Throat

Microlaryngoscopy
Voice problem or chronic cough can lead to change in voice quality in form of pitch, loudness and hoarse voice. Any patient with persistent change in voice for more than three weeks should be checked by Ear Nose Thoat Doctor. This can be done by performing endoscopy in the clinic with local anaesthetic and performing full assessment under general anaesthetic. This is called Microlaryngoscopy.

Voice hygiene is very important as it can affect your livelihood, especially if you are public speaker or professional singer.

• Hydration is very important to our voice box. Dehydration of vocal cord can occur if you breath dry air, breath through mouth due to nasal obstruction, smoking. Drinking lot of caffeinated drinks, soda and alcohol can dehydrate voice box. Drinking small frequent sips of water can help your voice quality.
• Thick mucus can affect cough and voice quality. This can occur if you suffer with heartburn or reflux. Diet modification can help. You may need medical treatment and special investigation to confirm this. Mr Kumar can advise you on this.
• How you use your voice is very important. Screaming, whispering, talking for long time without break, smoking and talking with background noise can affect strain on voice box.
• Frequent throat clearing and coughing can affect voice. Drinking frequent sips of warm water and performing singers cough (coughing gently with open mouth while breathing out with no noise) can help.

Parotid Gland Swelling
Parotid gland is one our major salivary gland which produces saliva and help in digestion of food. Sometimes lumps and infection can affect these glands. Most of these lumps are benign (non-cancer) tumours but can grow. Facial nerve, which is nerve to the face, runs through this gland. Parotid gland surgery must be very precise and nerve must be protected at all time. Mr Kumar will discuss the procedure with you and care required before and after the procedure.

Submandibular Gland Swelling
Submandibular gland like Parotid gland can become enlarged and sometimes become painful lump. Salivary gland stones are quite common in submandibular gland. This can be confirmed by scan.