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What does a nose specialist treat, and who is a nose specialist in Dubai?
A nose specialist is an ENT (ear, nose and throat) surgeon who treats problems of the nose and sinuses. Dr. Muhammad Jabbr is a Consultant ENT surgeon and nose specialist who sees adults and children at Medcare Hospital Al Safa, Dubai. He treats smell loss, broken noses, repeated nosebleeds, a blocked nose and rare leaks of the fluid around the brain. Book a visit if smell loss lasts more than a few weeks or nosebleeds keep coming back.
Most people think of a nose specialist only when their sinuses play up. But your nose does much more than let air in. It smells, it cleans the air, it shapes your face, and its roof sits just under the skull. When one of these jobs goes wrong, a nose specialist in Dubai can help you find out why.
Dr. Muhammad Jabbr works as a Consultant ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon in the ENT Department of Medcare Hospital, Al Safa. He has spent over two decades in ENT practice and cares for both adults and children. With a 4.9 Google rating from 406 reviews, many patients consider him one of the best nose specialists in Dubai.
This guide covers the nose problems people talk about less, and when each needs a specialist.
More than sinuses: problems a nose specialist in Dubai can treat
A nose specialist is an ENT surgeon with a special interest in rhinology, the care of the nose and sinuses. Sinus trouble is only part of it. Other reasons for a visit include:
- Smell and taste changes, such as lost smell after a virus or with polyps.
- Injuries, such as a broken nose after a fall or a sports knock.
- Bleeding that keeps coming back, often from the same side.
- A blocked nose from swollen turbinates, a bent septum or polyps.
- Rare but serious leaks of the fluid that surrounds the brain.
- Nasal shape, when how the nose looks also affects how it works.
You can see the full range of care on our nose and sinus doctor page.
Lost your sense of smell? Here is why it matters
Smell loss changes daily life. You may not notice smoke, a gas leak or food that has gone off. Meals can taste flat, because much of flavour comes from smell.
Common causes include:
- A cold or other viral infection that damages the smell-sensing cells high up in the nose.
- Long-term sinus swelling or nasal polyps that stop air reaching the top of the nose.
- A head injury.
- Some medicines, and changes that come with age.
The first step is to find out whether air is being blocked or the smell nerves are affected. Blockage from swelling or polyps may improve with steroid treatment or, in some cases, surgery. Nerve-related loss may get better slowly over months, and smell training helps some people. Smell loss with no clear cause may need a scan. Learn more on our smell loss treatment page.
Hurt your nose? What to do in the first few days
The nose is the most often broken bone in the face. Signs include pain, swelling, bruising around the eyes, bleeding and a nose that looks crooked or feels blocked.
In the first days, a wrapped cold pack can ease swelling. Sleep with your head raised and avoid blowing your nose hard. Swelling can hide the true shape, so a second look a few days later shows if the nose is out of line. X-rays are often not needed. If the bones need to be moved back, this should be planned early. Nasal bones begin to set within about two weeks in adults, and faster in children.
Go to emergency if the injury also hit your head, the bleeding will not settle, or thin clear fluid drips from the nose. Also go if you see a tender, puffy swelling on the middle wall inside the nose. This can be a blood collection on the septum, and it needs prompt draining. Read more about nasal fracture treatment.
Nosebleeds that keep coming back
The odd nosebleed is common, especially in dry, air-conditioned rooms. Bleeds that keep returning deserve a closer look. The doctor looks inside with a light and, if needed, a thin camera. A fragile vessel can often be sealed. In an adult, bleeding together with a one-sided blocked nose should be checked to rule out a growth. See our page on nosebleed treatment.
Swollen turbinates: why does my nose feel blocked all the time?
Turbinates are ridges of bone covered with soft lining on the side walls inside your nose. They warm and moisten the air you breathe. With allergies, dust or months of decongestant spray use, the lining can swell and stay swollen.
You may notice a blockage that switches sides, mouth breathing and snoring. Treatment usually starts with allergy control, saline rinses and a steroid spray. Stopping decongestant sprays is often part of the plan, as long use makes the swelling worse. If the blockage stays, a short procedure to shrink the turbinates may help. See our page on turbinate hypertrophy treatment.
