MS (ENT), DNB (ENT), Fellowship in Head and Neck Oncosurgery
Best ENT Surgeon in Bangalore
Dr. Honey Ashok is recognized as one of the top ENT and Head Neck specialists in the field of ENT - Head Neck Surgery. She has more than 30 years of experience in her field. As a leading head and neck surgeon with extensive expertise, she has conducted a substantial number of Endoscopic procedures throughout her career. She is a highly skilled specialist trained at reputable institutes in India.
MS (ENT) from M. P. Shah Medical College, Jamnagar, Saurashtra University. DNB (ENT) from the National Board of Examinations in New Delhi. Fellowship in Head & Neck Oncosurgery from the reputed Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, Ahmedabad and the renowned M.P. Shah Cancer Hospital. Advanced training from the Department of Head & Neck Oncosurgery, from the famous Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore. MBBS from M. P. Shah Medical College, Jamnagar, Saurashtra University in 1990.
In the treatment of Head Neck tumors like thyroid and parotid gland tumors, Malignancies of the Head & Neck region, Endoscopic Sinus Surgeries and Skull base procedures, Laryngeal and Tracheal reconstruction for congenital and acquired conditions. Another area of interest is Obstructive sleep Apnoea and Snoring.
Dr Honey has formerly rendered her services as an Associate Professor in the Department of ENT- Head & Neck Surgery at St. John’s Medical College and Hospital, Bangalore.
She is an Undergraduate (MBBS) and postgraduate examiner (DLO & MS) for Rajeev Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore.
Her vast experience has led her to be a Guide for DNB candidates. She is an appraiser for the subject ENT by the National Board of Examinations, New Delhi.
Cold, in general, is a common cold, which is a viral infection that causes sneezing, fever, nasal blockage, running nose, body aches, etc. Usually, the treatment for this is to keep yourself warm, avoid intake of cold items, and travel. This is a treatable condition and also it is self-limiting.
Allergy is a condition in which your body reacts to a foreign substance. The symptoms are itching nose, sneezing, etc are self-limiting. Allergic tablets will help settle down symptoms.
Prevention and treatment in the form of medication will help from affecting allergies. Also, Allergy type can be identified with the blood test and skin prick test.
Yes, the more you get exposed to allergens, the worse it gets worse. Medications such as Antihistamines and intranasal treatment can help get rid of allergies.
The lifestyle modifications to avoid allergens are identifying the allergens and its causes may be from outside as well as the inside environment, including open windows, dust particles, vacuum cleaning, dry testing, etc.
If you experience any allergy symptoms like swelling, rash, itching, and shortness of breath. It is better to avoid cold items and take early precautions.
Humidifiers are used to increase moisture inside the home. They can help reduce allergy symptoms and improve the health of the mucous membranes of the airway. However, Humidifiers should be maintained properly to avoid the risk of worsening allergy symptoms.
Ear stroke or sudden sensorineural hearing loss is mostly an unexplained, rapid loss of hearing either all at once or over a few days, frequently affecting only one ear. An ear stroke is a medical emergency, and prompt treatment is crucial. Early action can prevent permanent hearing loss.
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of your brain is interrupted or reduced, preventing brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients. Brain cells begin to die in minutes. Similarly, ear stroke happens when the blood supply to the inner ear is reduced or there is swelling or inflammation of the nerve concerned with hearing.
Even though the decreased blood supply to the nerve is the most common cause of very rare bacterial infections, tumours trauma, some medications, and autoimmune diseases can cause sudden loss of hearing.
The incidence of sudden SNHL has been estimated to range from 5 to 20 per 100,000 persons per year.
The most common presentation is a patient noticing unilateral hearing loss on awakening.
When one feels a sudden change in hearing sensitivity, like
- Muffled hearing
- Difficulty understanding speech
- Sudden or steady loss of hearing
- Full or “stuffy” sensation in the ear
- associated with ringing in the ear or dizziness(40%) one should suspect ear stroke.
Viral neuritis or cochleitis has long been thought to be the most common cause of sudden SNHL, which means inflammation or viral infection of the nerve or cochlea.
Other rare causes are bacterial infections of the ear, trauma, autoimmune conditions, tumours, and vitamin deficiencies. Consult the best ENT doctor in Bangalore if you have any of the risk factors.
