ENT surgeons spend a lot of time seeing patients with sinusitis. In fact, I dare say, that the bulk of the work of a general ENT surgeon is seeing patients with some manifestaton of sinus disease. Indeed nasal sprays are probably the most common medication we prescribe. Allergies or allergic rhinitis which predisposes to sinusitis is often dealt with effectively in primary…
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Including over the counter medications Access to an ENT specialist is not always easy. In some countries, even at the best of times it is difficult, and one may have to wait weeks to see an ENT specialist. In Singapore, one is fortunate to have access to good ENT surgeons in public and private hospitals. Most insurers will allow you to see…
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As an Assistant Professor and House Tutor at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, I am frequently asked by medical students why I chose to become an ENT Specialist. Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery is a rather small surgical sub-speciality and it often does not get much attention at medical school. When I was at medical school, we only spent two…
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Sore throats are common. As an ENT specialist, I see a lot of patients in our clinics in Singapore with sore throats. Most are thankfully quite mild and need nothing more than lots of fluids, some gargles, and a lozenge! But a few patients have very severe sore throats that linger. When I see a patient with a sore throat, the first…
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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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