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...

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...

The Corona Virus - SARS CoV-2 causes the disease Covid-19. This is similar to a virus named HIV causing the disease AIDS. Currently, there is no known treatment for Covid - 19. There is an intense amount of research but there is no definite breakthrough.  Molecules to treat diseases take years of testing - Lab, Animal studies, Human trials before they are declared to be fit for human use. The suddenness and the severity of the Coronavirus has given us very little time to develop a new molecule. In this situation various treatments which were successful against Viruses of a similar nature in the past are being tried out - a process called "Repurposing" - a strategy for off label use of known drugs. To understand treatment strategies for Covid-19 we must break the disease into its stages - because treatment is different at each stage. Asymptomatic and Pre Symptomatic patients The good news is that in a large majority of patients there are no symptoms. Apart f...

During health human blood maintains an Oxygen saturation of about 94-99 %. This is also called SPO2 ( the amount of blood saturated with oxygen or also the percentage of Oxygenated hemoglobin in the blood). This level is measured by a simple device that is clipped on to your finger and which gives an accurate reading in a few seconds( a Pulse Oximeter - see picture above). Hemoglobin is the Oxygen Carrier in the blood and it helps transport Oxygen to various tissues all over the body for their functioning.  Our breathing is controlled by a very complex mechanism called the Respiratory Drive - it has many components including the involvement of Neural and Peripheral Chemoreceptors. The Central Chemoreceptors in the brain are very sensitive to Carbon Dioxide (CO2) levels.  Even a minor increase in CO2 levels brings about immediate changes in our breathing - a 5mmHg change in PaCo2 can double breathing rates in healthy persons.  Build up of excessive CO2 normally...

Being an ENT Specialist with a considerable Paediatric practice, I am frequently asked by parents whether their child needs the annual Flu Vaccine.   They often tell me "according to the Internet she/he should get it".  Following this line of reasoning, I decided to abandon my textbooks for a change and ‘Google’ it.  This is what I learnt: The top results that came up after typing in " Should my child get a Flu Vaccine ?" are as follows:  Caring For Children : All children over 6 months old should get the flu shot each year. That would mean a child from 6 months to 18 years of age.  Mayo Clinic :  In most cases, yes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the yearly flu (influenza) vaccine for all children 6months and older - ideally given as soon as the vaccine is available each year.  KidsHealth:  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age...

What is an Antibiotic? A simple course of an Antibiotic to a child gets rid of good bacteria from the gut - these may take up to 6 months to be replenished. We are increasingly concerned about that. Most upper respiratory tract infections are viral in origin - an antibiotic is not required  Once started an Antibiotic must be taken in the correct dosage and for the proper duration - do not stop because you are feeling better on the second day. There are very few newer antibiotic molecules in the pipeline - we have to depend on what we have. Undigested antibiotics are passed on in the stools - we do not know the effect these have on the environment. Antibiotic usage can sometimes cause life-threatening side effects, including anaphylactic reaction. Why you should not start one on your own ANTIBIOTIC ANTI - Against BIOS - Life ANTIBIOTIC = Against Life In its most common use,   and Antibiotic is a medicine that destroys or slows down the multi...

A ntibiotics   are needed to treat bacterial infections. However, their usage carries the risk of many side effects, including some very serious consequences like an Anaphylactic Reaction. Indiscriminate use of Antibiotics is also causing a scary global scenario of Antibiotic Resistance. DO NOT START AN ANTIBIOTIC ON YOUR OWN - Seek a Medical Opinion first.  If you are looking for a Sr. ENT Specialist then please visit our Centre. Address  - D 3/14, Vasant Vihar, Lane opposite, Vasant Vihar Club, Opp Shri Ram School, New Delhi, Delhi 110057. For an appointment - Please call at +919871150032.