An otolaryngologist, better known popularly as “Ear, Throat, Nose,” is one of the key figures in medicine. It is to him that both adults and children run to him when their throats hurt, their noses are stuffy, and they start shooting in the ears.
An otolaryngologist helps not only with acute ENT diseases - tonsillitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis and otitis. People go to the doctor with a deviated nasal septum for surgery, with fish bones stuck in the throat (removal of a foreign body in the larynx), and with the problem of snoring (adenoid vegetations).
Any problem with the respiratory and hearing organs is something for which it is not only possible, but also necessary to contact an ENT specialist!
Read more about who an otolaryngologist is, what he treats and when it’s time to contact him in our article today.
What does an otolaryngologist treat?
The scope of activity of an otolaryngologist is the treatment of all diseases and pathological conditions associated with dysfunction of the nose, throat, ears: hearing impairment, difficulty in nasal breathing, throat diseases. In addition, an otorhinolaryngologist may have a narrow specialization, for example, an otoneurologist (a specialist in the pathology of connections between the inner ear and various parts of the brain), an audiologist (a specialist in hearing restoration), a phoniatrist (a doctor specializing in the treatment of the vocal cords).
The patient needs an otolaryngologist if he has complaints about deterioration in the functions of such organs as:
- ear;
- throat;
- larynx;
- vocal cords;
- nose;
- paranasal sinuses;
- tonsils;
- esophagus;
- bronchi.
Pediatric otorhinolaryngology
In children, the ENT organs and their functions differ from adults, which means that diseases of these organs proceed differently. In order to treat these diseases, there is a pediatric otolaryngologist. The children know who this clinic is.
Children often have pain in their ears, nose, and larynx. 80% of children suffer from ear infections before the age of 3. Doctors can cure a child with hearing loss; now this is quite possible.
With the support of modern technologies that ENT doctors currently have at their disposal, they can effectively treat the ears from the most serious forms of pathology.
In clinics, implants are implanted, giving children hearing, eliminating the need to wear ordinary hearing aids.
Otolaryngologists are currently able to successfully treat tinnitus.
An otolaryngologist who treats diseases of the ears, nose and throat, is considered a sensitive specialist in child psychology, determines what the diagnosis is and plans the correct treatment. Attentive attitude and understanding of children by doctors is of great importance for the treatment of diseases.
When is it necessary to contact an ENT specialist?
It is necessary to make an appointment with an otolaryngologist if you experience pain, discomfort or any other unusual sensations in the throat, ears or nasal cavities:
- long-lasting runny nose;
- loss or decrease in the sensitivity of smell;
- difficulty swallowing;
- difficulty in nasal breathing in the absence of discharge from the nasal passages;
- headaches with difficulty breathing;
- discharge from the ear;
- discomfort or pain in the upper jaw and temples;
- development of swelling of the oral mucosa, nasal mucosa;
- deterioration or loss of hearing;
- inflammation, increase in size, soreness of the cervical lymph nodes.
A significant deterioration in health, increased body temperature, weakness, and headache do not necessarily arise due to dysfunction of the ENT organs, but if these symptoms are combined with one of the above, a visit to an otolaryngologist is indispensable.
In addition to inflammatory-degenerative and infectious diseases, an otolaryngologist deals with the elimination of the consequences of injuries to the ear, throat, nose, and pharynx. Removing foreign objects from the ear or nose is a fairly common reason for visiting an ENT doctor, especially when it comes to children. Another of the most common complaints when visiting an otolaryngologist in children is the proliferation of tissues of the palate and nasopharynx - tonsils and adenoids. The doctor prescribes the necessary medication and physiotherapeutic treatment. In particularly severe cases, surgery may be recommended to remove the pathologically overgrown tissue.
Sinusitis is one of the most common diseases of the ENT organs. With sinusitis, the inflammatory process occurs in the maxillary (maxillary) sinuses. The disease is characterized by increased body temperature, difficulty in nasal breathing, severe headaches, and purulent nasal discharge. It is very important to start therapy for sinusitis at an early stage, when the disease has not yet turned into a chronic purulent form, otherwise sinusitis can provoke other diseases. Self-medication will not bring the expected result: a qualified otolaryngologist should develop treatment tactics and conduct it.
In case of imbalance, gait instability, or the development of vertigo, you also cannot do without the help of an otorhinolaryngologist, because the cause of the pathology can “hide” in the inner ear - a complex functional organ that is responsible not only for hearing, but also for balance.
If your hearing worsens, be sure to consult an ENT specialist. Often the cause of hearing loss can be cerumen plug, which is formed due to the structure of the ear, improper hygiene, or infections. An ENT doctor will make a diagnosis through a visual examination and prescribe adequate treatment - removal of the plug by rinsing.
An otorhinolaryngologist conducts a preventive examination when a patient registers for work or study, and a routine examination of pregnant women.
Throat ailments
Most often, a doctor is consulted in the presence of sore throat, laryngitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, measles, and mononucleosis. The diseases are characterized by the following symptoms:
- sore throat;
- presence of plaque on the tonsils;
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- high body temperature;
- prostration;
- red color of the throat.
