compassionate patient care to which he devotes his practice. He has expert knowledge in gut microbiology and a special interest in diarrheal diseases, disordered gut motility, autoimmune and inflammatory bowel disease. Dr. Onwueme is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Gastric Dysmotility, Diverticular Disease, Diarrhea, Endoscopy, and Gastrectomy.

Ernest Tsao is a Gastroenterologist in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Tsao is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Hepatitis, Gas Bloat Syndrome, Hepatitis C, Endoscopy, and Gastrectomy.

Steven Epstein is a Gastroenterologist in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Epstein is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, Juvenile Polyposis Syndrome, Attenuated Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, Gastrectomy, and Colonoscopy.

Eric Blum is a Gastroenterologist in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Blum is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Diverticular Disease, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, Viral Gastroenteritis, Colonoscopy, and Endoscopy.

Agazi Gebreselassie is a Gastroenterologist and a Hospital Medicine provider in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Gebreselassie is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Jaundice, Macroamylasemia, Portal Hypertension, Endoscopy, and Colonoscopy.

Loc Le is a Gastroenterologist in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Le is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Barrett Esophagus, Colonoscopy, and Endoscopy.

Lee Akst, M.D., specializes in treating the larynx (voicebox), in particular the treatment of voice and swallowing disorders. He is a leading laryngologist in office-based procedures such as vocal fold injection augmentation, pulsed KTP laser treatment, and laryngeal botox injection. In the operating room, Dr. Akst specializes in phonosurgery for the treatment of vocal cord disease, with emphasis on voice restoration and improvement. A strong focus of his practice involves the use of pulsed angiolytic lasers, which allow for subspecialized care of laryngeal papillomas, laryngeal dysplasia, and early vocal cord cancers while preserving the quality and strength of the voice. Dr. Akst is a national leader in the field of laryngology and serves in leadership roles for the American Laryngological Association, the American Broncho-Esophagological Association, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. He lectures extensively on the treatment of laryngeal disease, teaching other physicians how to care for patients with voice and swallowing concerns. His research interests include the development of robotic laryngeal surgery, the study of voice and swallowing complaints in the elderly, and the advancement of pulsed lasers for the treatment of laryngeal diseases with a focus on leukoplakia. This provider is registered with the Florida Department of Health to perform telehealth services for patients in Florida. Dr. Akst is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Spasmodic Dysphonia, Laryngitis, Perichondritis, Endoscopy, and Laryngectomy.

Arjun Vaid is a Gastroenterologist in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Vaid is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Jaundice, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Hiccups, Colonoscopy, and Gastrectomy.

Edward Wolf is a Gastroenterologist in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Wolf is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Diverticular Disease, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Barrett Esophagus, Colonoscopy, and Gastrectomy.

Mark Schneyer is an Otolaryngologist in Owings Mills, Maryland. Dr. Schneyer is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Nasal Septal Hematoma, Low Nasal Bridge, Perichondritis, and Hearing Loss.

David Hutcheon is a Gastroenterologist in Lutherville, Maryland. Dr. Hutcheon is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Gastrointestinal Bleeding, Intestinal Cancer, Angiodysplasia of the Colon, Colonoscopy, and Endoscopy.

