Seamus Heaney grew up in the 1940s. Infectious diseases – diphtheria, poliomyelitis, mumps, measles and rubella – were rife. Stepping Stones recalled talk among older neighbours of ‘a-waiting on’ when they were close to death. Aunts and uncles succumbed to...
Vasant Oswal was, for many years, ‘Mister ENT’ in the Northeast of England. Appointed as a consultant to the old North Riding Infirmary in 1970, he led what was a small and little-known department through a period of tumultuous change...
In recent years, there has been a definite shift toward the acceptance and use of smartphone technology in the delivery of healthcare. Within the fields of ENT and audiology, there is considerable appeal in the portability, simplicity, affordability, and connectivity...
The creator of ENT Expert Opinion, Dr Niall Jefferson, was in the midst of his surgical training in Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery in Australia in 2012. In contemplating his upcoming Fellowship exams, he began to seek out resources that...
If you’ve experienced an uptick in the number of your patients complaining of tinnitus lately, you are not alone. In fact, there is some evidence that the social and emotional strain of the ongoing pandemic many exacerbate tinnitus for existing...
On-call apps have been covered in this publication before, with reference apps taking centre stage [1]. This article will focus on apps with specific functions which can be of use in frequently arising emergency scenarios. However, for reference apps I...
The sound experienced by individuals with tinnitus can vary to a huge extent. It can range from a mild occasional ringing to a constant, loud noise causing disruption to daily life and sleep. Reassuringly, tinnitus is rarely a sign of...
Having just read about the challenges cochlear implant technology and music appreciation present, the musician Richard Reed beautifully illustrates the realities of this patient journey. An old friend of mine is an ardent music fan, and completely tone deaf. Long...
David Moffat, one of the leading Otologists of his generation, died on 18 March in Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, the hospital to which he had devoted his professional life. Having survived cancer of the prostate, he succumbed to a second...
It is recognised that hearing loss and ear disease are far more common in less affluent parts of the world, and that those countries are often least able to provide treatment; so how can we prioritise care for these patients?...
Benchmarking is a process of comparison between the performance characteristics of separate, often competing, organisations intended to enable each participant to improve its own performance [1]. Often, in healthcare, benchmarking is carried out by central government departments or regional agencies...
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it is safe to say very few audiology services were fully prepared for the challenges it would pose. Gina Angley, Associate Director Adult Amplification Program, Vanderbilt University, tells us about her experience of preparing her...