Any condition which can affect the blood supply to the inner ear should be identified and treated, which means if you have diabetes hypertension, hypothyroidism, systemic lupus erythematosus, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, polyarteritis nodosa, relapsing polychondritis, sarcoidosis, Meniere’s disease has to be adequately treated.
If you feel that there is a sudden decrease in hearing or blocked feeling in one ear, you should immediately consult the best ENT doctor in Bangalore to check the ears and get a hearing test. The response to treatment is much better if you start treatment at the earliest as if the nerve cells start dying they won’t regenerate.
The main treatment for ear stroke is to start high-dose intravenous steroids at the earliest for a period of 3 days followed by oral steroids. Usually, we prefer the patient to get admitted to the hospital for IV steroids so that the fluctuations in BP and sugars can be monitored. We also start on antivirals, some drugs to improve the blood flow to the nerve. An MRI Brain would be performed to look for any tumours or lesions in the brain or course of the nerve. The patient has also been advised of blood tests like blood sugars, complete blood count, lipid profile, thyroid profile, vitamin levels, etc.
Two case studies of patients suffering from ear stroke (a small brief).
A 27-year-old healthy male presented to ENT OPD with a history of sudden onset of right-sided ear block when he got up in the morning. There was no history of cold or cough. We examined the ears and found that his ear canal was clean and his eardrum was looking normal. He was sent for a hearing test which showed more than a 90% decrease in hearing on the right side. We immediately admitted him and started on medications as described above.MRI Brain was done which was normal. Blood tests were normal except for low Vitamin D levels. So Vitamin D supplements were started. He received 3 days of high-dose steroids and the hearing test was repeated on day 3 which showed little improvement. He was reassured and asked to continue with oral steroids for 15 days and other medications. After 15 days the hearing test was repeated and was found to be normal which emphasizes the need for urgent treatment.
A 54-year-old poorly controlled diabetic female presented with a history of left-sided sudden onset hearing loss for 7 days. The hearing test showed an 80 % decrease in hearing. Treatment was started as per protocol. Diabetic control was achieved. Hearing tests on day 3 and day 15 showed no marked improvement in hearing. The emphasis on treatment should be on timely treatment and control of contributory medical conditions.
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"text": "Ear stroke or sudden sensorineural hearing loss is mostly an unexplained, rapid loss of hearing either all at once or over a few days, frequently affecting only one ear. An ear stroke is a medical emergency, and prompt treatment is crucial. Early action can prevent permanent hearing loss.
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of your brain is interrupted or reduced, preventing brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients. Brain cells begin to die in minutes. Similarly, ear stroke happens when the blood supply to the inner ear is reduced or there is swelling or inflammation of the nerve concerned with hearing.
Even though the decreased blood supply to the nerve is the most common cause very rarely bacterial infections, tumours trauma, some medications, autoimmune diseases can cause sudden loss of hearing.
The incidence of sudden SNHL has been estimated to range from 5 to 20 per 100,000 persons per year."
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Difference between cold and allergy?
Cold, in general, is a common cold, which is a viral infection that causes sneezing, fever, nasal blockage, running nose, body ache, etc. Usually, the treatment for this is to keep yourself warm, avoid intake of cold items and travel. This is a treatable condition and also it is self-limiting.
Allergy is a condition in which your body reacts to a foreign substance. The symptoms are itching nose, sneezing, etc are self-limiting. Allergic tablets will help settle down symptoms.
What causes allergy conditions in winter?
Multiple factors like environment, the temperature in which allergens are already present.
Is there a way to stop allergies from affecting us?
Prevention and treatment in the form of medication will help from affecting allergies. Also, Allergy type can be identified with the blood test and skin prick test.
How prone are infants to allergy?
Usually, infants are not prone to outside allergens like dust and pollen. Sometimes, they can have allergic reactions to food.
Will allergies get worse if not taken medicines on time?
Yes, the more you get exposed to allergens, the worse it gets worse. Medications such as Antihistamine and intranasal treatment can help get rid of allergy.
What are the lifestyle modifications to avoid allergens?
The lifestyle modifications to avoid allergens are identifying the allergens and its causes may be from outside as well as the inside environment, including open windows, dust particles, vacuum cleaning, dry testing, etc.
Does an allergy in winter trigger asthma?
