B. Joseph Touma, M.D.
B. Joseph Touma, M.D. is a fellowship-trained otologist and the driving force behind Touma Hearing Centers in Huntington, W.Va., and Ashland, Ky. Dr. Touma is a board-certified physician and member of several professional and scientific societies. His expertise includes extensive experience with cochlear implants.
That extra fellowship training, which focused on more complex hearing issues and more detailed- oriented surgeries, sets him apart.
“It allows me to delve much deeper into the disease processes within the ear, anything from the outer ear to the inner ear, and that allows me to offer the patients truly what is the best option for them,” Dr. Touma said.
After completing his substantial education and training in 2001, Dr. Touma returned home to Huntington to join his father, Joseph B. Touma, M.D., in practice. Dr. Touma earned his undergraduate degree from Duke University and his medical degree from West Virginia University. He did his residency in both surgery and otolaryngology at West Virginia University School of Medicine and did his neurotology fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
“I went into this field to try to help people with hearing loss,” said Dr. Touma. “It always impressed me that there are really two main senses that we have that connect us to the outside world, and the one I’m dealing with is obviously hearing loss. In order to really open the world up to people who have hearing loss, we have a multitude of ways to address that hearing loss, so that’s really what attracted me to this field.”
As a board-certified otolaryngologist with a subspecialty in neurotology, Dr. Touma has the knowledge and skill to evaluate parts of the brain and nervous system that are associated with hearing and balance to determine the root of the patient’s unique problem. He can diagnose and medically and surgically manage neurological diseases of the ear. He treats both adult and pediatric patients.
The ability to help improve each patient’s quality of life is what fuels Dr. Touma.
“I get a lot of satisfaction helping people with their hearing problems and other related ear diseases,” he said.
Dr. Touma is affiliated with Huntington Internal Medical Group and is the Medical Director of the Cabell Huntington Hospital Balance Center. He also serves as a clinical instructor at the Marshall University School of Medicine. He performs his surgeries at St. Mary’s Medical Center and Three Gables Surgery Center.
Dr. Touma is married to dermatologist Susan Touma, M.D., and they are the proud parents of three children. In his free time, Dr. Touma enjoys sports and traveling.
Education and Training
Under Graduate
| Dates Attended | Location | Degree | Major Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 - 1990 | Duke University Durham, North Carolina |
B.A. | Political Science |
Graduate
| Dates Attended | Location | Degree | Major Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 - 1994 | West Virginia University School of Medicine Morgantown, West Virginia |
M.D. |
Post Graduate
| Dates Attended | Location | Name & Program Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 - 1995 | Department of Surgery - West Virginia University School of Medicine Morgantown, West Virginia |
Gordon F. Murray, M.D., F.A.C.S. Surgery |
| 1995 - 1999 | Department of Otolaryngology - West Virginia University School of Medicine Morgantown, West Virginia |
Stephen J. Wetmore, M.D., F.A.C.S. Otolaryngology |
| 1999 - 2001 | Neurotology Fellow Department of Otolaryngology - University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
Barry E. Hirsch, M.D. Otolaryngology |
Appointments and Positions
Academic
| Years Inclusive | Location | Rank / Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 - Present | Marshall University School of Medicine Huntington, WV |
Clinical Instructor |
| 1999 - 2001 | Department of Otolaryngology University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh, PA |
Instructor |
Non-Academic
| Years Inclusive | Location | Rank / Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 - Present | Cabell Huntington Hospital Balance Center Huntington, WV |
Director |
| 2001 - Present | St. Mary's Hospital Huntington, WV |
Active |
| 2001 - Present | Cabell Huntington Hospital Huntington, WV Otolaryngology Chief 2005 - 2006 |
