ENT & Airway Surgery

The ENT and airway surgery department at Allergy Asthma Foundation treats conditions of the ear, nose, throat and upper airway, in adults and children. We look after blocked noses and sinus disease, snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea, hearing and balance problems, and disorders of the voice and swallowing. ENT surgeons, audiologists and speech and language therapists work together, and the team is closely linked with the allergy and respiratory services.

Every AAF centre offers same-week outpatient review, on-site hearing testing and nasal endoscopy, and a micro-ENT operating suite for day-case and inpatient surgery.

Conditions we care for

The department manages a broad range of ear, nose and throat problems, including:

• Allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps
• A persistently blocked nose or loss of the sense of smell
• Snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea
• Recurrent tonsillitis and enlarged adenoids in children
• Ear infections, glue ear and a perforated eardrum
• Hearing loss, tinnitus and dizziness
• Hoarse voice, throat clearing and swallowing difficulty
• Neck lumps and salivary gland problems
• Nosebleeds that keep coming back

Tests and treatments

Assessment

• Flexible nasal endoscopy to look at the nose, sinuses and throat
• Hearing tests and tympanometry
• Balance testing for dizziness
• Sleep studies for snoring and suspected sleep apnoea
• CT of the sinuses and, where needed, MRI

Treatment

• Medical treatment of allergic rhinitis and sinusitis, shared with the allergy team
• Endoscopic sinus surgery for polyps and chronic sinusitis
• Septoplasty and turbinate reduction for a blocked nose
• Tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy and grommet insertion
• Airway and palate procedures for obstructive sleep apnoea
• Ear surgery to repair the eardrum or improve hearing

What happens at your first visit

1. The ENT surgeon asks about your symptoms, how long they have lasted and how they affect sleep, work and daily life.
2. You have an examination of the ears, nose and throat, usually including a brief nasal endoscopy.
3. A hearing test, sleep study or sinus CT is arranged if it will guide treatment.
4. The diagnosis and the options, from sprays to surgery, are explained with their likely benefits and recovery times.
5. A written plan is shared with you and your family doctor.

How to prepare for your appointment

• Bring the nasal sprays, drops and tablets you use now, and note how long you have used each.
• Bring previous hearing tests, sleep studies or scan reports.
• If a partner has noticed pauses in your breathing during sleep, ask them to come with you or write down what they have seen.
• For a child, bring a note from school or nursery about hearing, speech or breathing concerns.
• List any blood thinners, as these matter for procedures and nosebleeds.

Care alongside other departments

The upper airway connects with the lungs and the immune system, so we work closely with the allergy and immunology team on rhinitis and polyps, with pulmonology and paediatric respiratory medicine on sleep apnoea and asthma that is worsened by a blocked nose, and with speech and language therapy for voice and swallowing. Sinus imaging is arranged through the on-site imaging service.

When to seek help sooner

Seek prompt care if you have:

• A nosebleed that will not stop after twenty minutes of pinching the soft part of the nose
• Sudden loss of hearing in one ear
• Severe ear pain with swelling or redness behind the ear
• Difficulty breathing, or noisy breathing that is getting worse
• A hoarse voice lasting more than three weeks, especially if you smoke

Questions patients ask

Do I need a referral?

No. You can book an ENT consultation directly. Past hearing tests, sleep studies and scan reports help the surgeon plan.

Will surgery cure my blocked nose?

Surgery helps when the blockage is structural or from polyps, but allergy and inflammation often need ongoing spray treatment as well. The team will explain what surgery can and cannot fix in your case.

Is sinus surgery very painful?

Most endoscopic sinus surgery is done as a day case, with mild to moderate discomfort for a few days and a blocked-nose feeling for a couple of weeks while it heals.

To arrange a review with the ENT and airway surgery team at your nearest AAF centre, book online or request a callback and our coordinators will help.