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Pain control for patients with chronic pain following surgery

There is an increasing number of patients with a background of chronic pain presenting to the otolaryngologist. Patients with chronic pain require extra consideration in postoperative pain control due to risk of tolerance and dependence. This article summarises postoperative management...

PPPD - the problem with the label

The recently described diagnostic entity of persistent postural perceptual dizziness (PPPD) has its merits regarding guiding intervention and treatment, but the label itself can be problematic for patients. This study was designed to determine the views of patients of the...

How can we actually be culturally responsive?

Now, more than ever, we need to take action to meet the needs of the students and patients we work with. Black Lives Matter only emphasised how little progress has been made in this area to date. The authors of...

Corticosteroid prescribing in ENT - are we at risk of being sued?

Of medications leading to malpractice claims, corticosteroids comprise the third most common. They are used widely and have a significant side-effect profile: hypertension, lipodystrophy, diabetes, avascular necrosis of the femoral head, peptic ulceration and psychiatric reactions to name but a...

Cochlear implants in the over 80s

The UK has an ageing population. Seven percent of the over 80s population have bilateral severe to profound hearing loss which can lead to associated negative outcomes (social isolation, depression and reduced quality of life). Cochlear implantation (CI) can successfully...

What characterises dysphagia in unilateral vocal fold impairment?

The closure of the vocal folds during swallowing is known to contribute to airway protection along with epiglottic inversion and closure of the false vocal folds. It is therefore plausible to expect that unilateral vocal fold impairment without complete closure...

Moderating effect of hearing aids on association between hearing loss and brain structure?

Previous studies have suggested links between age-related hearing loss and structural changes in cortical regions with auditory and language functions, which could be causative of cognitive decline linked to the condition. The authors reason reduced sensory input could be causative...

Does pollution worsen inflammatory nasal problems?

This ambitious study, conducted over a period of four years, assessed 27,863 patients and compared levels of allergic rhinitis (AR) or chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with the levels of air pollution recorded, as assessed by levels of particulate matter (PM10). They...

Is there an association with cognitive impairment and hearing loss in a developing country?

Hearing loss (HL) is the third leading chronic health condition among older adults. Most studies investigating HL and cognition have been performed in high-income countries. Risk factors for dementia (eg. hypertension, midlife hearing loss, obesity and physical inactivity) are more...

Measurement of HINTS in peripheral vestibulopathy

Dizziness; Head impulse test; Nystagmus; Skew deviation; Vertigo.

Make food thy medicine!

This is a useful paper emphasising how diet affects health and various ENT conditions. We have known for many years the power of food as medicine. We also know that what we eat can affect our bodies in multiple ways...

Is it necessary to put ventilation tubes at the time of surgery in children with cleft palate?

It is commonly understood that existence of a palatal cleft is associated with abnormal action of tensor veli palatini muscle. Frequent middle ear effusions therefore occur because this muscle obstructs rather than opens the Eustachian tube on yawning and swallowing,...