Welcome to Raghu ENT Care located in Coimbatore, the healthcare centre for Ear, Nose and Throat problems under one roof. The Clinic is founded and headed by ENT surgeon, Dr. Dr.N. RAGHURAM whose professional experience stretches over 20 years and who has featured in ENT surgeries in India.
429/430, Lakshmipuram 6th Street, Kamarajar Road, Opp. to ThulasiRam's Service Apartments, Near Mani's Theatre, Hope college, Peelamedu, Coimbatore - 641 004.
This section is dedicated to ear and hearing related problems. It describes the anatomy of the human ear, the symptoms that you may have and the facilities available at RAGHU ENT CARE
The auricle is the visible part of the outer ear. It consists of floppy, oval irregular shaped cartilage tightly covered with skin. It acts like a cupped hand to focus the sound waves into the ear canal.
The skin of the outer part of the external auditory canal has hairs and glands which produce wax and oils. The canal is about two and a half cm long and ends at the ear drum tympanic membrane. It collects and directs the sound wave energy to move the eardrum, which is a thin, flexible transparent membrane.
There are various symptoms of ear related problems that you may experience. Please select a symptom from the following list to know more about it.
Ear blockages can be due to conditions of the outer, middle or inner ears and can occur for many reasons
Sometimes, patients complain of ear blockage when they actually mean that they cannot hear properly
What investigations are needed to diagnose the cause of an ear blockage?
Thorough clinical examination can often, but not always, identifies the problem. Basic audiological tests such as Pure tone audiometry, Tympanometry can usually indicate the source of the symptom. However, more detailed audiological investigations, such as Eustachian tube dysfunction testing, Otoacoustic emissions or Electrocochleography may be necessary to make an accurate diagnosis.
Ear inner ear endolymphatic hydrops, which is analogous to Glaucoma of the inner ear, is often misdiagnosed as Eustachian tube dysfunction.
Discharge from the ear is invariably due to an infection of the ear canal otitis externa) or middle ear ( Otitis media). An offensive smeling discharge is more common with chronic infections, particularly due to gram negative bacteria.
Accumulated wax is often present in the ear canal, blocking the ear canal can cause hearing loss. Typically wax is removed by inserting a small suction device though a plastic speculum, a procedure termed microsuction. This is a painless procedure. Syringing the ear canals with clean warm water has been a traditional method for removing wax, but requires special care or this procedure may result in permanent damage to the ear.
Ear injuries are mainly due to a blow to the ear or head, or sudden extreme pressure changes. A blow to the auricle may cause a painful collection of blood under the skin( hematoma). Sudden pressure changes in the ear canal from a blow over the ear or poor syringing technique may rupture the ear drum and disrupt the ossicles. Landing in an aeroplane with Eustachian tube dysfunction and a middle ear effusion may cause severe pain and damage to the eardrum. Blowing the nose hard or straining may raise the inner ear pressure and lead to the rupture of delicate membranes causing a perilymph fistula. A head injury with or without a skull fracture may also damage the middle ear and inner ear structure.
Pure Tone Audiometry is a basic hearing test to determine your ability to hear various sounds at different note frequencies. Tympanometry is an objective test of your middle ear function and is useful for determining whether there is fluid in your middle ear, perforation in your ear drum or loss of continuity of the ossicles.
Ear itching is due to infection or irritation of the skin lining the ear canal (Otitis externa). Ear wax is another cause for itching.
The most common cause of ear pain is infection either of the external canal( otitis externa, furunculosis) or middle ear(otitis media). The nerves which provide sensation to the mouth, nose and throat also supply the ear and the jaw ( Temporo mandibular ) joint. Pain may therefore also be referred from strain of the jaw joint with spasm of the adjacent chewing muscles, or conditions affecting other ENT sites.
Tinnitus is a symptom not a disease, which frequently accompanies hearing loss and can occur with almost every ear condition. Subjective tinnitus, which is by far the most common type, is only heard by the patient, whereas objective tinnitus can be heard by the other people as well. The annoyance caused by the tinnitus is very variable and not directly related to the loudness.
Hyperacusis means increased sensitivity to sounds which therefore appear to be abnormally loud. The normal ear has a dampening mechanism to protect the cochlear hearing hair cells from the damage due to excessive sound energy and due to enhance their function. The mechanism is controlled by nerve fibres (cochlear efferents) which travel from the brain to the ear with one of the balance(vestibular) nerves. Increased sound sensitivity is a very frequent early symptom of inner ear disease.
