Med First ENT Centre

Sore throat, throat irritation, or, using its medical term - Pharyngitis, is a common year-long medical problem. A sore throat is fortunately short-lasting and temporary but sometimes if it persists there may be an underlying sinister pathology. SYMPTOMS There are many common symptoms of sore throat Desire to clear the throat, hawking Soreness/ pain in the throat Foreign body sensation in the throat The feeling of a lump- Globus Cough Difficulty in swallowing Postnasal drip Excessive saliva/ mucus in the throat CAUSES 1. Allergy - Throat irritation is quite often caused by an allergy to something in the environment (like dust, pollen, pollutants, smoke) or to something that we eat or drink. There is usually a clear history of eating indiscretion like too much ice in the beverage, very spicy food like chutneys and pickles, etc. 2. Virus - There are many viruses that cause a sore throat. Viral sore throats last for a short while and are usually self-limiting. There may be accompanying pa...

THE AIR WE BREATHE •Molecules in the air include primarily nitrogen and oxygen as well as water, carbon dioxide, ozone, and many other compounds in trace amounts - some of these are naturally occurring while  others the result of human activity. •In addition to gases, the atmosphere contains extras such as smoke, dust, acid droplets, and pollen. •The composition of the atmosphere changes constantly and depends on the season, weather, time of day etc. WHAT CAUSES  AIR POLLUTION ? Most of the air pollution results from the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, natural gas, and petrol/ diesel to produce electricity and power our vehicles.  Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a good indicator of how much fossil fuel is burned and how much of other pollutants are emitted as a result. AIR POLLUTANTS  are of three types •Gases •Particulate Matter Bacteria and Viruses  COMMON AIR POLLUTANTS  ARE •Carbon Monoxide •Ground Level Ozone •Lead •Nitrogen Dioxide •Particulate Ma...

There has been tremendous controversy recently about the "Asymptomatic Patient" - who are they and can they spread Corona virus infection? To understand the terminology in its context, let us look at three different but closely related situations -  1.  The Mildly Symptomatic Patient - This patient of confirmed Covid-19 has mild symptoms like fever, occasional cough or mild breathlessness. They gradually recover without any specialized treatment.  2.  The Pre-Symptomatic Patient -  These patients have been recently infected, have currently no symptoms, but will gradually develop them. They can transmit infection during this incubation period. This is usually about a week from contracting the infection, but could be up to two weeks. 3.  The Asymptomatic Patient  - This is a confirmed case of Covid-19 who never develops any symptom. What makes this disease pursue a relentless and fatal path in some patients and leaves many practically untouched is still ...

It is a truism that Doctors read a lot - from before they become doctors - they cram for admission tests, to their time in Medical College and then all their lives - they read throughout their lives. The latter part of their reading is to brush up on old knowledge as well as to pick up on the latest advances.  In a long career spanning many decades it is impossible to imagine that the practice of Medicine would have remained the same- so Doctors need to keep abreast with the changes. In the early days it was enough for doctors to rely upon their knowledge and experience - and that is why patients preferred Doctors with grey/ white hair - since it implied age and wisdom arising out of experience.  And now look at this chart -  Evidence Based Medicine - Courtesy Pinterest As we notice here that Doctor's personal Opinions and Ideas are placed at the Bottom of the Pyramid - it would be incorrect on the doctor's part to rely solely on his experience or g...

Secretory Otitis Media - also called Otitis Media with Effusion, sometimes referred to as Glue Ear is a very common ear condition in children in which there is sterile collection of fluid in the middle ear of the child. The collection of fluid dampens the movement of the ear drum leading to sensation of ear blockage and loss of hearing. There are usually two peaks in a child's life- at 2 years and then at 5 years of age. Secretory Otitis Media (SOM) must be distinguished from Acute Otitis Media (AOM, ASOM) which is usually an infective condition and there is accompanying ear pain, or Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media (CSOM) in which there is usually an accompanying ear discharge. What Causes SOM? The occurrence of SOM in very small children is linked to their poor/ immature immune status. A breastfed infant normally loses maternal antibodies by 18 months of age. At the age of 2 years the child is exposed to the outside environment and other children for the first time - ...

DNS or Deviated Nasal Septum is a common medical problem and affects children and adults alike. The Septum (Septum - a partition separating two chambers) is the mid line structure in the nose which divides the nose into the left and right nostril. Though meant to be straight and in the mid line, the Septum quite often deviates to one direction or the other. Picture Courtesy Drugs.com Causes of DNS - Congenital - A child may be born with a Deviated Septum - this could be due to pressure on the very malleable septum of the Foetus while in the mother's womb, or may sometimes may be related to birth trauma. - Post Traumatic - As the child grows there are frequent minor accidents to the Nose which could cause the Septum to deviate. This may also happen on account of sports injuries later in life like Cricket or Boxing. Other accidents including Road traffic accidents can cause the Septum to become crooked. - Secondary - A long standing Tumour/ Polyps/ Concha ...

