Matthew S. Broadhurst

If hearing worsens after this type of cleaning product, it is usually becoming more blocked. This is because the solution begins to dissolve the wax, making it more of a "syrup or paste" than dry wax and tends to settle more toward the ear drum, sometimes making the hearing worse. If the hearing has worsened, then this needs a careful inspection by an ENT surgeon and usually a gentle vacuum clean to fully clear the ear canal. If this does not resolve the problem, then further testing may be required.

Dr. Matthew S. Broadhurst, BMBS, FRACS

Sprays that contain decongestants in them like oxymetazoline sure can be. They are very potent agents that shrink the soft tissue in the nose, making it more open but should only be used for 5 days at a time, then you need at least 2 days off them for the nose lining to recover.

Swimmer's ear comes from too much moisture and increasing pH in the ear canal. After swimming or during high humidity, you can use an alcohol/acid solution to keep the pH low and the canal dry. This can minimize the chance of getting Swimmer's ear.

Sinusitis comes from swelling in the lining of the sinus out-flow tracts. The lining swells from allergies, infection, irritants in the air. Treating these with saline nasal washes, saline-steroid nasal washes, antihistamine-steroid sprays control most patients. If this is not helping enough, a CT scan can be done to see if surgery may be of benefit.

This is also called globus pharyngeus. Almost always it is from tightening of the cricopharyngeus muscle at the top of the food pipe (oesophagus). Silent reflux, also called laryngopharyngeal reflux is a common association. Treating this reflux can often help but an endoscopy done by an ENT surgeon in the office is also useful to make sure nothing else is going on.

Sometimes infection in the tonsil area persists despite antibiotics. An ENT surgeon can review this and decide if the tonsils may be better off coming out, or just shaved down with Coblation technology. The latter is about as effective but far less sore to recover from. Sometimes persisting throat pain is from non-infection such as laryngopharyngeal reflux of muscular pain around the voice box. Again, an ENT surgeon should review this to get the right diagnosis rather than giving more antibiotics.

Being a smoker or ex-smoker does increase your risk of developing throat or larynx cancer. Most patients who develop this have well over a decade of smoking a pack a day, so your risk is very little and not much higher than the general population.

Kindest regards,

Dr. Matthew S. Broadhurst, BMBS FRACS