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ODONTOGENIC SINUSITIS
DEFINITION Sinusitis that originates from dental origin usually originates from the upper molar teeth extending into the maxillary sinus. It is unilateral and accounts for more than 10% for all sinusitis cases. It usually occurs in patients in the 50’s and accounts...
REFERRED OTALGIA
DEFINITION: Pain in the ear that originates outside the ear. WHY IT HAPPENS: Different parts of the head and neck send pain signals to the same nerves that supply the ear. The brain can’t tell where the signal started and often projects the pain into the ear....
BENIGN POSITIONAL PAROXYSMAL VERTIGO (BPPV)
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY The inner ear has three semi-circular canals at right angles to each other. They detect rotational acceleration in all plains. Via nerve reflexes, they keep your eyes fixed on a target despite head movements. HISTORY The patients wake up...
COMPLICATIONS OF SINUSITIS
GENERAL Acute bacterial sinusitis can complicate especially is untreated or if the patient has poor immunity. Spread can occur to neighbouring structures, namely the eye, the brain, the bone and the skin, and can affect other systems. ORBITAL COMPLICATIONS. The...
THYROGLOSSAL DUCT CYST
GENERAL This cyst is the most common congenital abnormality in the neck and usually presents in the first decade of life. 65% of them arise below the hyoid bone. EMBRYOLOGY The thyroid extends from the base of the tongue to its normal position in the lower...
BELL’S PALSY
OVERVIEW This is a sudden onset of weakness of the whole of one side of the face. The life-time incidence is about one in sixty. There is also an increased incidence during pregnancy, if you have diabetes, a recent upper respiratory tract infection, and it...
MENIERES SYNDROME
SYMPTOMS Patients with this debilitating syndrome experience recurring episodes of spinning dizziness (vertigo), decreased hearing, fullness in the ear, and tinnitus. These episodes typically last a few minutes to a few hours. They severely impact the...
PAROTID TUMOURS
GENERAL PAROTID CONDITIONS Infections are the commonest either viral (mumps) or bacterial (with or without duct obstruction). Auto Immune Diseases e.g. Sjogrens Syndrome Tumours. These can be benign or malignant and if malignant may be primarily of the parotid...
CAULIFLOWER EAR
DEFINITION: This is a distorted pinna post healing after trauma and it is regarded as a badge of honour for rugby players. ANATOMY: The pinna is made up of cartilage covered with perichondrium and skin. The blood vessels pass through the perichondrium to the...
VESTIBULAR MIGRAINE
Vestibular migraine is severe dizziness often associated with a migraine headache. It is the second commonest cause of vertigo (the first being crystal disease). This occurs in approximately 1% of the population. The symptoms of vestibular migraine start...