As diagnostic measures, examination by a doctor of the oral cavity, mirror laryngoscopy, hypopharyngoscopy, computed tomography and magnetic tomography are used. Treatment measures depend on the problem that caused the disease.
If the disease is infectious in nature, then antiviral and antibacterial therapy is prescribed. Physiotherapy measures may be prescribed as an adjunct. Surgery may be required if the disease causes severe damage to overall health. For example, surgery is a necessary measure for chronic tonsillitis.
How is the inspection carried out?
Like a doctor of any other specialization, an otolaryngologist begins an appointment by collecting an anamnesis and finding out the cause of the patient’s complaints. As a rule, the doctor is interested in previous infectious diseases, allergies to pollen, pet hair, and medications. In addition, the otorhinolaryngologist must find out whether the patient has a genetic predisposition to diseases or congenital pathologies of the larynx, nose, and ears.
After a conversation with the patient, the doctor proceeds directly to external examination and palpation. During an external examination, the doctor can use medical instruments and devices:
- frontal reflector - a special spherical mirror used to illuminate the examined ENT organs by reflecting light;
- rhinoscope - an optical device for examining the nasal cavities;
- otoscope - a tool for examining the ear canals;
- laryngeal or nasopharyngeal mirror;
- double-sided spatulas;
- ear funnel to assess the functional state of the eardrum.
If the doctor has not received enough information to make a diagnosis, he can use laboratory diagnostic methods:
- blood analysis;
- swabs from the nose and throat for microflora content;
- puncture.
In modern otorhinolaryngology, examination methods such as:
- radiography;
- diaphanoscopy
- CT scan;
- Ultrasound;
- endoscopy;
- Magnetic resonance imaging.
The use of modern instrumental and hardware methods allows us to make diagnostics as informative as possible.
If you are about to visit an otolaryngologist, this entire list of tools and methods for diagnosing diseases of the ENT organs should not cause fear: if the patient is calm and relaxed, all studies performed by the doctor will not cause pain or discomfort. Upon receipt of test data and other types of examination, the doctor makes a diagnosis and prescribes adequate medication and physiotherapeutic treatment, and, if necessary, surgery.
What diseases can a doctor correct?
What does an otolaryngologist treat? This question is often asked by patients who have had to deal with one or another pathology. Since this doctor deals with everything related to the ear, nose and throat, we can draw the following conclusion. The doctor treats absolutely all bacterial, viral and other pathologies of these systems. Let us consider in detail what an otorhinolaryngologist does for children or adults.
Where is ENT accepted?
If you need a consultation with an otolaryngologist in St. Petersburg, we invite you to visit the medical one. Reception is carried out by experienced ENT doctors who will be able to provide qualified assistance in the most complex diagnostic cases and help patients with advanced forms of the disease.
Doctors at the Panacea Clinic have at their disposal modern hardware and instruments, powerful laboratory and diagnostic facilities, and high-quality consumables. In the treatment of diseases, the doctors of our clinic adhere to the highest international standards of medical care.
Pathologies of the nose and its appendages
If you have a disease of the nasal passages, this specialist will help you eliminate it. The doctor first examines the respiratory openings, after which he makes his verdict.
If the patient has a common runny nose caused by a cold, then the doctor prescribes general-spectrum medications, for example: Pinosol, Sialor, Protargol, and so on. The doctor may also detect dry mucous membranes during the examination. To treat this pathology, moisturizing sprinklers and drops are prescribed. This group includes “Aquamaris”, “Saline solution”, “Aqualor” and others. For swelling and dilation of the vessels of the nasal passages, which are accompanied by deterioration in breathing, the doctor recommends using the following drugs: “Snoop”, “Vibrocil”, “Tizin”, “Nazivin” and so on. If during the examination a bacterial infection is detected, the doctor prescribes antimicrobial agents. This category includes Isofra, Albucid and many others.
As you can see, the doctor corrects all possible pathologies of the nasal passages. In some cases, the physician is forced to remove foreign objects from the respiratory tract. However, he can do this only when the foreign body has not yet left the nasal passages and has not descended below. Most often, young children encounter this pathology.
Another common disease in children is enlarged adenoids. These glands are similar to the tonsils, but are located closer to the nasal passage. Treatment of overgrown adenoids can be carried out medically or surgically. It all depends on the advanced stage of the disease and the age of the patient.
Ear diseases
All pathologies formed in the ear canals are also treated by this specialist. Most often, a person experiences inflammation of the eardrum or the outer part of the ear. In this case, a diagnosis of “otitis media” is made. It is worth noting that the pathology can be of a different nature: acute, chronic, purulent, and so on. Moreover, all forms are corrected by an otolaryngologist. In some cases, Otipax, Otinum, Otofa drops, and so on, help. In more complex situations, surgical intervention may be required, which is also performed by this specialist.
An otolaryngologist (you already know who this is) treats excessive accumulation of wax in the ear canals. In this case, the pathology is accompanied by hearing loss and itching.