Clear, watery fluid from one side of the nose
A steady drip of clear, watery fluid from one side, often worse when you bend forward, can sometimes be cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This is the fluid that surrounds the brain. A leak can follow a head injury or surgery, and sometimes it happens with no clear cause.
A CSF leak matters because it can open a path for infection, such as meningitis. If you have a one-sided watery drip with headache, fever or a stiff neck, seek urgent care. Tests may include a lab check of the fluid and detailed scans. Some small leaks after an injury close with rest. Others need repair, which can often be done through the nose with an endoscope, without a cut on the face. Read more about CSF leak repair.
Is your nose shape affecting your breathing?
A nose that has healed crooked after an old injury can narrow one side of the airway. Some people find their nostrils pull inwards when they breathe in through the nose, especially during exercise. This is called nasal valve collapse, and it can feel like a blocked nose that sprays do not help.
An ENT surgeon looks at the outside shape and the inside passages together. That way, any plan to change the shape also protects your breathing.
What happens at your first nose check-up?
Your visit starts with questions about your symptoms, injuries, allergies, medicines and past surgery. Then the doctor looks inside your nose. Often this means a nasal endoscopy. The inside of the nose is first numbed with a spray, then a slim camera shows the back of the nose on a screen. Most people find it only mildly uncomfortable, and it is over in minutes.
Depending on what is found, you may also need a CT scan of the sinuses, an MRI, allergy testing or a smell test.
Which nose symptoms should not wait?
Book a visit if you have:
- Smell loss lasting more than a few weeks.
- A blocked nose that has not improved after several weeks of regular spray use.
- A nose that looks bent or blocks after an injury.
- Repeat nosebleeds, especially from one side.
- A one-sided blocked nose with bleeding or bad-smelling discharge in an adult.
Seek urgent care for heavy bleeding that will not stop after 15 to 20 minutes of firm pressure, clear fluid from the nose after a head injury, swelling around the eye with fever, or trouble breathing.
Dr. Muhammad Jabbr's approach to nose problems
Dr. Jabbr trained in medicine and surgery (MD, MS). He also holds the DOHNS from England and two board certifications in ORL-HNS, one European and one Arab. Over his career he has carried out more than 3,000 ENT procedures.
The aim is to find the cause first, then match the treatment to it. Simple steps come first where they fit, and surgery is discussed only when it is likely to help.
Book a nose consultation
You will find Dr. Muhammad Jabbr at Medcare Hospital, Hadiqa Street, Al Safa 1, Dubai. To arrange a visit, book online or phone +971 52 751 7811.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a nose specialist the same as an ENT doctor?
Every nose specialist is an ENT doctor, but not every ENT doctor focuses on the nose. A nose specialist has extra experience with problems such as smell loss, nasal injuries, turbinates and leaks at the skull base.
Will my sense of smell come back on its own?
It may, especially after a viral infection, but recovery can take months and is not always complete. If a blockage such as polyps is the cause, treating the blockage may help. An examination can show which type you have.
How soon should I see a doctor after breaking my nose?
Ideally within about a week, once the first swelling has eased. Children should be seen sooner, as their bones set faster. Go to emergency at once if there is heavy bleeding, a head injury or a swelling inside the nose.
How can I tell if the fluid from my nose is CSF?
You cannot be sure at home. A one-sided watery drip that keeps coming, sometimes with a salty taste, is a warning sign, especially after a head injury. An ENT doctor can arrange a lab test of the fluid and scans.
Why do my nostrils close when I breathe in hard?
This can be a sign of weak or narrow side walls at the front of the nose, known as nasal valve collapse. It can also follow an old injury or earlier nose surgery. An examination shows the cause and whether sprays, devices or surgery may help.
Final thoughts
Your nose affects how you breathe, smell, taste and sleep. Smell loss, a crooked nose or a one-sided drip are worth having checked. If something about your nose has been bothering you, a visit to Dr. Muhammad Jabbr is a good place to start.
