March 16, 2008

A Healed Life

Filed under: Faith Chronicles

This is a story about how my illness was healed and how my life itself has been changed by the healing of my ilness.  For those of you who have known me personally, you might have known that I have a bad case of allergic cold that I had since I was about 3 years old. This illness was very burdensome for me as everyday I have to take one pill of Actifed to fight the allergic reaction. If I forgot to take it even once, then the next day I will have a runny nose with unstoppable sneezing all day round. For years I have been praying for God to take this illness away from me. This year, my prayers were finally heard and answered, although I needed quite a measure of faith in the process.

On January 30th, 2008, I went to HSC Medical Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to visit a Dr. Kuljit Singh, a very good specialist in the nose-ear-throat field. He was highly recommended by a friend who was healed after he visited the doctor. Little did I know what I would face, as the doctor diagnosed me and concluded that I needed a surgery to heal this illness. After 20 years, the inner parts of my nose have became so swollen that my nasal passage is completely blocked. Because of this, I have a breathing problem, and in turn, the breathing problem led to my weak physical fitness as my oxygen intake is severely decreased. The doctor proposed to operate me the next day, and he promised that by February 1st I can already go home to Indonesia… more A Healed Life

A dizzy attack may be accompanied by other symptoms such as blurred vision, disorientation, nausea, fatigue and weakness.  ONE minute, Kim was laughing with some friends over lunch in a crowded restaurant. The next minute she fell quiet, her head bowed, eyes closed, hands holding her temple.

When asked what was wrong, she took a while to respond: her head was spinning. The episode lasted about one minute, after which Kim felt fine, albeit a little shaken.

Kim, 34, just had a bout of vertigo, a sensation that the room or surrounding is spinning or moving…spinning-spells_-determining-the-symptoms-of-dizziness

Ear, nose and throat (ENT) infections are common conditions seen in all primary care clinics. The main concern is to diagnose accurately without causing complications. The possibility of viral infections should be ruled out before antibiotics are prescribed to prevent the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

… more 

We are familiar with the use of balloon angioplasty and arterial stenting in cardiology, and the results for coronary artery disease have been proven over the last decade.  Similar technology has progressed into use in sinus surgery, and sinusitis patients can now have their narrow sinus openings dilated with a balloon. This new technique of Balloon SinuplastyTM, which was invented in the US by Acclarent Inc., has been proven to be safe and is associated with reduced bleeding and shorter hospitalization. The level of postoperative care is reduced as there is no pain or bleeding and nasal packing is not required.

Patients are able to return to work or go for a holiday the very next day after the procedure.  A computerized tomography (CT) scan is performed before the operation to assist the surgeon in diagnosing sinusitis and detecting abnormalities.  The balloon is inserted into the sinus with the guidance of fl uoroscopy, which is similar to the cardiac angiogram. However, the radiation exposure is comparatively low, as most ENT surgeons with previous sinus surgery experience will be able to insert the balloon with minimal use of fl uoroscopy… more balloon-sinuplasty

“Anaphylaxis normally occurs away from medical help, but it requires a

quick acting drug for early administration. It is essential that immediate

treatment is given to patient experiencing an anaphylactic shock,”

explained Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) specialist Dr Kuljit Singh.

… more in-case-of-emergency

In the News

Oh me throat

Date: 15 January 2009

You can literally lose your voice, and much more, if throat cancer strikes.

Cancer of the throat is also known as laryngeal cancer. The larynx consists of three

main areas – supraglottis, glottis and sub glottis.

However, the English word “throat” has a larger area than the larynx, and includes

the pharynx.

The laryngeal covering consists of squamous cells. Thus, squamous cell carcinomas

are commonly seen in malignancies of the larynx.

According to consultant otolaryngology specialist and surgeon Dr Kuljit Singh, the

earliest symptoms of laryngeal cancer would be hoarseness of the voice, which may

persist for more than two weeks. Most infective causes of hoarseness will have

similar symptoms but should subside within 14 days.

Many patients will also complain of a sore throat or feeling that something is stuck

in the throat and these symptoms should be investigated if they do not get better

after conservative medication. This symptom is usually associated with a dry

irritating cough.

Symptoms which are considered bad would be when the patient develops breathing

problems, bad breath, weight loss, ear ache, spitting out blood and a lump within

the neck. … more

cancer-malaysia-oncology-malaysia-oncology-oncologist-cancer-malaysian-oncological-society-mos

Results of a double-blinded, randomized, controlled trial indicate that when children diagnosed with sleep apnea must have their tonsils removed, Coblation-assisted intracapsular technique results in less post-operative pain and a quicker return to normal eating and activity than electrocautery. Interestingly, older children who had Coblation-assisted tonsillectomy exhibited the most dramatic reduction in pain.

