The parotid salivary gland is one of the major salivary glands in the neck. It produces half the total volume of saliva. It is estimated that the two parotid salivary glands produce 0.05 mls per minute of saliva during rest. When chewing and eating, these glands produce up to 3 mls of saliva a minute. The parotid salivary gland lies in front…
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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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In the past few weeks, two children have been brought to see me by anxious parents worried about the apparent asymmetry in their children’s tonsils. In both cases the condition was spotted by the primary care doctors. The tonsils sit in the back of the throat. In most patients these tonsils are similar in size. Rarely, there is a significant difference in…
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I see many patients in my clinic with snoring. It is socially disruptive and a source of marital disharmony. However many of these patients also have undiagnosed high blood pressure, when my nurse checks it. Snoring is associated with obstructive sleep apnoea or OSA. OSA is a condition where a patient may stop breathing for short period of time during sleep. During…
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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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Cancers of the tongue can be very debilitating and painful. They often start with an ulcer or a lump on the side of the tongue. In Singapore, the cancer registry notes the rates of tongue cancer among males and females have seen a slight increase. The risk factors for oral tongue cancers include smoking, spirits and chronic irrational by sharp teeth –…
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