Wirral Life November 2019 | Page 72

Murrayfield Hospital, Wirral You don’t need insurance to be treated privately GET SPECIALIST HELP TO ALLEVIATE If you need surgery, we offer At Spire Murrayfield Hospital, THE MISERY OF CHRONIC RHINOSINUSITIS fi xed price packages which cover Wirral, you don’t need health asked Mr David Luff, Consultant ENT Surgeon, BM BS, FRCS (Eng), FRCS all Wirral, your for treatment insurance to We (ORL-HNS) be treated privately, from Spire Murrayfield Hospital, his expert advice. costs – so you won’t get any unexpected bills simply pay for your treatment as Every year, the onset of winter is associated with an increase in colds and appointment too, so we can exclude allergic causes. This may be in the form flu bugs. For most people, these can be tackled with over the counter of a skin prick test, which is a painless test that takes approximately 20 or charges. There also a tested range and remedies when need get serious minutes and rest you but, in some cases, it. they You’ll can lead to more or in the form of blood tests. Other are allergens can also be for conditions that require further attention. In particular, rhinitis and if deemed to be relevant. can be a cause ongoing suffering if not treated appropriately. of repayment plans available, fast sinusitis access to of world-class There are a range of treatment types available, depending on the cause of Rhinitis and sinusitis often occur together, and the term used by ENT (Ear, the chronic rhinosinusitis, and whether the patient has nasal polyps or including fi nance, consultants, tests Nose and Throat) surgeons to refer and to this condition is rhinosinusitis. In not. Steroids form part of interest any treatment for free rhinosinusitis (unless there is adults, rhinosinusitis is generally classified as acute or chronic with the a reason not to use them) and may be given in the form of a nasal steroid latter, being diagnosed at if symptoms continue that after three suits months. spray; drops or you tablet steroids depending the on the individual to or help spread cost. case and treatments a time what your GP has prescribed before. The prevalence of chronic rhinosinusitis is high, affecting 10% of the you. UK population. Symptoms include nasal obstruction/congestion, nasal Antibiotics might also be prescribed, sometimes for long-term usage, as Why wait? Be seen in... Why wait? Be seen in... discharge including postnasal drip/catarrh, facial pain or headaches and a reduced sense of smell. Patients can also report allergic symptoms, such as sneezing or, occasionally, bleeding - in which case investigations would need to be undertaken to exclude more serious causes. Acute rhinosinusitis cases often occur after viral upper respiratory tract infections and common colds, meaning they are more common in the winter. The majority of cases are self-limiting, with patients self-treating or if they need to seek medical opinion, visiting their own GP. For on-going symptoms – or 'chronic' rhinosinusitis, patients are usually referred to ENT surgeons. While viruses and colds can, sometimes, trigger chronic rhinosinusitis, well as antihistamines if there is an allergic cause identified. For asthmatic patients, other forms of treatment may also be considered. Where medical treatment fails to fix the problem, surgical options can be discussed. Surgery is carried out endoscopically (through the nostril) under a short general anaesthetic on a day case basis. It involves draining the infection, removing diseased tissue - including any nasal polyps and ventilating the sinuses. Following surgery, recovery takes around two weeks and we ask patients to visit us around six to eight weeks after the procedure, so we can reassess their symptoms and reinspect the nose. In most cases, we'll ask that people continue with a steroid spray on a long-term basis. there a are consultant a number of other things that can cause If it, you including allergy, an MRI See need Have your surgery or asthma, fungus and Aspirin sensitivity as well as possible anatomical Whatever the cause of chronic rhinosinusitis, it can be a seriously in the nose. any A specialist consultation will help you to identify what or debilitating condition that impacts on a person's when quality of life. If you've for factors almost medical scan, X-ray further treatment it’s the cause is and the most effective course of action to alleviate the issue. been experiencing symptoms for a pro-longed period of time, it's important to see a in consultant possible, to for get to you, the bottom the issue and condition in as little as tests have them as as soon as right in of as little When patients attend a clinic visit with me at Spire Murrayfield Hospital on the road to recovery. 24 I take hours. little 48 as two weeks down a full medical history and discuss symptoms with as them. This hours. is followed by an examination, including the use of a flexible or rigid At Spire Murrayfield Hospital, Wirral, sinus surgery is available from £3000. from in diagnosis. endoscope, which allows me to obtain the best views inside the nose. Our consultants have wide experience some of the latest techniques and Flexible endoscopy provides a fantastic diagnostic tool, and I am often able to show the findings to patients on a monitor or provide photographs as part of the explanation that follows. It is a simple test, taking only several minutes, with the option to have it done with or without local anaesthetic. Book to see an expert today Allergy testing to common allergens including cats, dogs, treat and grass Search ‘Spire Wirral Self Pay’ pollen (hayfever) and house-dust mite is often undertaken during the clinic Call 0151 929 5408 72 wirrallife.com innovations and our inclusive prices and access to 0% finance options make the process easy and more affordable. For further information on our broad range of procedures and to find out more about our team of expert consultants search 'SpireWirral' or call our specialist advisers on 0151 929 5408.