Woodlands Hospital
Morton Park, Darlington, County Durham, DL1 4PL DirectionsPhone
Opening hours
Mon - Sun: 7:00am - 8:30pm.
Visiting Hours: 10:00am - 8:00pm
Car parking
Yes - 80 spaces
Expert assessment and treatment for Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) conditions
Ears
Nose
Throat/Neck
Our ENT specialists at Woodlands treat all of these concerns, and mouth and dental problems can be referred over to our colleagues in our Oral and Maxillofacial department. We work collaboratively with a number of related specialties to ensure you get the necessary specialised care for your condition.
Head and Neck cancer is increasingly common, particularly amongst smokers, and often presents initially with symptoms such as voice change, sore throats, difficulty swallowing or neck lumps. Recurring nosebleeds or hearing loss due to infections or wax can have a significant impact on your daily quality of life.
Roughly 85% of our patients from Darlington, Richmond, Barnard Castle and further afield have an outpatients-based procedure to help bring relief to their symptoms. With just one quick and easy procedure, you could improve your quality of life, finding reprieve from your debilitating symptoms.
Perforated eardrums tend to heal of their own accord, but if the hole is particularly large, surgery may be needed to reconstruct the ear drum. This is done under general anaesthetic in an operation called a myringoplasty, where the ear drum is reconstructed with a skin graft (tissue sample).
Recurrent tonsil problems such as infections or tonsil stones may be solved with a tonsillectomy, which is the standard surgery when a patient has had frequent bouts of tonsilitis. This can usually be done as a day-case procedure, enabling you to go home on the same day.
Palate surgery is often used for patients who struggle with snoring, where an operation is carried out to reduce the size of your palate or alter the rigidity to prevent the excess vibrations that cause loud snoring. Non-surgical measures may include reducing your intake of alcohol, losing weight, giving up smoking, and sleeping on your side rather than on your back.
Sinus Surgery (FESS) and/or Nasal Polypectomy is a surgical procedure to treat chronic nasal blockage due to polyps or chronic sinus disease that has not responded to medical treatment, and if the nasal blockage is due to a septal deviation then a Septoplasty procedure may be more appropriate.
Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty is a highly sought-after procedure offered at Woodlands, useful for people suffering with recurrent/severe popping ears. Most of us experience popping ears with an extreme change of altitude (flying or diving, for example). The majority of people can equalize the pressure by swallowing or sucking a sweet, but some people can’t and live with discomfort and/or pain, even at ground level. This treatment is ideal for them.
Normally performed under a general anaesthetic, a catheter is inserted through the nose along with a small balloon, which is then inflated once the catheter has reached just beyond the eustachian tube (which connects the middle of your ear to the upper part of your throat, behind the nose).
If you’re a frequent flyer, this is a day case procedure you will certainly want to combat those symptoms of pressure sensitivity. Specialist surgeries like these are just one of the reasons Woodlands has patients coming from as far as Edinburgh and Carlisle for treatment.
Your Consultant will the wish to perform a clinical examination of your symptoms, and this will involve inspecting either your ears, nose, or throat with various handheld instruments to asses the extent of any condition.
Many nose and throat conditions can be investigated and diagnosed with a nasal or throat endoscopy. This involves passing a small thin tube with a light and camera attached to it up your nose to help your consultant view the inside of your nose, down the back, and around the back of your throat. This enables your consultant to look for the cause of any swelling or certain blockages, like polyps or cancers.
Certain scans may also be required to confirm a diagnosis. This may include an x-ray, MRI or ultrasound, and your consultant can use these results to help create a personalised treatment plan. Occasionally a biopsy may be arranged under Ultrasound guidance.
Non-invasive treatment can often be started on the same day, picking up any prescription medication from our on-site pharmacy. Surgical options will be presented to you with all the relevant information, and your consultant can outline all the risks and benefits of each procedure, enabling you to make an informed decision on how best to proceed.
If any symptoms relating to your ears, nose, or throat are concerning you, why not book a consultation with one of our ENT specialists today? Our consultants can outline all treatment options for you promptly, arranging any necessary diagnostic scans, treatment and surgery if required.
For peace of mind and expert care, please contact Woodlands to book an appointment now.