What ENTs Tell Their Friends

That’s ear, nose and throat, if you didn’t know – and these doctors have the cure for so much of what’s bothering you. Here’s what they tell folks outside the consulting room.

- Lisa Mulcahy

LISTEN UP, BIG TALKERS

‘I always tell friends: pay attention if someone you know says you sound sick when you’re not. Other people can listen to your voice more objectively than you can. I once met a young woman at a lecture who had recently gone to a family dinner. She noticed right away that her grandfather’s voice sounded different – very hoarse – so she urged him to come and see me. It turned out he had very early-stage vocal-cord cancer, which I was able to remove completely and cure. If you experience hoarseness for more than a few weeks – or a week if you’re a smoker – you should see your doctor to rule out a cold or infection. After that, you’ll probably need to see an ENT surgeon who specialises in voice problems. We’ll look into cancer, of course, but it might be vocal-cord bleeding, which is more common than people may think. Anyone who uses their voice a lot, like singers, coaches and teachers, is susceptible. Fortunately, with the right procedure, your chances of recovery are excellent.’ – Dr Steven M Zeitels, Professor of Laryngeal Surgery at Harvard Medical School in the US

A BETTER WAY TO STOP A NOSEBLEED