There are two general types of hearing loss: Conductive hearing loss and Sensorineural hearing loss.
Conductive hearing loss is caused by any disruption in the passage of sound from the external ear via the middle ear to the oval window. Possible causes are impacted wax, tympanic membrane perforation, otitis media, middle ear effusion, ossicle problems including otosclerosis. Such hearing loss is often correctable with medical or surgical treatment.
Sensorineural haering loss results from damage to the delicate hair cells of the cochlea or the nerve fibers of the auditory nerve. Presbyacusis, or hearing loss related to aging, and noise induced damage are the common causes. This type of hearing loss in one ear may be due to an underlying benign tumour (acoustic neuroma). Sensorineural hearing loss is generally permanent, though medical treatment of certain conditions can prevent further deterioration. When the hearing defecit exceeds 30% in both ears a hearing device (aid) is frequently a good solution. Occasionally a mixed hearing loss, that is part conductive loss and part sensoruineural, may occur.
The nose is the visible, protruding and triangular pyramid part of the face that bears the nostrils. Its root is faced upwards and its base is downwards. It is divided into left and right nostrils by the Nasal Septum. The important functions of the nose are; smelling or olfaction - the nose is an organ which helps us to smell objects or food and respiration - the nose helps in the respiration of the lungs in the human body.
This is the most common symptom of any Nasal disease and is also called a stuffy nose that may affect one or both nostrils. There may be complete or Partial or continuous or even intermittent types of obstruction. The Nasal obstruction depends on the side of the nose affected; the disease condition involved or may be due to the medical condition of the person.
Causes for Nasal congestion may include Nasal Polyp, Intranasal tumours, Adenoids, Deviated Nasal Septum, infection of the sinuses, Common Cold, Rhinitis, Cold Weather or Temperature, Swelling inside the Nose, Foreign Bodies or any Cancerous growths.
Symptoms include Nasal Obstruction, Difficulty in breathing, and Heaviness of the head due to improper breathing, Headache may also be associated with Nasal congestion. Nasal congestion has a serious effect on the infant born with Choanal Atresia and the baby may die if not treated early due to respiration problems. Nasal Obstruction in babies also interferes with milk sucking, as the baby cannot latch properly due to the obstruction which leads to delayed and insufficient drinking. In children, Nasal Obstruction if not treated early may lead to Orthodontic problems (High arched Palate) and crowded teeth due to Mouth breathing.
Your sense of smell not only allows you to enjoy a variety of aromas but also warns you of potential dangers. The total loss of smell is called Anosmia and the partial loss of smell is called Hyposmia. The nose helps in the reflex secretion of the digestive juices by smelling the aroma of the food, making the person enjoy and taste the food. In the case of Anosmia, as there is a loss in sensing the smell, food becomes bland and tasteless. In a few cases mainly in elders, Anosmia is a persistent problem that signals them for the underlying medical condition.
Anosmia is the common symptom for many nasal diseases; causes include nasal obstruction due to a nasal polyp, enlarged nasal turbinates, swelling of the inner layer of the nose or the mucous membrane or an abscess which causes pressure on the olfactory tracts. It may be also due to the Common cold, Allergic Rhinitis, intake of certain medications, Atrophic Rhinitis or any Injury to the Nose. The excessive use of tobacco may also lead to olfactory acuity (heightened sense of smell).
There are no signs and symptoms of anosmia, as it itself is a symptom of many nasal medical conditions.
It is the most common symptom of Nasal disease and is characterized by excess mucus secretion in one of the airways. The mucous membranes of the Nose always produce the mucus which runs through our Posterior nares and then descends down into the stomach and digests. But when there is some infection in the nose, the amount of secretion varies.
Acute - Allergic Rhinitis is a Common cold because of a Virus-like Influenza virus or Streptococcus or Staphylococcus virus. It may be also due to diphtheria. Chronic- Catarrh may continue to later stages in Atrophic Rhinitis, Sinusitis, and Deviated Nasal Septum resulting in a chronic condition.
Symptoms include frequent sneezing, stuffy nose, watery thin nasal discharge with the postnasal drip, dry cough, headache, pain in the face, Hoarseness of voice, Nasal congestion, and in later stages the discharge may get thickened resulting in secondary infection. Blood mixed mucous seen in infected Catarrh. It may last for a few hours to a few days and can occur any time of the day or season of the year.
