Ear/nose/throat Doctor

[lifemagic]

Caution: please don't read this if you're eating.

I need to see someone about 'me ear. I've searched the site and looked at the recommendations and still am unsure how to go about this.

Background: I got a lump just infront of my right ear about seven years ago. I went to the doctor, who said it was a cyst. It might get a bit bigger, but just put cooking oil in weekly and ignore it.

Did that. Twice it's swollen to about half the size of a golf ball, then bursts with blood and pus everywhere. I have constant tinnitus. I've lost about 50% of the hearing there (I'm 38). Inside I can feel compressed wax. After I've showered, I clean it gently and there's like black tar that comes out on a bud but the hard wax is still there.

This is a summery of what I've read on the forum:

RAM - better for serious things, but does seem to have an 'ear' section. Avoid pharmacy.

SriPat - cheaper but need to speak Thai (I can't).

Sripat Special Medical Servies Clinic, facing Suan Dok. Not sure if same as previous.

Chiang Mai Lanna - mixed reviews

Dr. Tawatchai Clinic, Loi Kroh Rd. GP type surgery, overflowing waiting room.

Rajdev opposite Holiday Inn, seems OK, not sure what they do.

Dr. Sukitt Auripibul, Sri Dornchai road. Described as a 'gunk' cleaner, but don't know anything else about him.

It seems to be that you just go to a place and wander in and hope it's someone OK. I don't like that. I was hoping for the name of an 'ear' doc. And to know in advance if I'll be walking in and waiting to see the doctor, or walking in to make a future appointment. I'm a nervous kind of person. I want to know in advance what I'll be doing and who I'll be seeing and they are at least a decent person.

I'm hoping for the 'gunk' out and advice about the cyst removal. Is the latter fairly routine do you know?

Thanks.

[chimsa]

DID YOU GET A PREVIOUS INJURY THERE?

If so maybe its a keloid. Google to find out more.

[uptheos]

From what you describe you'd better go somewhere....ANYWHERE, rather than hanging around this forum for an answer. Why don't you go to Tawachai - he opens at 8am and 4-30 pm if you get there early you don't wait long. He can give you an initial diagnosis and refer you to an appropriate person if he needs to.

[Bill97]

Go past the Prince Hotel (it is a one way street), across the small bridge and you hit a T intersection, straight across the T is a clinic run by a lady who is a good ENT doctor who speaks good English. It is a sign in and wait clinic, open hours in evenings and some time on weekends.

[PeaceBlondie]

Sripat speaks English, Appointments at entrance facing Suan Dok Gate, first floor.

[Donnyboy]

what ever you do, dont leave it any longer

good luck

[Thaihog]

Sripat speaks English, Appointments at entrance facing Suan Dok Gate, first floor.

I don't understand how anybody can recommend Sripat, the place is like a busy shopping mall..... If you're travelling by car forget it, you can't get parked within a few miles of the place, real handy if you're sick.....

[isanbirder]

Go to the Sripat Special Medical Services Clinic on the 13th floor of Sripat Building. I know the ENT doctor there (at least one of them); he's American-educated. Yes, it's busy there; don't take a car... go by tuk-tuk or taxi if you can find one. But you won't find anything better in Chiangmai. And, as several people said, go quickly (I think it's open 7 days a week, but you can ring up in English and find out (sorry, I don't have the number).)

[hansnl]

The hard wax will not come out with cooking oil, forget it.

It will not get soft of cooking oil either!

Go to any ear doctor to get the wax out, your hearing will probably come back.

The cyst, if it is indeed a cyst, is something else.

Needs to be removed, probably surgically,

There might be a very small outlet/opening if the thing inside your ear, hence the dirty black stuff.

Never, I repeat NEVER, poke around in your ear.

You just stow the wax to the back of the ear diminishing your hearing.

GO TO THE DOCTOR!!!!!

[PeaceBlondie]

Sripat speaks English, Appointments at entrance facing Suan Dok Gate, first floor.

I don't understand how anybody can recommend Sripat, the place is like a busy shopping mall..... If you're travelling by car forget it, you can't get parked within a few miles of the place, real handy if you're sick....

Hogwash. We drove a big ute directly to the ER. There is a free car park at the corner of Suthep at the traffic light, with free van to and from Sripat - a 125-meter walk.

[Bill97]

Sripat speaks English, Appointments at entrance facing Suan Dok Gate, first floor.

I don't understand how anybody can recommend Sripat, the place is like a busy shopping mall..... If you're travelling by car forget it, you can't get parked within a few miles of the place, real handy if you're sick....

Hogwash. We drove a big ute directly to the ER. There is a free car park at the corner of Suthep at the traffic light, with free van to and from Sripat - a 125-meter walk.

That car park used to be good but has been full all the way to the back the last two times I went. Bad luck or the norm now?

[chiang mai]

Dear OP, I'm certain you're a lovely man but for goodness sake, you're how old and you've put up with all of that for how long? Go see a doctor, pick any one on your list and go there, go there today and don't make any excuses for not going. Can't decide which hospital, go to RAM fifth floor and tell the nurse that you want to see an ENT doctor today, you'll probably have to wait for fifteen minutes or so. Wax removal is painless and quick, if you know what you're doing and the doctors do, doubtless that treatment of the cyst is also just as simple. Let us know later what happened and how much better you feel after taking care of all of this.