What is an Antibiotic? ANTIBIOTIC ANTI - Against BIOS - Life ANTIBIOTIC = Against Life In its most common use,  an Antibiotic is a medicine that destroys or slows down the multiplication or growth of a Bacteria. How do Antibiotics work ? Antibiotics work by either destroying the cell wall of the bacteria, or interfering with it's growth/ multiplication or by preventing protein formation. Based on their action Antibiotics are either Bactericidal (Kill Bacteria) or Bacteriostatic (Slow down the multiplication of the bacteria so that the body's own defense mechanism can then kill the bacteria). Though Sir Alexander Fleming is credited with having created the first Antibiotic- Penicillin - in 1928, as a class of drugs they were available before this also. In 1909, a highly toxic drug called ' Salvarsan' was used to treat Syphilis. The Sulphonamides were discovered in the 1920s and Prontosil was used to treat infections caused by Streptococcus and Stap...

Many of us live in Apartment Blocks and as the Corona virus continues to ravage our country we are rightfully concerned about the spread in our homes, specially if someone in the vicinity is diagnosed as positive. There are some facts to consider and some steps to take. For Management Be careful, not paranoid. Avoid instilling unnecessary fear among residents. Take precautions -  STAFF All guards and staff to wear  Masks  at all times - discard masks after duty if 3-ply, wash with warm water and dry in the sun if double/ triple layered cloth mask Guards to wear  Face shields  specially when interacting with outsiders, vendors etc - these can be disinfected at end of day and reused the next day Guards to wear  Gloves  which are disposed off once shift is over FACILITY Keep  hand sanitizers  at all convenient locations including Lifts, Block entrances, Floor entrances Encourage hand washing - dedicated wash basins with Soap...

We are at that time of the year when most of us will enter the swimming pool to 'beat the heat!' Though swimming is a wonderful full body exercise, it can sometimes cause problems in the ears, a condition called  'Swimmer's Ears' . Due to the constant presence of water in the ears, and sometimes because of swimming in unclean waters of rivers and ponds  etc the ears get infected leading to 'Swimmer's Ears'. CAUSES OF ITCHY EARS Wax accumulation - The presence of wax in the ears, specially when it gets excessive or dry may cause the ears to itch Eczema and other skin problems - It must be understood that though the ear is a separate organ by itself the skin on the outside portion of the ear and ear canal is the same as skin elsewhere - so skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis can affect the ears as well Dandruff - dandruff from the scalp can enter the ear canal and cause intense itching - it needs to be treated aggressively Use of ...

One common emergency that ENT Surgeons are called upon to see is a fishbone stuck in the throat. A mishap of this kind is usually followed by an immediate sharp pain in the throat corresponding to the area in which the fishbone is lodged.  There may also be coughing, difficulty in swallowing, foreign body sensation in the throat and sometimes some blood-stained oral secretions. Realizing that they have swallowed fishbone patients usually resort to many well-tried home remedies. These are Forceful coughing or attempted vomiting Drinking dilute Vinegar with the hope of breaking down the bone Drinking aerated water/ soda Swallowing a large piece of bread soaked in water with the hope that the weight of the bread will dislodge the bone Swallowing a large morsel of rice or eating a banana Self attempts at removal of the bone - these can sometimes be dangerous and lead to serious trauma in the throat In case home remedies fail kindly visit your nearest ENT Spe...

1. The heat will kill the Virus Though we thought initially that the Coronavirus was a winter virus and that like the Flu its transmission would slow or die down in the summers it is not so. The virus continues to transmit and infect persons.  "Viruses do not replicate outside the living cell but the infectious virus may persist on contaminated environmental surfaces and the duration of persistence of viable virus is affected markedly by temperature and humidity. In the present study, we have demonstrated that SARS CoV can survive at least two weeks after drying at temperature and humidity conditions found in an air-conditioned environment. The virus is stable for 3 weeks at room temperature in a liquid environment but it is easily killed by heat at 56°C for 15 minutes. This indicates that SARS CoV is a stable virus that may potentially be transmitted by indirect contact or fomites. " (K H Chan et all - hindawi.com). 2. Flu Vaccine will give you immunity aga...

Did you wonder why frequent hand washing with soap is being touted as the single most important precaution we can use in our fight against the Coronavirus?  The RNA sequenced SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped virus. It is a tiny bit of protein surrounded by a layer of fat.  Soap is a Surfactant - it reduces surface tension.   The bubbles in the soap reduce the surface tension on the lipid layer of the Virus thus releasing the protein and the virus dies.  This process needs foam (so bubble up the soap in your hands) and time - 20 seconds. And that is truly the cheapest, easiest, and one of the best ways of staying safe! And do it frequently, especially if you have entered the house from a visit outside. 2. Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers Alcohol, in a minimum concentration of 60 %, preferably 70 % and above is effective in eliminating the virus. Alcohol denatures the protective outer proteins of the virus and dissolves the cell membrane thus killing it. Th...