Ear, nose & throat (ENT) surgery in Bury St Edmunds

St Edmunds Hospital is located on the beautiful St. Mary's Square, just across from the Greene King Brewery in Bury St Edmunds. People visit us from Newmarket, Diss, Sudbury, Thetford, Woolpit and Mildenhall. We also see patients from Hadleigh, Stowmarket, Ely and Haverhill. If you’re living in one of these areas and looking for a private hospital near you, our team is ready and waiting to help you.

Otorhinolaryngology focuses on clinical management (including surgery) of diseases of the head and neck. Doctors who specialise in this area are called ENT surgeons or otolaryngologists.

While ENT is a surgical subspecialty, it’s worth noting that 80% of patients who visit us will need medical management or reassurance that no treatment is required. They may be referred to other allied services, such as physiotherapists for balance rehabilitation, or SLTs (speech and language therapists) for speech therapy. Only 20% of patients will require surgery.

ENT Consultants, like our Consultant here at The St Edmunds Hospital, treat conditions involving:

• The external, middle and inner ear
• The nose
• The oral cavity
• The neck, and facial structures.

Common conditions include:

• Middle ear disease
• Nasal obstruction
• Nasal discharge
• Abnormal lumps in the neck
• Difficulty swallowing
• Change in voice
• Change in hearing
• Dizziness.

Published widely on various aspects of otolaryngology, our Consultant is a peer reviewer for clinical otolaryngology, with clinical interests including General ENT (in adults and children), tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, grommets surgery and snoring surgery.

Chronic Sore Throat

• In those who experience chronic sore throat and its related symptoms, it is always worth getting checked out by our consultant here at The St Edmunds Hospital, who will undertake a full examination and advise accordingly.

Nasal Obstruction

• In some cases, nasal obstruction may be accompanied by other symptoms, such as nasal discharge (see below), which is a common condition we see in patients at St Edmunds Hospital.

Nasal Discharge

• Persistent rhinorrhoea or post-nasal drip is common and treated accordingly. 

Abnormal Lumps in the Neck

• Enlarged lymph nodes and thyroid swellings are common types of swellings in the neck; you can get checked by our Consultant at The St Edmunds if you are experiencing this issue.

Difficulty Swallowing

• The medical term for difficulty swallowing, Dysphagia may include symptoms like coughing or choking while eating or drinking.

Change in Voice

• Voice changes can be caused by a host of conditions, including laryngitis or voice misuse or overuse.

Change in Hearing

• A build-up of wax or fluid in the ears may contribute to a change in hearing, and it is a relatively common complaint seen in our ear, nose and throat clinic.

Dizziness

• If you feel dizzy, you may feel as though your head is spinning, or you may feel a ‘fuzzy’ sensation in the head. It’s one of the most common reasons people visit our ENT clinic here at the hospital. In some cases, they may require neck surgery – for example, if biopsies are needed.

Within the clinic setting at The St Edmunds Hospital here in Suffolk, patients are assessed and there is also the facility to carry out a hearing test, or an ear pressure test. Where necessary, these tests can be carried out on the same day for optimum convenience for the patient.

There is also the facility to carry out a nasal endoscopy, which is a camera examination of the inside of the nose and back of the throat, all the way down to the voice box area. The patient will attend the outpatient clinic and, depending on what their complaint is, our ear, nose and throat consultant will decide which investigation is required. These could include:

• A normal consultation with examination, which might involve the nervous system – especially if the patient presents with dizziness or vertigo.
• A hearing test, if the patient has hearing problems, earache or dizziness
• A tympanogram – a test that measures the air pressure in the middle ear.

It is possible that a nasal endoscopy is required, particularly for throat problems or neck swelling. This procedure examines the nasal and sinus passages, whereby a soft fibre optic camera is passed gently into the nose to the back of the throat.

This camera is used to examine the area of the pharynx and larynx and the procedure is done under a local anaesthetic. It can be performed on the same day as the consultation.

The endoscopy is recorded, which means our consultant has the opportunity to review the results with the patient, in real-time, there and then, and tell them exactly what is happening. Sometimes, this may involve telling the patient what ‘isn’t’ happening, especially in instances when a patient presents with, for example, a lump in the throat and believes it is a serious illness.

It is so much more reassuring to be able to show a patient a picture – to confirm that there isn’t any swelling or an abnormality – says our consultant.

In the majority of cases, day surgery will be performed, to allow the patient to return home on the same day.

There are, of course, exceptions, due to the patient’s health and home circumstances, as well as distance to travel home.

There are several reasons why you might choose The St Edmunds for ear, nose and throat conditions.

The team, say our consultant, work together closely, with inter-referrals to the most appropriate place to help patients get the care they need.

Plus, every specialist working at Circle Health Group is an NHS- practising consultant, which means the services they provide undergo a rigorous process of appraisal and recommendation.

If you are a self-paying patient, you can find out exactly what you will pay for treatment before you commit to anything; you can email the secretary of our ear nose and throat consultant, who will give you a breakdown of cost.

Infection control at The St Edmunds Hospital is great, too, with our consultant currently using disposable, single-use endoscopes in his practice.

At a glance, here are some reasons why you might choose The St Edmunds for your consultation:

• Reduced waiting times – Patients who visit us can, of course, benefit from shorter waiting times than they would if, say, they were to pursue treatment on the NHS.
• Flexible appointments at a time to suit you – You can choose an appointment time to suit you and your schedule – and in some cases, remote consultations will be offered.
• Consultant-led appointments – Your appointment will always be consultant-led.
• You’ll see the same person each time you visit - From your consultation, right through to any treatment needed, you will meet with the same person here in our clinic.
• Patient satisfaction and personalised care – In an independent survey* in 2020, 99% of our patients said they would recommend The St Edmunds Hospital, and the hospital has a CQC overall rating of ‘Good’. *Results compiled by healthcare agency, Quality Health.         

The St Edmunds Hospital covers a wide catchment area.

Patients visit from Cambridge to Ipswich, to Essex, including Colchester, Norfolk, and a host of other towns and cities in the region.

If you are looking for ear, nose and throat treatment in Suffolk itself, The St Edmunds is a great choice too.

Want to make a consultation with our ear, nose and throat consultant at St Edmunds Hospital?

You can get in touch with our team by calling 01284 844636.

You can also use our handy online booking system to make your appointment.