Yes in the majority of cases nasal allergies trigger asthma. Hence, Allergy has to be treated at the nasal level itself.
What are the suggestions for winter allergies?
If you experience any of the allergy symptoms like swelling, rash, itching, and shortness of breath. It is better to avoid cold items and take early precautions.
Does having a humidifier help combat allergies?
Humidifiers are used to increase moisture inside the home. They can help reduce allergy symptoms and improve the health of the mucous membranes of the airway. However, Humidifiers should be maintained properly to avoid the risk of worsening allergy symptoms.
What is ear stroke? What is its incidence?
Ear stroke or sudden sensorineural hearing loss is mostly an unexplained, rapid loss of hearing either all at once or over a few days, frequently affecting only one ear. An ear stroke is a medical emergency, and prompt treatment is crucial. Early action can prevent permanent hearing loss.
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of your brain is interrupted or reduced, preventing brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients. Brain cells begin to die in minutes. Similarly, ear stroke happens when the blood supply to the inner ear is reduced or there is swelling or inflammation of the nerve concerned with hearing.
Even though the decreased blood supply to the nerve is the most common cause very rarely bacterial infections, tumours trauma, some medications, autoimmune diseases can cause sudden loss of hearing.
The incidence of sudden SNHL has been estimated to range from 5 to 20 per 100,000 persons per year.
What are the signs of ear stroke that one must watch out?
The most common presentation is a patient noticing a unilateral hearing loss on awakening.
When one feels a sudden change in the hearing sensitivity, like
- Muffled hearing
- Difficulty understanding speech
- Sudden or steady loss of hearing
- Full or “stuffy” sensation in the ear
- associated with ringing in the ear or dizziness(40%) one should suspect ear stroke."
}
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"name": "What are the causes of ear stroke? Are there any risk factors to it?",
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"text": "Viral neuritis or cochleitis has long been thought to be the most common cause of sudden SNHL, which means inflammation or viral infection of the nerve or cochlea.
Other rare causes are bacterial infections of the ear, trauma, autoimmune conditions, tumours, vitamin deficiencies."
}
},{
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}
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"text": "If you feel that there is a sudden decrease in hearing or blocked feeling in one ear, you should immediately get an ENT opinion to check the ears and to get a hearing test.
The response to treatment is much better if you start treatment at the earliest as if the nerve cells start dying they wont regenerate."
}
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"text": "The main treatment for ear stroke is to start high dose intravenous steroids at the earliest for a period of 3 days followed by oral steroids. Usually, we prefer the patient to get admitted in the hospital for the IV steroids so that the fluctuations in BP and sugars can be monitored. We also start on antivirals, some drugs to improve the blood flow to the nerve. An MRI Brain would be performed to look for any tumours or lesions in the brain or course of the nerve. The patient has also advised blood tests like blood sugars, complete blood count, lipid profile, thyroid profile, vitamin levels etc."
}
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"text": "FAQ
Difference between cold and allergy?
Cold, in general, is a common cold, which is a viral infection that causes sneezing, fever, nasal blockage, running nose, body ache, etc. Usually, the treatment for this is to keep yourself warm, avoid intake of cold items and travel. This is a treatable condition and also it is self-limiting.
Allergy is a condition in which your body reacts to a foreign substance. The symptoms are itching nose, sneezing, etc are self-limiting. Allergic tablets will help settle down symptoms.
What causes allergy conditions in winter?
Multiple factors like environment, the temperature in which allergens are already present.
Is there a way to stop allergies from affecting us?
Prevention and treatment in the form of medication will help from affecting allergies. Also, Allergy type can be identified with the blood test and skin prick test.
How prone are infants to allergy?
Usually, infants are not prone to outside allergens like dust and pollen. Sometimes, they can have allergic reactions to food.
Will allergies get worse if not taken medicines on time?
Yes, the more you get exposed to allergens, the worse it gets worse. Medications such as Antihistamine and intranasal treatment can help get rid of allergy.
What are the lifestyle modifications to avoid allergens?
The lifestyle modifications to avoid allergens are identifying the allergens and its causes may be from outside as well as the inside environment, including open windows, dust particles, vacuum cleaning, dry testing, etc.
Does an allergy in winter trigger asthma?
Yes in the majority of cases nasal allergies trigger asthma. Hence, Allergy has to be treated at the nasal level itself.
