Did you know that vaccine originally developed to prevent cervical cancer can also help protect against throat cancer? The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is a powerful tool in preventing a range of cancers caused by high-risk HPV strains, including oropharyngeal cancers that affect the back of the throat, tonsils, and base of the tongue. The Link Between HPV & Throat Cancer HPV…
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Snoring is extremely common among children. A 2004 study of its prevalence amongst preschool and primary school children in Singapore identified that 28% of children will snore for short episodes, with 6% snoring habitually—meaning for more than three nights a week regularly. Snoring is more common when a child has a cough or cold (upper respiratory tract infection). It is also more…
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If you have consumed cough syrups containing Pholcodine in the past 12 months and are about to go under general anesthesia, make sure you tell your doctors! Pholcodine-containing cough syrups or cough-suppressant lozenges are common in Singapore. These include the Duro-Tuss and Difflam brands which are widely prescribed and consumed. In December 2022, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended that these products…
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You have probably been directed to this blog because your ENT specialist has identified laryngopharyngeal reflux as a cause of your ENT symptoms. Laryngopharyngeal reflux (or LPR for short) is an extremely common condition that affects many of the patients that we see in our ENT Clinic. The symptoms that this condition may cause include hoarseness, a sore throat, a sensation of…
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The consumption of fish is not without risks! As ENT surgeons we commonly see patients who have accidentally swallowed a bone whilst eating fish. In most circumstances, the bone passes through the throat into the oesophagus and safely into the stomach. The bone may have scratched the lining of the throat during its passage and left a small abrasion. Unfortunately in some…
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The tonsils are small almond-sized glands that sit in the throat. They are made up of lymphoid tissue and form part of Waldeyer’s ring. This is a ring of lymphoid tissue that guards the entrance to the throat. The adenoids form part of this ring too. They have a role in the development of a child’s immune system but become redundant as…
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