Our ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) practice here at The Lancaster Hospital focuses on a host of conditions.
Our Consultant’s clinical interests include:
- Thyroid conditions and surgery
- Endoscopic ear surgery (including myringoplasty, tympanoplasty, and atticotomy)
- Swallowing disorders
- Nasal procedures, including rhinoplasty for cosmetic or functional reasons
- Sinus surgery.
Patients can find out more about any of the above during their consultation.
Common ear conditions seen within the clinic include:
- Earache – which affects people of all ages.
- Hearing loss – which can be due to a variety of reasons and can be temporary or permanent.
- Tinnitus – a ringing or buzzing inside your ears, tinnitus can be highly frustrating but can be managed or treated at The Lancaster Hospital.
Other ear conditions seen in our clinic include vertigo (with the patient experiencing imbalance and dizziness, amongst other symptoms), Otosclerosis, Meniere’s Disease, ear infections, swimmer’s ear (otitis externa), and pressure differences.
Nasal conditions seen regularly at The Lancaster Hospital by our Consultant ENT include:
- Nasal blockage – nasal blockage occurs due to a variety of reasons, ranging from a virus like cold or flu to structural conditions like a deviated symptom or a deviated nasal pyramid. It can also occur as a result of allergies; you can chat to our ENT team about treatment options.
- Nasal discharge – also called post-nasal drip or rhinorrhea, it’s a common problem and one that can be treated to great effect.
- Nasal polyps – these painless, soft growths are found inside your nose – and while they are not usually serious, they can keep growing, causing nasal blockage, loss of sense of smell and, sometimes, headaches.
- Sinus conditions – such as sinusitis.
Conditions and symptoms involving the throat, which are also seen regularly in clinic, include:
- Sore throats – this could be due to a cold or virus, for example, or a symptom of tonsillitis (as below).
- Tonsillitis – which can affect adults but is more commonly seen in children.
- Allergies – which can either be seasonal (hay fever) or due to other irritants, such as pets.
- Acid reflux – also known as heartburn, acid reflux is a common condition caused by stomach acid travelling up towards the throat.
- Lumps in the neck – the most common of which are enlarged lymph nodes.
Some conditions are interconnected, but this is not always the case.
You can be sure our Consultant ENT always works to the highest medical standards.
Asking patients to provide a medical history, alongside a description of their symptoms and how they are affecting their day-to-day life, he will also ask if you have any allergies, as well as any medication you are taking.
You may need an examination, which will see our Consultant look at the ears, nose and throat. In some cases, you may need an endoscopy, which is carried out in clinic at The Lancaster Hospital.
Ear wax removal (build-up of ear wax), known as ear micro suctioning may be offered, if needed. It is performed using a microscope and a small, thin, steel wand-type fitting, which is attached to a suction pipe; it starts with an examination of the ear, and it is a generally well-tolerated procedure.
Biopsies may be taken from the neck, too, to diagnose certain conditions. This is where a tissue sample of a neck lump is taken. Our Consultant will then look at the results, which will help to arrive at a diagnosis.
Other treatment modalities offered include the following:
- Balloon sinuplasty – a type of endoscopic nasal surgery, which is used to treat severe cases of sinus inflammation.
- Cholesteatoma surgery – surgical treatment to remove a cholesteatoma, which involves a mastoidectomy. This ensures the disease is removed from the bone.
- Myringoplasty – surgery which can repair a hole in the ear drum.
- Septoplasty – a surgical procedure that aims to straighten the bone and cartilage dividing the space between your two nostrils, also known as the nasal septum.
- Submucous resection – this is a procedure which rectifies a nasal septum that has been deviated.
- Septorhinoplasty, with graft or implant – this is a nose reshaping procedure (also known as a ‘nose job’)
- Tonsillectomy in adults – the surgical removal of the tonsils, often due to recurring sore throat/tonsillitis or if there is suspected cancer.
People with nasal polyps, for example, may be put forward for FESS – Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery.
If patients need further diagnosis, blood samples can be taken. Imaging can also be done. Your ENT Consultant will then look at the results, which will help arrive at a diagnosis. In some patients – in those with Meniere’s disease, for example, an Intratympanic Steroid Injection may be offered.
In terms of required treatment, this is a minor procedure, which sees our Consultant inject a small amount of steroid into the middle ear. It can help with conditions like severe vertigo. It can also help with vertigo or hearing loss in people who suffer from Meniere’s disease.
Choose The Lancaster Hospital and you can look forward to quick-access appointments, which are often available within just 48 hours of your enquiry.
Our experienced consultants offer a patient-centred approach to ensure the best outcome for you, and you will receive a high standard of care and tailored advice, as well as modern diagnostic screening and a wide range of treatments.
State-of-the-art equipment – specifically for keyhole surgery and endoscopic ear surgery – is offered at Circle Health Group. All the facilities are accessible to all, too, as well as being easy to find your way around.
At a glance, here are some reasons you might choose The Lancaster Hospital for your ENT consultation:
- Shorter waiting times – Patients who visit The Lancaster Hospital for ear, nose and throat consultations can benefit from shorter waiting times – both for their consultation and for any treatment.
- Flexible appointments – You can choose an appointment time to suit you and your schedule, with remote consultations offered, in some cases.
- Consultant-led appointments – Your appointment will be consultant-led, and you will see the same person each time you visit us.
- Patient satisfaction and personalised care – 97.3%* of patients said they were likely or extremely likely to recommend us to their friends and family. *During the period of January to December 2020, The Lancaster Hospital received 628 long form patient questionnaires.
- A convenient, multidisciplinary clinic – Our team within ear, nose and throat offers a multidisciplinary approach to your healthcare, working alongside a host of specialists to offer the best treatment outcome for you.
The ENT clinic at Lancaster Hospital welcomes patients from a wide catchment area.
People visit the ear, nose and throat clinic from Lancaster itself, Lancashire (including Fylde, Preston and Leyland) and Cumbia, including Penrith and Barrow-in-Furness.
Other nearby places people visit our ENT practice from include Carnforth, Bolton-le-sands, Morecambe, Heysham, Garstang, Longridge, Fulwood, Bamber Bridge and Chorley. Patients also visit from Carlisle, Whitehaven, Millom – all along the west coast up to Carlisle, and even close to the Scottish borders.
As far as our Consultant is aware, there are very few (if any) private providers of ear, nose and throat treatments north of Lancaster, which means patients are more than prepared to travel to visit the hospital.
Want to make an ENT appointment with The Lancaster Hospital? You can get in touch with our team by calling 01524 62345. You can also use our handy online booking system to make your appointment.
