ENT conditions (Mr Gaurav Kumar)

  Most professional voice users can be regarded as vocal gymnasts. They need to have the good vocal calibre to match their demanding needs. For this reason, they are more prone to develop disorders of the voice. It is needless to emphasise that their existence is centred around their voice and hence the substantial psychological impact on them at the subtlest aberration. How do I care for my voice? How can I stay away from voice problems? Good vocal health can be ensured by adhering to principles of vocal hygiene. Good voicing techniques, warm-ups and cool-downs, avoiding unwanted strain like shouting and cheerleading adequate hydration and rest, regular diet and sleep are essential for good vocal health. Who will be able to answer all my concerns and help me? Otolaryngologists with a special interest in professional voice can help you sort issues relating to voice. They work in close association with voice therapists(SALT with a special interest in voice), Vocologists and voice co...

How can I tell my toddler or child has an ear infection? Ear infections are prevalent from the age of 3 months until the age of 5 years. Toddlers may become irritable, start pulling their ear, excessive crying, running a temperature, follow cold or flu, in some cases may be associated with flu, cold and cough. In some cases, they can also present with ear discharge. Why do toddlers and children suffer from ear infections? The ear is connected to the back of the nose with a tube called the eustachian tube. The eustachian tube is responsible for maintaining equal pressure on both sides of the eardrum. In toddlers and children, this tube is shorter and straiter. When a child gets flu or cold, the virus can lead to inflammation of eustachian tube and middle ear.  On average, a child suffers from 6-8 flu or cold per year in the early years of their life as they develop their immunity.  When should I contact my doctor? Most of the ear infections may settle down with self-help medica...

What causes loss of smell?   Sense of smell is vital to us. Loss of sense of smell is most commonly due to a cold or flu. Patients who suffer from sinus infections or hay fever can have intermittent loss of smell. In some cases, due to growth, such as nasal polyps or, in rare cases, a tumour can affect the sense of smell. These conditions can either lead to a total loss of smell, reduced sense of smell, altered smell or a sensation of smell when it is not there. Why do we lose the sense of smell in COVID-19 or Coronavirus infection? Coronavirus has been well-known to cause flu-like symptoms. COVID 19 is a type of coronavirus, so WHO has stated loss of smell as a possible symptom of COVID 19. In some cases, COVID-19 infection can affect nerve endings, resulting in Anosmia symptoms. Return of sense of smell depends on how these nerve endings regenerate. Should I be worried about the loss of sense of smell? The loss of sense of smell can be due to COVID infection. There can be other c...

Which sphincter prevents regurgitation of food from the stomach? Our food pipe starts in the neck and connects the back of the throat to the stomach. At both ends of the food pipe or oesophagus, there is a ring of muscle which prevents food and acid from the stomach from coming back into the throat. Which conditions can present as regurgitation or dysphagia? Regurgitation of undigested food or acid can be due to slowly growing conditions such as: The tightness of the upper ring muscle (Cricopharyngeal spasm) Web formation in the food pipe Out-pouching of the food pipe (Pharyngeal Pouch) Stricture or tightness of the food pipe because of a previous injury such as a burn The food pipe muscles unable to relax due to a stroke.  In some cases, it can present suddenly due to obstruction of the food pipe due to a foreign body. You should attend A&E if you suspect that you have a sudden onset complete dysphagia.  In some patients, this can be the presentation of cancer in the food...

                                      What causes a cough in children? Coughing is a protective reflex of the body due to irritation of the airway. If the cough lasts more than 4-8 weeks or if after four weeks the cough is becoming worse, then it can be worrying. A persistent cough can affect the quality of the life of a child, including, schooling, sleep and appetite. Common causes of persistent cough could be allergy/hay fever, postnasal drip, large tonsil, gastro-oesophageal reflux or asthma. Rare causes include foreign body inhalation or psychogenic. Evolving evidence is dry cough on its own is rarely a symptom of asthma.  What are two essential things to understand about chronic cough in a child? Causes of chronic cough are different from adults  Management of chough in children if different from adults and parents and clinician need to understand this. What should I write dow...