Ear discharge
I have been suffering from white discharge from my left ear since childhood. Sometimes it itches accompanied with rashes. I can hear by this ear, but not so clearly. Is there any permanent cure for this problem?
There could be many reasons behind such a discharge. It could be due to a bacterial infection in the middle ear. The other reasons could be fungal or viral infection in the ear. Middle-ear infection may become very serious at times. Since you have been suffering for many years, the infection may also affect your brain. You should immediately consult an ENT specialist for proper diagnosis because you need proper investigation and treatment.
Running nose
My 12-year-old daughter’s nose runs throughout the year. Anti-allergic drugs prescribed by the doctors have brought no relief. What could be the reasons behind this ailment? Can you please suggest a solution?
A running nose throughout the year occurs mostly due to allergy. As your daughter is only 12 years old, infection in sinus, tonsils and adenoids (enlarged mass of lymphoid tissue at the back of the pharynx) should also be looked into. Prescribing anti-allergic drugs for such patients is the custom, but that seldom guarantees complete cure. You should take her for immuno-therapy in which a patient is injected with the specific allergens responsible for the allergy. It takes about two to three years to desensitise a patient.
Tongue ulcer
I am suffering from pain in the ear accompanied with fever and an ulcer at the back of my tongue. Can this ulcer lead to cancer? Please advise.
Ulcer at the back of your tongue, especially if you are aged, could be very serious. It can be cancerous also. Ulcer in the interior part of the tongue occurs mainly due to caries teeth (progressive destruction of the teeth). It can also be due to digestive disorders like acidity or indigestion that may make swallowing painful. An ulcer on the tongue can also cause pain to the ear on that particular side. Consult an ENT specialist for proper detection.
Speech problem
My three-and-a-half-year-old son cannot speak properly till now. He can only say simple words like papa, mama, etc, and avoids speaking. What should I do?
You should take your son for a medical test to check his hearing capacity. If his hearing is alright, then speech therapy may cure him of the problem. If the speech problem is associated with hearing loss, then that should also be corrected. For this, you must contact an ENT specialist.
hoarse voice
I am 52 years old. My voice has become hoarse for the past three months. It seems that there is some obstruction inside my throat. Please help.
Persistent hoarseness of the voice at your age can be very serious. If you are a professional voice user, e.g. a singer, your ailment may be due to vocal nodules or tumour. It can also be cancerous. You must go for an endoscopy of the larynx. If it’s tumour, then it can be taken out. If it’s cancer, then you need to go for biopsy. Early detection and treatment may cure you if it is cancerous.
Tonsil
I have been suffering from pain in the throat accompanied with high fever and cracked voice for the past few days. I can’t swallow anything. What should I do?
These types of symptoms are quite common in children. But if you are aged, then acute tonsillitis, peri-tonsillitis, peritonsiller abscess (an abscess in the connective tissue around a tonsil) could be the reasons for such symptoms. You should consult an ENT specialist and know the exact reason for your ailment. If it is due to peritonsiller abscess, it’s advisable to undergo a tonsil operation. Acute pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx), which usually follows acute nasal or sinus infection, may also be a reason.
YOUR HEALTH
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