Dr. Carole Fakhry is a head and neck surgical oncologist at Johns Hopkins and treats the breadth of patients with head and neck cancers, including cancers of the tonsils, base of tongue, mouth, larynx, thyroid, salivary gland (parotid, submandibular gland) and skin cancers among others. She is the Chief of the Division of Head and Neck Surgery and Director of the Head and Neck Cancer Center. She also serves as director of the head and neck group in the Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and the head and neck surgical oncology fellowship. She is the associate editor for Oral Oncology and serves on several editorial boards. After an undergraduate degree at Stanford University, she completed medical school, residency in otolaryngology head and neck surgery, and a fellowship in head and neck surgical oncology at Johns Hopkins. She has also received a master’s in public health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is presently a professor in the Johns Hopkins Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Oncology, and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology. Her research interest focuses on the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in head and neck squamous cell cancer. She has demonstrated that the presence of HPV confers a prognostic advantage to individuals with oropharyngeal cancer and that HPV is associated with unique clinical characteristics. In addition to the clinical implications of HPV in head and neck cancer, she is co-principal investigator of a large study to understand screening individuals at “high risk” of malignancy and evaluating imaging modalities to improve diagnostics and early detection of HPV- related head and neck cancer. Dr. Fakhry is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. Her top areas of expertise are Human Papillomavirus Infection, Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC), Salivary Gland Tumors, Laryngectomy, and Gastrostomy.

Allen Banegura is a Gastroenterologist in Catonsville, Maryland. Dr. Banegura is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, Angiodysplasia of the Colon, Esophagitis, Gastrectomy, and Colonoscopy.

Thomas Abernathy is a Gastroenterologist in Catonsville, Maryland. Dr. Abernathy is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Lactose Intolerance, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, Hemorrhoids, Gastrectomy, and Colonoscopy.

Alexander Hillel specializes in the medical and surgical management of patients who have scar tissue blocking their larynx and/or trachea, a condition called laryngotracheal stenosis. This condition occurs in patients who have had prolonged intubation, an autoimmune disease or a rare disease called idiopathic subglottic stenosis. He also treats patients with voice and throat problems, including spasmodic dysphonia and swallowing difficulty. After he earned his medical degree from the Tulane University School of Medicine, Dr. Hillel completed his residency in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a fellowship in laryngology and airway surgery at the Emory Voice Center. Dr. Hillel directs a laboratory that seeks to better understand why scar forms in the larynx and trachea. In an effort to improve treatment, he and his team investigate the relationship between the immune system, bacteria and other antigens and scar formation in the airway. He has led a number of clinical trials to improve treatment for subglottic stenosis, including the first interventional study for idiopathic subglottic stenosis. Researchers in Dr. Hillel’s lab are also testing drugs that may halt the progression of, or reverse, scar formation, and they have engineered a drug-eluting stent that is being tested to translate to patients with subglottic stenosis. He holds sponsored grants to conduct his research from the National Institutes of Health, surgical foundations and the medical device industry. In addition to clinical and research work, Dr. Hillel has a leadership role within the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, serving as the vice director of education. Dr. Hillel is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Spasmodic Dysphonia, Subglottic Stenosis, Perichondritis, Laryngectomy, and Endoscopy.

Christine Gourin, M.D. M.P.H., is a head and neck surgical oncologist and palliative medicine specialist who treats patients with head and neck tumors, including tumors of the skin, melanoma, oral cavity, larynx, oropharynx, neck, salivary glands, sinuses, and skull base. Dr. Gourin received her medical degree from the State University of New York-Health Science Center at Brooklyn/Downstate Medical Center. Dr. Gourin trained in General Surgery and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Vermont, followed by a fellowship in Advanced Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh and a fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. She has authored over 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, 24 book chapters and two books: Medical and Surgical Management of Thyroid and Parathyroid Diseases and The Johns Hopkins Patient Guide to Head and Neck Cancer. She is on the Editorial Board of The Laryngoscope and is a reviewer for numerous other head and neck surgery journals. Dr. Gourin is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in quality of care and outcomes with a lifelong interest in improved symptom management, communication, access to high-quality affordable care, and palliative medicine in head and neck cancer. She has an active head and neck surgical oncology practice and has been named to America’s Top Physicians and Best Doctors in America annually since 2005. She is the Director of the Johns Hopkins Head and Neck Cancer Supportive Care Clinic. Dr. Gourin is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. Her top areas of expertise are Laryngeal Cancer, Throat Cancer, Tongue Cancer, Laryngectomy, and Gastrostomy.

