If you ain't breathing in through your nose, you ain't breathing right.
— Dr. Azgher Karjieker
A private Ear, Nose & Throat practice in Cape Town, dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of snoring, sleep apnoea, sinus disorders and general paediatric ENT.
Breathe Right
A Capetonian returned home to practise.
Dr. Azgher Karjieker is a member of the ENT Society of South Africa, having attained an MBChB (UCT) and FCS (ORL) SA UCT — a qualified Ear, Nose & Throat Surgeon with a passionate interest in snoring and sinus disorders.
He is Deputy Chair of the South African Society for Sleep and Health.
Born and bred in Cape Town. Married to audiologist Faheema Dhansay. After 18 months as an ENT SHO in the UK and a consultancy in London (2002–2004), he returned to Cape Town and opened private practice in April 2004.
He practices from Chris Barnard Memorial Hospital and Vincent Pallotti Hospital — passionate about saving patients and their partners from the effects of snoring and sleep apnoea, as well as general sinus and general paediatric ENT ailments.
- 1993MBChBUniversity of Cape Town
- 1994Internship · Groote SchuurFirst ENT rotation — the bug bit.
- 1999–2002Formal ENT TrainingMentored by Profs. Sellars, Prescott & Fagan.
- 2002–2004Consultant ENT · LondonInternational courses in snoring & sinus.
- 2004 →Private Practice · Cape TownChris Barnard Memorial · Vincent Pallotti.
The nose is an amazing organ.
Imagine a life without being able to smell the roses, or not being able to take a deep refreshing breath through your nose — not pleasant.
Out through the nose
Out through the mouth
- 01Airway passage to lungs
- 02Smell (olfaction)
- 03Humidifies air before it reaches lung
- 04Warms air to 30°C
- 05Filters out allergens and pollutants
- 06Mucus production to lubricate the upper airways
If your nose is blocked, you default to mouth breathing — and your mouth cannot perform any of the functions of your nose. Your mouth dries out and poorer-quality air is sent to your lungs.
Three areas of specialist focus.
A boutique ENT practice — small enough for continuity of care, broad enough for the full surgical & non-surgical toolkit.
Conservative first.
Surgical when needed.
Failure to respond to conservative solutions calls for referral to an ENT specialist. Below is the full toolkit — expand each option to read the protocol.
Non-Surgical Solutions
- Weight loss — accompanies all solutions; see the Healthy Eating Plan.
- Stop smoking — cigarette smoke irritates the nasal lining.
- Drink more water (1,5L/day) to thin down mucus and stop post-nasal drip.
- Cut down caffeine — promotes water loss through diuresis and thickens mucus.
- Flonase / Avamys — 2 puffs into each nostril at night, prescribed by your doctor.
- Safe for lifelong use — especially in allergic environments like Cape Town.
- Always bend head forward when using a spray, aimed up and slightly towards your eye.
- Keeps the jaw forward while sleeping — keeping the back of the tongue away from the back of the throat.
- Trial device R450 · Custom-made device R3 400 (excl. VAT and delivery).
- Blows an extra puff of air through your nose or mouth as you breathe in while sleeping.
- Forces air past any floppy obstruction.
- Works better when the nose is open and the throat is not obstructed.
Surgical Solutions
- 30-minute procedure under general anaesthetic — working inside the nose to straighten the septum.
- No swelling or bruising on the outside.
- No change to the external shape of the nose.
- 30-minute procedure under general anaesthetic — often combined with a septoplasty.
- Painful afterwards — requiring 10 days of intensive painkillers and up to 3 weeks off work.
- Telescopes up the nose, under general anaesthetic, to widen the natural drainage passages.
- Removes mechanical blockages (deviated septum, nasal polyps) — 'unblocks the drains'.
Score your sleep.
Then come and talk.
Two downloadable guides, and three clinician-grade self-assessment tools. Bring your scores to your appointment — they make our first consultation more productive.
Patient information form
Download the PDF or complete the full registration form online — both reach reception@drk-ent.com.
Weight loss accompanies every solution.
The plan Dr. Karjieker prescribes alongside any treatment. Most patients see meaningful change within weeks.
Printable PDF- 01Last 2 hours before sleeping — water only (usually after 8pm)
- 02Use Gaviscon Advance — 10ml after any late-night nibble
- 03Drink > 1.5 litres of water a day
- 04Limit tea (incl. green tea) and coffee — before 3pm only (sleep disturbance, diuretic effect, weakens stomach valve)
"Suggestion: blend 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon pea flour, 25ml water, 25ml milk. Fry in olive oil like a thick pancake — an alternative to bread / rice / roti."
A connected network of care.
Sister practices we collaborate with — Sleep Right for sleep management, Hear Right (Dr. Karjieker's wife, audiologist Faheema Dhansay) for hearing, and Live Right for lifestyle and wellbeing.
In-lab and home sleep studies, CPAP titration, and ongoing sleep therapy — for patients who score on STOP-BANG, Epworth or FSS.
Full audiological assessments, hearing aid fittings and paediatric hearing testing — led by audiologist Faheema Dhansay.
Holistic support aligned with your treatment goals — because how you live day to day shapes how you breathe, sleep, and heal.
Contact & appointments.
Send us a message — it is delivered to reception@drk-ent.com for booking and general enquiries. The team will respond within one business day. You may also call or email the addresses in the panel.