Active |
| 2001 - Present | Cabell Huntington Surgery Center Huntington, WV |
Active |
| 1999 - 2001 | UPMC Presbyterian Hospital Pittsburgh, PA |
|
| 1999 - 2001 | UPMC Southside Pittsburgh, PA |
Certificate and Licensure
Medical or Other Professional Licensure
| West Virginia State Board of Medicine | 2001 - Present |
| Kentucky State Board of Medicine | 2001 - Present |
| State Board of Medicine/Pennsylvania | 1999 - 2001 MD-068139-L |
| Ohio Board of Medicine | 2005 - Present |
Specialty Certification
| American Board of Otolaryngology | Certificate April 24, 2000 |
Other
| Neurocom Clinical Integration Seminar | June 12, 13, 14, 2003 |
| Journal Review Committee for Journal of Otology & Neurotology | 2005 - present |
Memberships In Professional and Scientific Societies
| Year | Name of Society |
|---|---|
| 1995 - Present | American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery |
| 1996 - 1999, 2001 - Present | WV Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery |
| 2003 - Present | American Neurotologic Society |
| 2007 - Present | Balance & Equilibrium Committee Member, American Academy of Otolaryngology |
Honors and Awards
| Year | Name of Society |
|---|---|
| 1993 | Whittlesey History of Medicine Award: History of Hearing Devices |
| 1997 | Fortunata Lim Award: West Virginia University Alumni Day Presentation |
Publications
Published Articles
Wax MK, Touma BJ, Ramadan HH. Tracheostomal stenosis following laryngectomy: incidences and predisposing factors. Otolaryngology Head Neck Surg 113:242-247, 1995.
Wax MK, Touma BJ, and Ramadan HH. Tracheostomal stenosis following laryngectomy. Highlights of the Instructional Courses. I;205-215, 1995.
Jackson CG, Schall DC, Glasscock ME, Macias JD, Widick MH, Touma BJ. A surgical solution for the difficult chronic ear. Am J Otology 17:7-14, 1996.
Wax MK, Touma, BJ, Ramadan HH. Tracheostomal stenosis revision with simultaneous tracheoesophageal puncture. Laryngoscope 108(10):1509-13, 1998.
Wax MK, Touma BJ. Management of the N0 neck during salvage laryngectomy. Laryngoscope 109(1):4-7, 1999.
Wax, MK, Touma BJ, Ramadan HH. Management of tracheostomal stenosis. Laryngoscope 109(9):1397-401, 1999.
Touma BJ, Ramadan HH, Bringman JJ, Rodman S. Maxillofacial injuries caused by all-terrain vehicle accidents. Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 121(6):736-9, 1999.
Touma BJ and Hirsch BE. Management of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Emergency 33(1):93-103, 2001.
1993 Whittlesey History of Medicine Award: History of Hearing Devices
1997 Fortunata Lim Award: West Virginia University Alumni Day Presentation
Wax MK, Touma BJ, Ramadan HH. Tracheostomal stenosis following laryngectomy: incidences and predisposing factors. Otolaryngology Head Neck Surg 113:242-247, 1995.
Wax MK, Touma BJ, and Ramadan HH. Tracheostomal stenosis following laryngectomy. Highlights of the Instructional Courses. I;205-215, 1995.
Jackson CG, Schall DC, Glasscock ME, Macias JD, Widick MH, Touma BJ. A surgical solution for the difficult chronic ear. Am J Otology 17:7-14, 1996.
Wax MK, Touma, BJ, Ramadan HH. Tracheostomal stenosis revision with simultaneous tracheoesophageal puncture. Laryngoscope 108(10):1509-13, 1998.
Wax MK, Touma BJ. Management of the N0 neck during salvage laryngectomy. Laryngoscope 109(1):4-7, 1999.
Wax, MK, Touma BJ, Ramadan HH. Management of tracheostomal stenosis. Laryngoscope 109(9):1397-401, 1999.
Touma BJ, Ramadan HH, Bringman JJ, Rodman S. Maxillofacial injuries caused by all-terrain vehicle accidents. Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 121(6):736-9, 1999.
Touma BJ and Hirsch BE. Management of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Emergency 33(1):93-103, 2001.
Professional Activities
Teaching
Fellows and Post-doctoral Students
Graduate Students Thesis Advisee
Medical Students and Undergraduates
Lecture series for Medical Students on Diagnosis and Management of Vertigo and Hearing Loss 1999-2000 at the University of Pittsburgh
Courses, Lectures, Seminars and Tutorials
Temporal Bone Course University of Pittsburgh, October 1999
Temporal bone Course University of Pittsburgh, October 2000
October 2000 Medical Management of Vertigo. University of Pittsburgh Otology Miniseminar, Pittsburgh, PA.
