ENT

• Patients with ear, nose, and throat problems are usually referred to ENT doctors. The ENT specialist is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of the conditions of the nose, ear, neck, oral cavity, upper pharynx, and larynx. Other common conditions treated and managed by them include sinus infections, tonsillitis and tonsillectomies, mastoid infections, adenoidectomies, and nosebleeds.
• ENT doctors treat conditions associated with head and neck cancers.
• ENT specialists collaborate with other specialists as needed.

If you have any of the following symptoms, you should consider taking an ENT consultation:

• Hoarseness and wheezing
• Problems with dizziness or vertigo that are recurring
• Recurrent episodes of nasal congestion, runny nose, and sinus pressure
• Swallowing difficulties
• Issues with hearing ability 
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Injury to the nose, ear, and throat
• Pain in the ears, throat, and nose
• Tinnitus

ENT surgeons can perform a variety of procedures and specialise in a wide range of medical conditions associated with the ear, nose, and throat.

• Biopsies and excisions are used to investigate suspected tumours and lesions that appear anywhere in the body. This is a necessary and essential step in the course of cancer treatment.
• Myringotomy and placement of pressure equalisation tubes: This is a procedure in which an ENT doctor inserts pressure equalisation tubes to allow the passage of air into the middle ear via the eardrums.
• Endoscopic sinus surgery is used to treat infectious and inflammatory sinus conditions like chronic sinusitis and polyp growth, in which endoscopes are inserted into the nose by ENT specialists to examine the sinuses. They also use surgical instruments such as lasers.
• ENT surgeons perform aesthetic or reconstructive facial plastic surgery. Congenital defects, such as cleft palates, can be repaired by ENT specialists as well. Also, they can help improve the overall appearance of the face by smoothing out wrinkles.
• Blepharoplasty is a procedure done to repair droopy eyelids by removing excessive deposition of fat, skin, or muscle that may be obstructing the vision; however, this procedure is more frequently performed for cosmetic purposes and rarely necessitates a hospital stay.

ENT specialists are highly skilled in the surgical and medical management of various conditions. Some of the common conditions treated by them are:

• Ear conditions: If you have conditions such as hearing loss, ear infections, ear pain, balance issues, or tinnitus (ringing sensation in the ears), it is advisable to consult your ENT doctor as soon as possible. ENT specialists also treat congenital ear abnormalities (disorders that occur at birth).
• Nose conditions: ENT specialists frequently manage and treat the disorders and conditions of the nasal cavity and sinuses. These issues can have an impact on breathing, smell, and physical appearance.
• Throat disorders: Throat disorders and conditions can affect eating, swallowing, speech, and digestion. These issues can be diagnosed, managed, and treated by ENT specialists.
• ENT-related head and neck disorders: ENT specialists are skilled to handle patients with head, neck, and face diseases, tumours, trauma, and deformities. Aesthetic and reconstructive surgery in these areas is performed by ENT doctors. They can also treat nerve problems in the head and neck area that control smell, vision, hearing, and facial movements.

Many ENT doctors undergo one to two years of advanced training in one of the following otolaryngology subspecialties:

• Otology: specialisation in studying the anatomy, physiology, and diseases of ears
• Neurotology: specialising in balance
• Audiology: specialisation in tinnitus (ringing of bells in the ears)
• Laryngology: study of swallowing, the throat, and the voice
• Allergy
• Reconstructive and plastic surgery on the face
• Specialisation in surgery on head and neck tumours.
• Rhinology: Specialisation in the nose and sinus cavity
• Some otolaryngologists specialise in sleep medicine.