Tonsillectomy remains one of the most common childhood surgeries with an increasing number of the surgeries being done to treat obstructive sleep apnea or sleep disordered breathing. In children, untreated obstructive sleep apnea and sleep disordered breathing can result in failure to thrive and behavior and learning problems.

Coblation is a non-heat driven process in which radiofrequency energy is applied to a conductive medium (usually saline) causing a highly focused plasma field to form around the electrodes. The plasma field is comprised of highly ionized particles. These ionized particles have sufficient energy to break organic molecular bonds within tissue. Instead of exploding tissue, Coblation causes a low temperature molecular disintegration, resulting in minimal tissue damage to surrounding areas.

Use of Coblation technology for tonsillectomy has grown in the last several years. A new study, undertaken by a single surgeon at one surgical location, asks the question of how Coblation-assisted intracapsular tonsillectomy compares to the traditional method of removing tonsils by electrocautery. The results of the study “Randomized controlled trial of Coblation versus electrocautery tonsillectomy,” will be presented by author Kay Chang, MD, of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Standford University School of Medicine at the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO, being held September 19-22, 2004, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York City, NY.

Methodology: This study included 101 children scheduled to have tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for obstructive sleep apnea or sleep disordered breathing. Patients with significant comorbidities or significant history of recurrent/chronic tonsillitis were excluded. Patients were randomized into two study groups; coblation-assisted intracapsular tonsillectomy and electrocautery tonsillectomy.

> Read the full article

What are the tonsils and adenoids?

The tonsils and adenoids are composed of tissues that are similar to the lymph nodes or glands found in the neck or other parts of the body. Together, they are part of a ring of glandular tissue (Waldeyer’s ring) encircling the back of the throat.

The tonsils are the two masses of tissue on either side of the back of the throat. Normal tonsils are usually about the same size and have the same pink color as the surrounding area. On their surfaces are little depressions, called crypts, which may appear deep and contain pus pockets or stones.

The adenoids are located high in the throat behind the nose and soft palate (the roof of the mouth) and unlike the tonsils, are not easily visible through the mouth. A tonsillectomy and an adenoidectomy (commonly referred to as a T & A) are surgical procedures performed to remove the tonsils and adenoids.

What is the purpose of the tonsils and adenoids?

The tonsils and adenoids are thought to assist the body in its defense against incoming bacteria and viruses by helping the body form antibodies. However, this function may only be important during the first year of life. There is no evidence to support a significant role of the tonsils and adenoids in immunity. Medical studies have shown that children who have their tonsils and adenoids removed suffer no loss whatsoever in their future immunity to disease or ability to ward off infections.

What are common problems affecting the tonsils and adenoids?

The most common problems occurring with the tonsils and adenoids are recurrent or chronic infections and significant enlargement (hypertrophy).

> Read the full article

A sore throat can have many causes including:

1. Common viruses, and even the viruses that cause mononucleosis (mono) and the flu, can cause a sore throat. Some viruses can also produce blisters in the mouth and throat (”aphthous stomatitis”).

1. Breathing through the mouth can produce throat dryness and soreness.

1. Sinus drainage (post nasal drip) may cause a sore throat.

1. A sore throat can also be caused by bacteria. The two most common bacteria to cause a sore throat are Streptococcus (which causes strep throat) and Arcanobacterium haemolyticum. Arcanobacterium causes sore throats mainly in young adults and is sometimes associated with a fine red rash.

1. Sore throat appearing after treatment with antibiotics, chemotherapy, or other immune-compromising medications may be due to Candida, commonly known as “thrush.”

1. A sore throat lasting for more than two weeks can be a sign of a serious illness, such as throat cancer or AIDS.

What can I do at home for a sore throat?

Generally, sore throats must run their course (exception, strep throat will be addressed below.)

Salt water gargles, hard candies, sprays for example, Chloraseptic) and lozenges can provide temporary pain relief. (Caution: Lozenges and hard candy are a choking hazard for children. Avoid their use in young children.)

> Read the full article

“I — can’t — breathe,” the boy gasped. There was panic in his voice and face. He moved restlessly in his hospital bed, tugging at the clear plastic mask covering his nose and mouth. An alarm sounded distantly, alerting the nurses to the boy’s distress in the pediatric intensive-care unit of the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center in St. Louis. Before the nurses could respond, the boy’s mother replaced the oxygen mask, stroking his face and murmuring reassurances as if he were 7 years old rather than 17.

Dr. Jeremy Garrett, an associate professor of pediatrics at St. Louis University School of Medicine, was worried about the boy. When Garrett first saw him, early that morning, he wondered what this robust man-child was doing in the ward reserved for the very sickest children. At that point, the patient had a fever but otherwise looked well.

> Read the full article