Everything You Need to Know about ENT doctors
Otolaryngology is the specialization which is related to issues concerning your nose, ear and the throat (ENT) region along with the neck and head region too. They’re also known as ENT Specialists
Did you know that our ENT is the most fascinating region of the human body? Simple processes like breathing, hearing, talking and swallowing are carried by the ENT which is involuntary yet fundamental to a human being’s life.
Have you noticed how every time you have a cold, your throat gets sore too? The anatomy of the human body has made ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) interdependent and specialists dedicate their medical journey to this specific region. For example, if your throat hurts without any reason or you have trouble sleeping, then you must consult an ENT specialist as all of these conditions are related to your ear, nose and throat. This article will briefly explain how a condition in one of the regions often creates an issue in the other two as well.
About
an ENT doctor
Doctors
who study the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) region of the body are known as
Otolaryngologists. Conditions like Speech, hearing, balance, breathing and even
plastic surgery are treated by an ENT specialist.
From
severe to simple cases, ENT specialists deal with all types of conditions like
a headache caused by sinuses, or sleep apnea. Not just that, they are also
surgeons who are able to operate your middle ear to restore hearing, remove
blockage from blocked airways, operate on throat, neck or even head cancers.
However, doctors need to have a special 5 to 8 years of post-graduate training
apart from the 5 years in medical school.
In 1896, treatment standards were established so that every doctor could follow the same standard making ENT as the oldest medical specialty. Some of the top ENT doctors in Delhi have been as old as 26 years in this profession.
What
do ENT doctors specialize in?
While
some otolaryngologists treat all three regions equally, some ENT specialists do
pursue a specific course on one of the subspecialty regions like:
- Otology (
Ear) –
ENT
specialists can pursue otology as an additional training and specialize in this
field as well. An ear specialist doctor would be responsible for
treating conditions like hearing loss, ear infections, tinnitus or ringing
sensation in the ears, neck pain, etc. Ear is responsible for keeping balance
and hearing abilities intact.
- Rhinology
(Nose) –
Noses
are such a crucial but tiny region of the body that helps in breathing and
keeping dangerous allergens and dirt particles away from the body that could
enter through the nostrils. A specialist would operate or treat conditions like
sinusitis allergy, migraines, skull-based tumors etc.
- Laryngology
(Throat) –
Swallowing
and Speaking is a natural activity that is important to keep oneself healthy
and express openly. Specialists would operate on hoarseness, GERD or Gastro
esophageal reflux disease etc. Removal of tonsils is quite
common as a tonsil is quite common of the throat.
- Head and
Thyroid –
ENT
doctors also treat conditions like thyroid disorders such as tumors of two
types, benign neck masses, etc.
- Sleep –
Any
problems related to sleep disorders, nasal obstruction or snoring can hamper
your ability to sleep and may disturb your whole body for which an ENT
specialist would treat these obstructions.
- Facial
Reconstructive surgery –
Trauma
caused in the face due to an unfortunate accident could lead to change in
appearance causing distress. Therefore, ENT doctors would also specialize in
facial plastic surgery to operate on drooping eyelids, deformity in ears,
paralysis in the facial region etc.
- Pediatrics –
Specialists that operate on birth issues like development delays, tonsils, airway problems or even defects in the neck or head are known as pediatrics ENT Specialists.
When
should you consult an ENT doctor?
It is
crucial to know the symptoms so that you can correctly consult a doctor and
rectify the health problem. Below are some signs and symptoms that must be
looked out before going to an ENT specialist:
- Ear infection
- Adenoid
infection (also known as Tonsils)
- Dizziness
- Balance
issues
- Ear, nose or
throat injury
- Ringing
sensation in your ear or Tinnitus
- Asthma
- Eye-lids
drooping
- Snoring
- Sleep apnea
- Loss of smell
- Allergies
- Breathing
issues
- Sinuses
- Hair loss
- Nose bleeds
- Nasal
congestions
- Sore throat
and infection in the throat
- Gastro
esophageal Reflux Disease
If you are facing one of the conditions from the list above, then you must definitely consult an ENT doctor because chances are there is some serious issue in your ear, nose or throat region. After a consultation, you can decide whether it needs further medical procedures or not.
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