What are the suggestions for winter allergies?
If you experience any of the allergy symptoms like swelling, rash, itching, and shortness of breath. It is better to avoid cold items and take early precautions.
Does having a humidifier help combat allergies?
Humidifiers are used to increase moisture inside the home. They can help reduce allergy symptoms and improve the health of the mucous membranes of the airway. However, Humidifiers should be maintained properly to avoid the risk of worsening allergy symptoms.
What is ear stroke? What is its incidence?
Ear stroke or sudden sensorineural hearing loss is mostly an unexplained, rapid loss of hearing either all at once or over a few days, frequently affecting only one ear. An ear stroke is a medical emergency, and prompt treatment is crucial. Early action can prevent permanent hearing loss.
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of your brain is interrupted or reduced, preventing brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients. Brain cells begin to die in minutes. Similarly, ear stroke happens when the blood supply to the inner ear is reduced or there is swelling or inflammation of the nerve concerned with hearing.
Even though the decreased blood supply to the nerve is the most common cause very rarely bacterial infections, tumours trauma, some medications, autoimmune diseases can cause sudden loss of hearing.
The incidence of sudden SNHL has been estimated to range from 5 to 20 per 100,000 persons per year.
What are the signs of ear stroke that one must watch out?
The most common presentation is a patient noticing a unilateral hearing loss on awakening.
When one feels a sudden change in the hearing sensitivity, like
- Muffled hearing
- Difficulty understanding speech
- Sudden or steady loss of hearing
- Full or “stuffy” sensation in the ear
- associated with ringing in the ear or dizziness(40%) one should suspect ear stroke.
What are the causes of ear stroke? Are there any risk factors to it?
Viral neuritis or cochleitis has long been thought to be the most common cause of sudden SNHL, which means inflammation or viral infection of the nerve or cochlea.
Other rare causes are bacterial infections of the ear, trauma, autoimmune conditions, tumours, vitamin deficiencies.
What one must do to prevent ear stroke?
Any condition which can affect the blood supply to the inner ear should be identified and treated, which means if you have diabetes hypertension, hypothyroidism, systemic lupus erythematosus, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, polyarteritis nodosa, relapsing polychondritis, sarcoidosis, Meniere's disease has to be adequately treated.
Tips from the doctor for those suffering from ear stroke
If you feel that there is a sudden decrease in hearing or blocked feeling in one ear, you should immediately get an ENT opinion to check the ears and to get a hearing test.
The response to treatment is much better if you start treatment at the earliest as if the nerve cells start dying they wont regenerate.
What are the consequences of ear stroke?
If you don't treat it in time it can cause permanent hearing disability.
What is the treatment approach for ear stroke?
The main treatment for ear stroke is to start high dose intravenous steroids at the earliest for a period of 3 days followed by oral steroids. Usually, we prefer the patient to get admitted in the hospital for the IV steroids so that the fluctuations in BP and sugars can be monitored. We also start on antivirals, some drugs to improve the blood flow to the nerve. An MRI Brain would be performed to look for any tumours or lesions in the brain or course of the nerve. The patient has also advised blood tests like blood sugars, complete blood count, lipid profile, thyroid profile, vitamin levels etc.
Two case studies of patients suffering from ear stroke (a small brief).
A 27-year-old healthy male presented to ENT OPD with history of sudden onset of right-sided ear block when he got up in the morning. There was no history of cold or cough. We examined the ears and found that his ear canal was clean and eardrum was looking normal. He was sent for a hearing test which showed more than 90 %decrease in hearing on the right side. We immediately admitted him and started on medications as described above.MRI Brain was done which was normal. Blood tests were normal except for low Vitamin D levels. So Vitamin D supplements were started. He received 3 days of high dose steroids and the hearing test was repeated on day 3 which showed little improvement. He was reassured and asked to continue with oral steroids for 15 days and other medications. After 15 days the hearing test was repeated and was found to be normal which emphasizes the need for urgent treatment.
A 54-year-old poorly controlled diabetic female presented with a history of left-sided sudden onset hearing loss since 7 days. The hearing test showed an 80 % decrease in hearing. Treatment was started as per protocol. Diabetic control was achieved. Hearing test on day 3 and day 15 showed no marked improvement in hearing. The emphasis on treatment should be on timely treatment and control of contributory medical conditions."
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