Laryngologist Simon Best specializes in voice and airway disorders, including the comprehensive care of professional voice-users and performers. He treats patients diagnosed with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP), vocal cord paralysis, laryngeal cancer, precancerous vocal cord dysplasia, benign laryngeal lesions (polyps, cysts, nodules), and laryngeal and tracheal stenosis. He has expertise in the operative management of vocal cord disorders, including Blue Light laser surgery and office-based management of vocal cord papilloma, dysplasia and vocal cord paralysis. Dr. Best earned a medical degree from the Yale School of Medicine and completed residency training in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He undertook fellowship training in laryngology at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Best has a particular clinical and research interest in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis and sees patients from across the country for specialized care for this disorder. He offers operative and office-based laser for papilloma, utilizing the Blue Light laser, which allows for precise excision of papilloma while preserving underlying vocal function. Dr. Best is also a pioneer in the adjuvant use of bevacizumab for RRP, helping many patients break the cycle of repeated surgeries. The Best Laboratory studies RRP and the development of novel immunotherapies to target the underlying viral infection. This research is conducted in collaboration with the head and neck cancer and cervical cancer research groups at Johns Hopkins, which also study human papillomavirus-related diseases. In addition, Johns Hopkins is a site for ongoing clinical trials in DNA immunotherapy, the goal of which is to eliminate the causative viral infection that leads to RRP. Dr. Best is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Laryngeal Nerve Damage, Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis, Spasmodic Dysphonia, Laryngectomy, and Gastrostomy.

Gastroenterologist Mouen Khashab specializes in therapeutic endoscopy, and he oversees this group of practitioners across the Johns Hopkins enterprise. Nationally and internationally known in the field of interventional endoscopy, Dr. Khashab has contributed immensely to the field’s advancement as a minimally invasive means to treat gastrointestinal and pancreaticobiliary disorders. Dr. Khashab earned his medical degree from the American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine, and subsequently completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in gastroenterology at Indiana University. He then completed a two-year fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital before joining the faculty in 2011. A busy researcher, Dr. Khashab has published more than 600 papers in peer-reviewed journals. In 2013, he described the procedure called gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy (known as G-POEM) and was able to disseminate and teach it all over the world. Other procedures that he expanded include peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), peroral endoscopic myotomy with fundoplication (POEM-F), Zenker’s peroral endoscopic myotomy (Z-POEM) and full thickness resection. In 2022, he received the Master Endoscopist Award from the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) for his numerous contributions to the field. His procedural expertise includes endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), interventional EUS, submucosal endoscopy, POEM/achalasia, endoscopic mucosal resection, endoscopic submucosal dissection, luminal stenting, large polyp resection and Barrett’s therapy, among others. Dr. Khashab is involved with multiple gastrointestinal societies and has served on many committees, including the ASGE Standards of Practice Committee, which is in charge of formulating guidelines for the practice of endoscopy. He has also served as an associate editor for the journal Endoscopy, a premier journal in the field. Khashab is a highly sought-after speaker at national and international conferences, and he has participated in multiple live endoscopy conferences. Outside of academic medicine, Dr. Khashab is an entrepreneur. His major interest is in new technology and medical devices, and his goal is to disrupt the field by introducing technology that makes endoscopic procedures safer, easier, efficient and more scalable. Dr. Khashab is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Achalasia, Pancreatic Pseudocyst, Bile Duct Obstruction, Endoscopy, and Gastric Bypass.

Naeem Gauhar is a primary care provider, practicing in Internal Medicine in Pikesville, Maryland. Dr. Gauhar is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Swallowing Difficulty and Painful Swallowing.

Elliot Schwarzenberger is a Gastroenterologist in Pikesville, Maryland. Dr. Schwarzenberger is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Swallowing Difficulty. His top areas of expertise are Gas Bloat Syndrome, Diverticular Disease, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, Gastrectomy, and Colonoscopy.