Dr. Venkata Ratnam Chesamalla
ENT Surgeon
MS (ENT)
- Consulting
- Open 24 Hours · Every day
- Experience
- 18 years
- Speaks
- Telugu, English
What this clinicis actually for.
Ear, nose and throat problems are dismissed more than almost any others: a blocked nose is 'just sinus', a child's hearing is 'just not listening'. Both are worth checking, because untreated ear infection affects hearing and untreated hearing loss affects a child's speech and schooling. Most of what comes here is straightforward, and a fair amount is fixed by a minor procedure with the patient home the same evening.
Done in-house, usually the same day: Hearing · Sinus · Throat
- Ear pain & infectionPainful, blocked or discharging ears, in adults and children.
- Hearing lossHearing that has dropped, in one ear or both.
- Hearing test (audiometry)A properly measured hearing test, rather than a guess.
- Ear wax removalBlocked ears cleared safely, without damage to the eardrum.
- Sinus problemsFacial pressure and blockage that arrived with a cold and never left.
- Nasal blockage & allergyA nose that is permanently blocked or running, including allergic rhinitis.
- Nose bleedsRepeated bleeding, with the source found and dealt with.
- Sore throat & tonsilsThroat infections that keep returning - and when tonsils should come out.
- Voice and hoarsenessA voice that has changed or gone, lasting more than two weeks.
- SnoringLoud snoring and broken sleep, assessed for the underlying cause.
- Day-case ENT proceduresMinor procedures in the hospital's own theatre - most people home the same evening.
When to wait,and when not to.
Come in straight away if
Don't book an appointment for these. Come to emergency, or call +91 9100005195.
- Sudden hearing loss in one ear - this is urgent, come the same day
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing, or drooling with a sore throat
- Severe ear pain with fever, swelling or redness behind the ear
- A nosebleed that will not stop after 15 minutes of firm pressure
- Hoarseness lasting more than three weeks, especially in a smoker
- A neck lump that persists beyond three weeks
Lowering the risk
What actually makes a difference, not folklore.
- Never put cotton buds, oil or any object into the ear canal
- Use ear protection around loud machinery, and keep headphone volume moderate
- Treat allergies properly - untreated allergic rhinitis is what leads to chronic sinus disease
- Don't smoke, and keep children away from smoke - it drives ear and throat infection
- Keep ears dry after swimming and bathing
Looking after yourself
Alongside treatment - never instead of it.
- Steam inhalation and saline nasal rinses help most sinus and blockage complaints
- For a nosebleed: sit up, lean forward, pinch the soft part of the nose for 10-15 minutes
- Warm salt-water gargles for a sore throat, and rest the voice completely for hoarseness
- Finish antibiotics for an ear infection even after the pain settles
- If a child seems inattentive at school, have the hearing tested before assuming behaviour
This page is general information, not a diagnosis. It cannot account for your history, your medicines or your test results, and it is no substitute for being examined. If something here matches what you're experiencing, that is a reason to see a doctor - not a reason to treat yourself.
