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.