[elektrified]

Sripat speaks English, Appointments at entrance facing Suan Dok Gate, first floor.

I don't understand how anybody can recommend Sripat, the place is like a busy shopping mall..... If you're travelling by car forget it, you can't get parked within a few miles of the place, real handy if you're sick....

Hogwash. We drove a big ute directly to the ER. There is a free car park at the corner of Suthep at the traffic light, with free van to and from Sripat - a 125-meter walk.

That car park used to be good but has been full all the way to the back the last two times I went. Bad luck or the norm now?

The norm now. It's always full to the back the last 3 times I've tried to find a place to park there.

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun LifeMagic,

We do join in the chorus here saying "see a doctor now."

The best ENT we know in Chiang Mai is Dr. Rat., American educated. On the faculty at the medical school associated with Maharaj Hospital, Sriphat Medical Center, Chiang Mai University, etc.

We were referred to Dr. Rat by the Thai Lady ENT who has the clinic mentioned here near the Prince Hotel; for whatever reasons she (for which we are thankful) insisted we go see Dr. Rat immediately, and he concluded there was a very high probability of tongue cancer in five minutes, and insisted (for which we are thankful) that we get an immediate scan.

Previously we had been to see an ENT at Chiang Mai Ram, quite a younger man: he had seen nothing wrong.

Dr. Rat, also, like many local Dr./Professors, has a private clinic at night. It's on Chang Puak Road, the road running north from the Chang Puak Gate out towards the Superhighway. His clinic is in a building that looks like it once was a bank, about 2 kilometers down from the start of Chang Puak on the left (west) side. Note : our sense of distance is not so great, sorry.

Haven't seen Dr. Rat, for two years, and will try and check tomorrow if his clinic is still there.

We highly recommend the Sriphat Medical Center in Maharaj Hospital on Thanon Suthep. If you go there, try and find out where the ENT clinic is, and try and get to see Dr. Rat there.

good luck,

best, ~o:37;

[lifemagic]

OK, I get it. Go now... but it's night time now. And the weekend. OK, I've saved the advice to my usb. I'll list them tomorrow, pick one with a pin, see them, well, it's Sunday tomorrow. I'll definitely try Mon/Tues. After years I don't think the day will count.

About what cost do you guess? That's the thing isn't it? There's no list. They just tell you the amount and you pay. But I feel better having some idea of the procedure (i.e. wait or no wait, some names etc).

Thanks for the replies.

[PeaceBlondie]

I usually pay 300 baht to have a consult with a professor at the medical school. Your mileage will differ. Clinics are open weekends and evenings.

[Dr. G]

McCormick Hospital

g

[elektrified]

OK, I get it. Go now... but it's night time now. And the weekend. OK, I've saved the advice to my usb. I'll list them tomorrow, pick one with a pin, see them, well, it's Sunday tomorrow. I'll definitely try Mon/Tues. After years I don't think the day will count.

About what cost do you guess? That's the thing isn't it? There's no list. They just tell you the amount and you pay. But I feel better having some idea of the procedure (i.e. wait or no wait, some names etc).

Thanks for the replies.

I can't understand why you would wait so many years to get treated? Then, you look for answers to your problem on an Internet forum. You have been given the names of some of the top ENT doctors and medical centers here in Chiang Mai, but you continue to make excuses... it's the weekend, it's evening, you don't know how much it may cost...and on and on. What does it matter if it costs 300 THB or 1300 THB? After all, it is a heck of a lot cheaper than medical care in your home country isn't it? As for waiting or not waiting...always plan on waiting for a little while for an appointment in Thailand (or for a longer while as a walk in). This is not Germany or Switzerland after all. If you are serious about being treated just head over to one of these places and get it taken care of ASAP.

[lifemagic]

YES.

I'll do it, and and report in a new post the day after.

[lifemagic]

Btw, I didn't 'just' ignore it. I was advised by an (expensive) British doctor to safely ignore it, then it worsened gradually and I just got used to it.

Anyway, I'll post mid-week when it's all done.

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun LifeMagic,

We went to Dr. Rat's clinic today: it's in the same place.

81 Chang Puak Road.

053-213-003

Monday-Friday 5:30PM-8PM

Saturday 9AM-12PM

You need to be on Thanon Mani Nopparat (outside of the moat) which is one way heading east toward the Ping river, and then ... with the Chang Puak Gate (the northern gate to the moated inner city) on your right ... make a left turn onto Chang Puak : approximately 500 meters as you drive north on Chang Puak (toward the Superhighway) on the left (west) side of the street, just before the entrance, on the left, to Chang Puak Soi 3, is a building with a little garden with flowers and ceramic elephants out front: that's Dr. Rat's office.

Parking in that area can be difficult: recommend you make a left on Chang Puak Soi 3, and go down a bit, then turn around, and try to find parking on the left side of the soi next to a sports field as you drive back towards Thanon Chang Puak.

good luck, ~o:37;

Edited March 15, 2010 by orang37