What is Septoplasty?
Septoplasty isn't a procedure that is as well known as rhinoplasty, also known as a 'nose job'. While most 'nose jobs' are performed for cosmetic reasons, a septoplasty is a medical procedure that is carried out to help correct a deviated septum.
Snoring: Causes & Treatment
Whether you’re the noisy culprit or it’s a loved one that’s leaving you with a poor night’s sleep, snoring is more common than you may think – and thousands of households across the UK and beyond struggle to manage snoring partners, relatives or children every day. At best, snoring can be a mild annoyance or even a source of jokes. But [...]
How can I tell if I have a nasal fracture?
A broken nose, or nasal fracture, can be caused by a range of accidents that result in trauma to the face or head. This type of fracture can be caused by contact sports, fights, falls or even car accidents. The break is most commonly found in the bone over the bridge of your nose. A broken nose can often heal without [...]
What is Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (AERD)?
Millions of people around the world take painkillers every day for relief from mild pain symptoms. If you’re experiencing a headache, fever or joint pain, you might feel it worthwhile to take a medication like aspirin, naproxen or ibuprofen to reduce symptoms. However, if you have a condition known as AERD (aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease), you could end up feeling worse after [...]
Have I got a sleep disorder?
A good night’s sleep plays a vital role in supporting both the mind and body. Sufficient rest enables the body to repair itself, whether you’re an active person whose muscles need to recover, or your body simply needs to take the time for core functions to rest. Sleep is also proven to help enhance brain functionality, such as problem solving and [...]
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnoea?
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is the most common form of sleep apnoea, affecting four in 100 middle-aged men in the UK and around two in 100 middle-aged women. But what exactly is the condition and why does it happen? Put simply, obstructive sleep apnoea is where the walls of the throat relax and narrow throughout the sleep cycle, causing breathing to be [...]
Can otitis media cause hearing loss?
Sometimes, seemingly small ailments can cause surprisingly serious long-term afflictions; otitis media, also known as an ear infection, is one such condition. While otitis media is both very common and often mild, it's important to be aware of the illness as well as the potential for long-term side effects and hearing loss. What is otitis media? Otisis media is the medical [...]
When should I see an ear, nose and throat specialist?
Are you struggling with persistent ear pain or problems with eating or speaking? You might need to see an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist. How do you know when to tackle your symptoms with a visit to the pharmacist, and when you might need more help to find a solution for your problem? What does an ENT specialist do? ENT [...]
Common ear, nose and throat disorders
Ear, nose and throat – or ENT – is a term that most people are familiar with and it’s well-known that there are a variety of conditions that can affect these parts of the body. While some are common illnesses that most of us experience in our lifetimes, others are more serious and have the potential to cause serious problems with [...]
Ear canal infections (Acute Otitis Externa) – Mr Paul Montgomery
This article is intended for educational purposes only. Consult with your doctor first – always. Mr Paul Montgomery – Consultant Ear, Nose & Throat Surgeon at 150 Harley Street talks about Ear canal infections, Acute Otitis Externa. Ear canal infections occur when either a bacteria or fungus infects the skin of the ear canal. This causes severe pain in the [...]
Vestibular Migraine (VM) – Mr Paul Montgomery
This article is intended for educational purposes only. Consult with your doctor - always. Mr Paul Montgomery - Consultant Ear, Nose & Throat Surgeon at 150 Harley Street talks about Vestibular Migraine. Dizziness due to migraine is quite common; the diagnosis is based on the patient’s story as there are no clinical findings except when the patient is having an attack [...]
Earfold implant vs. traditional pinnaplasty: 5 reasons why the Earfold is the winner
Like most areas of medical procedure, prominent ear correction is under constant technical evolution – and the latest result of this is the Earfold implant. Although actually, it’s so minimally invasive, this brilliant new technique isn’t even the next step in ear pinning surgery – it’s as close as you’ll get to pinning ears back without surgery at all. This probably [...]
How to Get Rid of Excess Ear Wax Build Up
Too much ear wax can be a problem – your ears feel blocked and sounds are muffled – what can you do to keep it at bay? Ear wax and skin debris are produced naturally by the outer part of the ear canal and is pushed out of the ear by the action of chewing and the hairs of the ear [...]
Sleep apnea flagged as potential trigger for Alzheimer’s
A clinical study of patients with sleep apnea has been initiated by researchers at the School of Biomedical Sciences and the Queensland Brain Institute, part of the University of Queensland. Initial research prior to the study revealed there may be a link between inadequate oxygen levels during sleep and damage caused to the brain, which increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s [...]
Phonak Titanium: A new era in custom built hearing systems – Mr Nick Clive
At London Hearing we pay close attention to emerging technology in the market as this enables us to be highly selective about the products we recommend to our patients. As an independent supplier, we are committed to this approach and regularly monitor and review our suppliers to ensure they are keeping up with the market too. Titanium built hearing aids have [...]
Dizziness: Effective and safe treatments – Mr Paul Montgomery
Most ear-related dizziness seen in the GP surgery is due to BPPV or Méniere’s disease. New treatments make these conditions easier to manage either by a GP, or by an ENT specialist. Mr Paul Montgomery - Consultant Ear, Nose & Throat Surgeon at 150 Harley Street explains more about these two ear conditions. BPPV Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), is the [...]
3D Scanner Installed at Harley Street Clinic
Complete full body 3D scanning is now available at the Sleeping Disorders Centre, as part of our new, innovative service to help people with sleeping disorders, such as sleep apnoea and problem snoring. Sleeping disorders are very common and often the person suffering does not even realise their sleep is so disturbed, let alone the reasons why. Heavy snoring may be [...]
Michael Oko reviews latest sleep aids for Daily Mail
Can’t sleep? Join the unhappy club: according to the NHS, one in three people in the UK has trouble sleeping and every year it hands out more than ten million prescriptions for sleeping pills. There’s a range of products that claim to help, but how effective are they? The Daily Mail asked Sleeping Disorders Centre founder, Michael Oko, to give journalist [...]
BBC News item on copper surfaces
Author: Mr Michael Oko BBC Look North covering my drive to Copperise Pilgrim Hospital and slash infection rates from bugs such as MRSA and Norovirus.
The Role of ENT in Sleep Related Breathing Disorders
Author: Mr Michael Oko In this presentation Mr Oko outlines the importance of the examination of the nose as part of the upper airway with nasendoscopy in diagnosing sleep apnoea, and the embedding of ENT in all OSA clinics.