Hoarseness refers to a change in voice quality. It could either be low pitch, weak, fatigued, raspy or inconsistent, making it difficult to speak and at times breath. Causes of hoarseness include an acute throat or upper respiratory infection, commonly viral; acute voice abuse especially in people who…
Halitosis, “bad breath” is a detectable foul smell, commonly identified by others,especially close relatives. Many sufferers don’t realise they have foul breath. Causes include; poor dental hygiene.4 out of 5 patients suffer halitosis which originates in the mouth. Commonly, bacteria break down various products in food and saliva…
Grommet After grommet insertion, most patients will not experience pain. Mild irritations may be controlled with simple pain medications. Antibiotics are not routinely prescribed unless the doctor deems it necessary and this is usually in the form of ear drops. Children may need to stay out of school…
Since the discovery of HIV infection in the late 1950s, the burden of the disease has been on the increase as more people get infected. In this extract, we will look at the most common presentations in the ear nose and throat. Oral cavity manifestations Oral candidiasis is…
Adenotonsillectomy Pain is usually present from day 1 and patients may experience fluctuations in pain levels. Pain medicines should be taken for the full course. However, pain may be aggravated by eating hard foods such as crackers or chips. Hot and chili foods are likely to increase pain.…
The ear is made up of the external, middle and inner ear. Otitis media is an infection of the middle ear that is usually preceded by upper respiratory tract infection. The infection can be of viral or bacterial origin. Acute otitis media (AOM) commonly affects children less than…
Rhinosinusitis is a condition that is due to inflammation of your nasal passages and sinus cavities. Sinuses are spaces within the bones of the face and these spaces are in direct contact with the nose. The inflammation causes swelling and blockage of the openings into the nose and…
Allergic rhinitis is a disease manifesting as a group of symptoms affecting the nose. These symptoms come about because someone has breathed in substances in the air that they are allergic to. These substances are called allergens. CAUSES An Allergen is a name given to any substance that…
The hypopharynx is the part of the neck that extends from the back of the tongue down to become the food pipe (oesophagus) and the voice box (larynx). It is a rare cancer that grows silently before you get symptoms. By the time of diagnosis, about 10% have…
Hearing loss is defined as a decrease in the sense of hearing. It is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide with over 466 million people suffering from disabling hearing loss. It can be gradual onset or sudden can affect one ear or both ears. It can…