The Coronavirus or Covid-19 Pandemic will probably register as the single most important world event in my life time. Its effects will last decades and it will fundamentally change the way we live and work. Ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeons are very much in the frontline of this infectious disease. Although much airtime is given to infectious disease specialists and emergency…
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Earlier this year, I saw a 13 year old child with an unusual complaint. He presented with nasal blockage that was entirely left sided and told me that his nose “was only blocked when he breathed out”. Truly enough in clinic he demonstrated to me that he could breathe in through his left nostril without difficult but could not breathe out. He…
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The sinuses, or more correctly the paranasal sinuses, are air-filled bony chambers within the facial bones of the skull. There are four paired paranasal sinuses in the human skull and they have an inner lining or mucous membrane that is continuously producing mucus. It is estimated that the average human being produces approximately 150 millitres of clear mucus a day. When these…
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Nose block is a common complaint we hear in our clinic. Most patients describe blockage which affects both nostrils but in some patients the blockage is always on one side. This significantly affects their quality of life – with poor sleep, mouth breathing, noisy nasal breathing and reduce endurance in sports. Often patients can only get comfortable at night if they lie…
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Steroid inhalers are used commonly for the treatment of asthma. Doctors unfortunately do not spend time explaining to patients how to use these inhalers. There are also many patients who have been prescribed long-term inhaled steroids for chronic coughing. These patients may not need inhaled steroid therapy. Needless to say, you should consult your doctor before you stop any inhaler. I recently…
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