At our Harley Street clinic in London, we help people with all kinds of ear, nose and throat problems enjoy a better quality of life. From combatting repeated bouts of tonsillitis to helping with snoring, difficulty swallowing and everything in between, our dedicated Consultant ENT Surgeon, Doctor Jon Hughes, will work with you to find solutions that can positively impact your sleep, and health and mental wellbeing.
A note on throat and swallowing problems
When it comes to difficulty swallowing, there can be several causes – and this might dictate the treatment method Doctor Hughes recommends. It’s also crucial to advise that, in some cases (and depending on your treatment and concerns), symptoms can return. We will always do our utmost to be transparent about what’s involved during treatment, potential treatments and possible success rates and what to do if symptoms don’t improve, to give you dedicated patient support and peace of mind.
Treatments that can help with difficulty swallowing
Medication: this can help with muscle weaknesses, thyroid hormone production and certain diseases that affect coordination.
Retraining: this method aims to teach you how to swallow effectively, and is mainly recommended to those who have swallowing disorders caused by a neurological concerns.
Botox: this can help with conditions such as achalasia, which is where the oesophageal (throat) muscle is affected by the disease.
Dilation: as the name suggests, this is to do with the size of the swallowing channel in the throat. Dilation helps to increase its size, so it’s easier to swallow food. If the size has been restricted due to inflammation of surrounding tissues, there may be other treatments carried out at the same time.
Stent: similar to dilation, the goal of this treatment is to enlarge the swallowing channel. A stent is a type of thin tube that can slowly widen the passage over time.
Surgery: in some cases, surgery is the only option. It can be used to cut parts of the muscle that may be restricting the swallowing channel.
What to bear in mind for surgery
If you do need surgery, there’s a lot to think about – for example, whether you’ll need time off work; medication you night need; when you’ll be able to eat and drink again; and other concerns. Doctor Hughes can cover all of these during your consultation here in Harley Street.
How to contact Doctor Hughes
To contact the team and arrange a consultation with our ENT specialist, call us today.