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There are two submandibular glands underneath the jaw line - one on the left and one on the right side of the neck. Their job is to secrete saliva into the mouth that keeps the mouth and throat moist, and aids digestion.

There are 3 main problems that can occur in these glands:

1)the duct that leads into the mouth can get blocked and saliva backs up into the gland causing swelling.

The gland can be massaged when it swells up, and you can suck on a slice of lemon to promote the flow of saliva. If this does not work, and the stone is palpable in the floor of the mouth, it is possible to do a small operation (under general anaesthetic) to make a cut over the stone and remove it from the duct. Alternatively, it is possible to insert a fine camera, into the duct, to remove…

You may need a hearing test (audiogram) and pressure test (tympanogram) so you can contact my audiologists to book these tests. The pressure test will tell me if there is any fluid behind the ear drum (glue ear) or problems with regulating the pressure behind the ear drum.

You can book a hearing test at the Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital with Audiological Specialist Care. Their email address is  clinics@audiologycare.co.uk.

They also provide private hearing aids, so you can discuss this with them.

Once you have had your hearing test done, they can send me the results and you can book a follow up appointment so that we can go through the results together and come up with a plan.

Hearing loss can be devastating and socially isolating. We forget how much we rely on good hearing, day to day, whether it be at work or relaxing listening to our favourite music. If you come to see me, I would ask you how long you have had hearing loss for, which ear is affected, do you have ear pain, noises in the ears (tinnitus), spinning (vertigo), loud noise exposure over prolonged periods of time, do your ears feel blocked, do you have pressure in the ears, or have you taken any medicines which might have affected your hearing or balance.

I would examine your ears to check if there is any wax blocking, which is probably the simplest reason for having hearing loss. I would remove the wax. I would also check to see if there is any infection in the ear canal, perforation of the ear drum, and…

Tinnitus means noises in the ears, heard when there are no physical noises in your environment. Tinnitus is normally associated with a hearing loss, which you may or not be aware of. Most people experience tinnitus at some point or other, e.g. after a loud concert. When you come to see me, I would ask you if you hear the tinnitus in one or both ears, get any spinning (vertigo), had loud noise exposure over prolonged periods of time, and if you have taken any medicines which might have affected your hearing or balance lately.

I would then examine your ears. At its simplest, tinnitus can be caused by wax blocking the ears. This causes deafness, and results in tinnitus. If I remove the wax, it might help eliminate the tinnitus. I would also check for any infection, perforation of the ear drum, and fluid behind the ear drum…

I see children at the Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital, and the Nuffield Hospital, Cambridge.

Adenoids are like a tonsil in the back of the nose. They are part of the ring of immune system tissue at the back of the throat (adenoids, palatine tonsils, lingual tonsils). We find that removing the adenoids, or the tonsils, does not cause a problem with immunity. This is because there are so many other parts of the immune system that take over this function.

I can check if the adenoids are enlarged by checking for steaming on a metal spatula, placed underneath the nose, whilst the mouth is closed, or using a paediatric nasendoscope (camera) to look up the nose at the adenoids directly, which is more accurate. This piece of equipment is suitable for younger children, who are compliant, and is available at the Nuffield Hospital, Cambridge.

Are you worried that you might have head and neck cancer? Have you been seen in the NHS and are scared and worried that nothing makes sense or progress is slow? Not every GP or ENT consultant specialises in head and neck cancer, so seeing a general ENT surgeon, who does not deal with cancer day to day can lead to delay, confusion and fear.

I see head and neck cancer patients from all over the south east of England, and some patients come to see me, from abroad, for my expertise.

I can see you quickly, investigate you, and come up with comprehensive personalised treatment plan.

Like an experienced and confident pilot, my job is to take you by the hand, navigate the turbulence, and give you a soft landing. If you can't afford private healthcare, your GP can refer you to me on the NHS, where you will…

Do you have a chronic cough? Have you had a cold, virus or chest infection and since then have been unable to stop coughing? Do you feel like there is something stuck in your throat, a lump in the throat, irritation or phlegm. Do you cough so much your throat has become sore, or does your chest ache. Maybe you have been examined by your GP, nurse, or another ENT doctor, your chest x-ray is clear, and you are no further forwards?

Perhaps I can help? I would ask you about any pain in the throat, difficulty eating or drinking, weight loss, smoking or alcohol intake. I would examine your mouth, throat, nose and neck. I use a nasendoscope (camera) to look in the nose and down the throat to check for any lumps, bumps or cancers. Once I have done this, and excluded anything sinister, I can provide…

Nosebleeds can be quite frightening. They occur in children and adults. They can be caused by: nose picking, blood thinning medications (e.g. aspirin, warfarin, rivaroxaban, clopidogrel), high blood pressure, a dry nose, steroid nasal sprays, inherited diseases, nasal fractures, and cancers or benign tumours of the nose.

There are many blood vessels that join up in the front of the nose. This is a weak point, in the body, for bleeding to happen.

If you come to see me, I would ask you about all these risk factors. I would then examine the front of your nose to check for areas that might have been bleeding. I also use a camera (nasendoscope), to look further into the nose, to check there are no cancers or tumours which have been causing bleeding.

If a nose bleeds happens keep calm. Panic will send your blood pressure up, making the bleeding worse. Sit…

I see children at the Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital, and the Nuffield Hospital, Cambridge.

After a cold or viral illness, a negative pressure can develop in the space behind the ear drum (middle ear). This negative pressure pulls fluid from the lining of the ear. The fluid is trapped and causes deafness. It is a bit like hearing through cotton wool. Most children develop glue ear at some point in the first 5 years of life, especially when they go to nursery and pick up coughs and cold. Occasionally, adults can develop glue ear. If an adult develops glue ear on one side only, we must consider the possibility of a cancer in the back of the nose blocking one Eustachian tube (nasopharyngeal carcinoma).

When your child comes to see me, I would ask about attendance at nursery, smoking in the household, sore throats, snoring and if your child…