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Ears have a self-cleansing mechanism. Presence of ear wax does not mean your ears are dirty. Wax is a normal component of the ear canal manufactured by specialized (ceruminous) glands in the outer ear. Its function is to protect the delicate skin of the ear canal. Massage of the ear canal by talking and chewing tends to naturally propel wax out of the ear canal. Those who have normal ears (with no hole in the ear drum or other ear disease) can safely use an over-the-counter ear wax softening solution. People with very small ear canals and whose wax tends to be very dry and mixed with a lot of dry skin should have their ears cleaned periodically by an ENT specialist. Inserting a bud or pin into the ear has to be avoided because it actually pushes wax further down into the canal. It can also puncture the ear drum and cause more serious injuries.

If you have disease or obstruction in your external or middle ear, your conductive hearing may be impaired. Medical or surgical treatment can probably correct this. An inner ear problem, however, can result in a sensori-neural impairment or nerve deafness. In most cases, the end organs of hearing are damaged or do not function optimally. Although many auditory nerve fibers may be intact and can transmit electrical impulses to the brain, these nerve fibers are unresponsive because of hair cell damage. Severe to profound inner ear hearing loss cannot be corrected with medicines & it can be treated only with a cochlear implant.

Structures of the ear are very small. Hence, ear surgery is usually performed with an operating microscope which enlarges the view of the ear structures sufficiently so the surgeon can perform the delicate & intricate tasks needed. The incision is made behind or in front of the ear. Disease clearance is done. Hearing reconstruction is then done. After the surgery the ear becomes disease free & hearing improves. Patients undergoing ear surgery need regular, meticulous follow ups as advised the treating physician.

What do we mean by a Sinus?

Sinus is an air filled space within the hollow bones of the face. There are 7 sinuses (4 on each side) which contain air and communicate with the nose. Sinuses play an important role in breathing & voice production.

It is an inflammation of the membrane lining the para-nasal sinuses. In acute sinusitis, facial pain/pressure, nasal obstruction, nasal discharge, diminished sense of smell, fever and cough may occur. It is generally treated with antibiotics and decongestants. In chronic sinusitis, facial pain/pressure, facial congestion/ fullness, nasal obstruction, nasal/ postnasal discharge, diminished sense of smell, fever, headache, bad breath and cough may be present. The symptoms are usually present for 12 weeks or more.

X-ray / CT scan of the para-nasal sinuses, diagnostic nasal endoscopy, allergy testing and blood tests may be required.

Nasal endoscope is an instrument for the examination of the nose and sinus drainage areas. The patients nasal cavity is anesthetized with a local anesthetic and diagnostic nasal endoscopy is done. Signs of obstruction, nasal polyps hidden from routine nasal examination are visualized. Structural abnormalities that cause recurrent sinusitis are also identified.

Otitis media is an ear infection involving the middle ear. It is most common in babies and young children, but can occur in adults as well. Otitis media can be caused by viruses or bacteria, and treatment is different based on age, symptoms and other factors.

This is a condition when a person looses control his body movements, fails to balance himself, has a feeling that all objects around him are moving in a archie form, or he/she will fall to the ground if he attempts to move. He/She may be having nausea which, in many cases, is a forerunner of vertigo.

There are many causes of earaches. Ear pain may occur at many points in the pathway from the outside of the ear to deep in the inner ear. Most ear infections occur inside the ear. Usually there is no sign of infection on the outside. Redness, pain and swelling on the outside of the ear indicate a different type of infection.