October 2000 Surgical Approaches to the Petrous Apex. University of Pittsburgh Temporal Bone Course.
Lectures
April, 1997 The Role of Interleukin-I in Otitis Media. George C. Schein Resident Research Forum,
Pittsburgh, PA
May 1997 Congenital Imperforate Submandibular Duct: a Case Report. COSM, Scottsdale, AZ
June 1997 The Role of Interleukin-I in Otitis Media. Eighth Annual Otolaryngology Alumni Conference,
West Virginia University Department of Otolaryngology, Morgantown, WV
September, 1998 Maxillofacial Injuries Caused by All-Terrain Vehicle Accidents. American Academy of
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, San Antonio, TX.
June, 1999 Maxillofacial Injuries Caused by All-Terrain Vehicles Accidents. Ninth Annual Otolaryngology
Alumni Conference, West Virginia University Department of Otolaryngology, Morgantown, WV.
June 2001 The role of intratympanic Gentamicin in the management of Meniere's disease. Pennsylvania State
Academy of Otolaryngology, Philadelphia, PA.
June 2001 The role of intratympanic Gentamicin in the management of Meniere's disease. Eleventh Annual
Otolaryngology Alumni Conference, West Virginia University, Department of Otolaryngology-Head
and Neck Surgery, Morgantown, WV.
November 2001 Unilateral sensorineural hearing loss and acoustic neuroma, West Virginia Annual Family Practice
Meeting, Huntington, WV
November 2002 Common otologic problems in the elderly, Logan General Hospital, Logan, WV
November 2002 Common otologic problems in the elderly, Marshall University Special Outreach,
Huntington, WV
September 2003 Balance Disorders, Tug Valley Medical Society, Williamson, WV
September 2003 Pediatric Otology, Marshall University Department of Pediatrics, Teays Valley, WV
June 2004 Current Use of BAHA, Fourteenth Annual Otolaryngology Alumni Conference, West Virginia University, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Morgantown, WV.
February 2005 Balance Disorders, Three Rivers Medical Center, Louisa, KY
November 2006 Balance Issues in the Athlete. Lecture. 20th Annual Family Medicine Weekend of Sports Medicine Conference.
Huntington, WV. Nov. 12, 2006.
November 2007 Balance Disorders, Neurocom Lecture, Buffalo, NY
April 2010 Balance Disorder, Neurocom Lecture, Charlotte, NC
November 2013, WV Annual Family Medicine Weekend Conference, Huntington WV
Research
Research Seminars and Invited Lectureships:
April, 1993 History of Hearing Devices, Whittlesey History of Medicine competition, Morgantown, WV
October, 1993 History of Hearing Devices, Annual Meeting, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Minneapolis, MN.
June, 1994 Tracheostomal Stenosis Following Total Laryngectomy, Fifth Annual Otolaryngology Alumni
Conference, West Virginia University Department of Otolaryngology.
September, 1994 Tracheostomal Stenosis Following Total Laryngectomoy. Annual Meeting, American Academy of
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, San Diego, CA.
June, 1996 Frontal Sinus Fractures: WVU Experience and New Trends in Management. Seventh Annual
Otolaryngology Alumni Conference, West Virginia University Department of Otolaryngology.
September, 1996 Joseph Toynbee: An Historical Perspective. Annual Meeting, American Academy of Otolaryngology -
Head and Neck Surgery, Washington, DC.
Services
- 1989-90 House Council Member of Dormitory, Duke University
- 1993-94 Student AMA President of West Virginia University - Charleston, WV
- 1993 National Student AMA Delegate at Annual AMA Meeting-Chicago, IL
- 1993-94 WVSMA-MSS Long Range Planning Committee
- 1993-94 WVSMA-MSS Executive Council Member
- 2006-13 American Academy of Otolaryngology Equilibrium Committee