When a thin wall present between the nasal passages is displaced or deviated is called a Deviated Nasal Septum. Deviations may be slight with no symptoms or very marked with the Obstruction of the Nasal cavity.
Most common symptoms include nasal obstruction, other common symptoms are headache, sinusitis, nose bleeding, facial pain, abnormal sounds during breathing, preferring to sleep on one side, anosmia and secondary complications may also include middle ear infections.
Foreign bodies mean the lodgment of any substance or object within the nasal cavity. It is usually seen in children. Children usually push some piece of paper, chalk, button, or seeds into their noses knowingly or unknowingly. Most of the children do not inform regarding the objects, it is only noted after the commencement of symptoms.
There may be unilateral, foul-smelling, and sometimes blood-stained discharge from the involved nose. There can also be Nasal obstruction with difficulty in breathing and pain of the affected nose due to swelling of objects like seeds.
ENT Treatment involves a simple procedure of removal of objects using forceps by our ENT Surgeon in Coimbatore, but in a non-cooperative child, it is removed under General Anesthesia using forceps.
There may be serious complications associated with the foreign body. If not noticed early there may be a chances of rhinolith formation i.e stone formation inside the nose with bleeding and pain in the nose. There are also the chances of inhalation into the Lungs giving rise to more complications.
There are two types of nasal polyps which includes the Bilateral ethmoidal polyp which arises from the Ethmoid sinus and the Antrochoanal Polyp which begin from the maxillary sinuses. They are unilateral and less common.
Most of the causes include Chronic Rhinitis, Asthma, Aspirin intolerance and Sinusitis. The nasal polyp is mostly caused due to the collection of fluids within the nose and they continue to swell forming a Polyp.
Symptoms include Nasal congestion, nasal stuffiness, loss of smell and taste, complete or partial loss of smell, Headache due to pressure, sinusitis and sneezing, snoring, watery thin discharge and pain in the upper teeth region.
Tonsillitis is the infection or inflammation of the tonsils. It is roughly estimated that nearly 7.5% of the populace suffering from recurrent Tonsillitis, and the frequency of the same is about every 3 months once. It is most common in school-going children and occurs mostly during the winter seasons.
The main causes of tonsillitis are persistent colds, viral, and bacterial infections, and allergies. If the cause is the bacteria Streptococcus A, then the disease is termed Strep Throat.
The main signs and symptoms of tonsillitis are body ache, fever, general weakness, sore throat, red swollen tonsils; bad breathing and stomach pain mainly in children, difficulty in swallowing food or liquids, white pus-filled spots on the tonsils, and inflammation in the lymph nodes on the neck.
This medical condition is characterized by the inflammation of the Pharynx and is generally called ‘Sore throat’ together with cough; it is diagnosed in more than 2 million people per year in India. It is more common in the winter season.
The most common causes of ‘Pharyngitis’ are viral and other bacterial agents such as measles, adenovirus, chicken pox, croup and whooping cough and streptococcus.
The commonly seen symptoms of ‘Pharyngitis’ are a Sore throat, difficulty in swallowing, sneezing, runny nose, chills, red swollen throat, fever, general weakness, and cough.
Our body has Antibodies which acts as the defense mechanism. It fights against the bacteria or any other foreign bodies from entering our body. This fighting antibodies sometimes gets aggressive and fails to identify, thinking any air particles entering the nose as its enemy and start fighting against it by secreting the high amounts of mucus to wash the particles from the nasal mucous membrane resulting in the disease called as Allergic Rhinitis.
Causes for Allergic Rhinitis may be due to allergens such as Pollen, dust, grass, perfumes, any particular food aroma or food, insects, termites, pets etc. There may also genetic predisposition of allergy in some patients.
Symptoms depend on the Acute and Chronic phase of the disease.
Acute phase usually starts within 5-30 minutes after the exposure to allergens. Symptoms are violent sneezing, constant watery thin nasal discharge, irritation in the eyes, burning eyes, itching in the eyes, nose and the throat, hoarseness of the voice, nasal congestion, extreme weakness due to continuous sneezing and nasal discharge.
Chronic symptoms are due to the repeated attacks of the acute phase. There may be a thick grayish discharge from the nose, edema of the eyelids, cobblestone appearance of the conjunctiva, loss of smell. Symptoms may occur both seasonal at the particular time of the year and perennial, i.e throughout the year.