Hearing aids are little devices that assist hearing impaired to gain a good quality of hearing. Most patients are shy and uncomfortable with using one as it may reveal age or some sort of disability. The technology is so advance that hearing aids are smaller than 10 years ago and the comfort level is better.

Patients should see an ENT doctor first to make sure there is no defect or disease in the ears before purchasing hearing aids.

Dr Kuljit Singh

President Malaysian Society Otorhinolaryngologist

Sudden Hearing loss usually occurs in one ear. It is painless without any other symptoms. An immediate Pure Tone Audiometry is essential and followed by serial audiological monitoring. Choice of treatment will be steroid [prednisole], anti viral and methyl cobalamine. 

In most cases, full recovery is  possible within a few weeks. 

Dr Kuljit Singh

Malaysia has a fair share amount of NPC patients. Early detection helps in successful treatment. Blood mixed saliva or nasal discharge mixed with blood are early signs. Sound in the ear or tinnitus is also another early sign of NPC. Patients should see an ENT Specialist with this symptoms.
Screening with endoscope, blood test and maybe CT Scan may be useful.

Treatment Options
High-dose radiation therapy with chemotherapy is the primary treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer, both for the primary tumor site and the neck.[1] When feasible, surgery is usually reserved for nodes that fail to regress after radiation therapy or for nodes that reappear following clinical complete response. Radiation therapy dose and field margins are individually tailored to the location and size of the primary tumor and lymph nodes.[2-5] Although most tumors are treated with external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT) exclusively, in some tumors radiation therapy may be boosted with intracavitary or interstitial implants or by the use of stereotactic radiosurgery when clinical expertise is available, and the anatomy is suitable.[6-10] Intensity-modulated radiation therapy may result in a lower incidence of xerostomia and provide a better quality of life than conventional radiation therapy.[11,12][Level of evidence: 1iiC] A review of published clinical results of radical radiation therapy for head and neck cancer suggests a significant loss of local control when the administration of radiation therapy was prolonged; therefore, lengthening of standard treatment schedules should be avoided whenever possible.[13]

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated a high incidence (>30%–40%) of hypothyroidism in patients who have received radiation therapy that delivered EBRT to the entire thyroid gland or to the pituitary gland. Thyroid-function testing of patients should be considered prior to therapy and as part of posttreatment follow-up.[14,15]

“http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/nasopharyngeal/HealthProfessional/page5″>

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

An allergy is a reaction of your immune system to something that does not bother most other people. People who have allergies often are sensitive to more than one thing. Substances that often cause reactions are

• Pollen
• Dust mites
• Mold spores
• Pet dander
• Food
• Insect stings
• Medicines

How do you get allergies? Scientists think both genes and the environment have something to do with it. Normally, your immune system fights germs. It is your body’s defense system. In most allergic reactions, however, it is responding to a false alarm.

Allergies can cause a runny nose, sneezing, itching, rashes, swelling or asthma. Symptoms vary. Although allergies can make you feel bad, they usually won’t kill you. However, a severe reaction called anaphylaxis is life-threatening.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Dizziness is a term used to describe everything from feeling faint or lightheaded to feeling weak or unsteady. Dizziness that creates the sense that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving is called vertigo.

As a child, spinning until you were dizzy may have been great fun. But otherwise, finding the room spinning isn’t pleasant at all.

Dizziness is one of the most common reasons adults visit their doctors — right up there with back pain and headaches. Although it may be disabling and incapacitating, dizziness rarely signals a serious, life-threatening condition. Treatment of dizziness depends on the cause and your symptoms, but is usually effective.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dizziness/DS00435

Vertigo is the sudden sensation that you are unsteady or that your surroundings are moving. You may feel like you’re spinning around on a merry-go-round or that your head is spinning inside. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is one of the most common disorders that can cause vertigo.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is characterized by brief episodes of mild to intense dizziness associated with specific changes in the position of your head. It most commonly occurs when you move your head in a certain direction, lie down from an upright position, turn over in bed or sit up in the morning. Moving your head to look up or look down also can bring about symptoms of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. You may also feel out of balance when standing or walking.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vertigo/DS00534

“A common complaint of many individuals with sinus problems is a ‘blocked nose.’ This feeling of blockage can result from sinus infections. In addition, there are a number of things that anatomically block the nose and can lead to sinus problems. Blockage may occur when the lining of the nose swells, or when there is a deformity of the cartilaginous or bony structures that make up the framework of the nose. .”

The procedure is said to be permanent and cost-effective cure for the disease which results in inflamation of the sinus lining leading to blockage in the nose.

“The advantage of this procedure is that it involves faster recovery time and less post-procedure discomfort.

THE HINDU: October 14th, 2008

April 2008 issue of Annals of Otology, Rhinology, & Laryngology concluded balloon sinuplasty(TM) instrumentation is safe and effective. More than 95 percent of the study’s 1,036 patients enjoyed sinus symptom improvement over an average follow-up of 40 weeks and no adverse events were attributable to balloon sinuplasty(TM).

The radiofrequency procedure is a safe, fast and effective way to relieve nasal obstruction due to enlarged turbinates. It is performed in our office under local anesthesia, and typically takes less than 30 minutes. The radiofrequency energy is delivered under the surface layer of the turbinates, sparing the mucosa or membrane. The treated tissue is heated just enough to create an area of coagulation. This avoids annoying crusting and bleeding after the procedure and nasal packing is not required. Over the next three to six weeks, patients usually start to experience improved nasal breathing. Pain medication is rarely needed. After a short period of observation, patients can drive home, or resume normal activities.

To date, there have been no significant complications reported. No nasal packing is required, and most patients do not require pain medication. Some patients experience a stuffy nose for up to one week after the procedure. Nasal crusting can occur, which is usually relieved by a saline nasal spray. The turbinates can slowly enlarge after the procedure, especially if there are nasal allergies or infections. Occasionally, a second procedure is needed after 3 months if nasal blockage returns.

The goal of radiofrequency turbinate reduction is to improve breathing through the nose in an office setting with minimal risk to the patient. It is not cosmetic surgery and is covered by most insurance plans. If you have any questions about this procedure, we invite you to make an appointment for an evaluation to determine whether you are a candidate.