Understanding the Duties of an ENT Specialist and the Conditions Treated

An ENT specialist is a doctor who has specific expertise in treating diseases related to the ear, nose, and throat. In addition, ENT specialists are also tasked with dealing with a number of diseases that occur in the head and neck.

Just like specialist doctors in general, ENT specialists must also complete general practitioner education first. A doctor will earn the title of ENT specialist after completing special education in ear, nose and throat, for a period of four years or more.

Various Diseases Treated by ENT Specialists

ENT specialists have in-depth knowledge of the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of various diseases related to the ear, nose and throat. ENT doctors can treat patients of all ages, from infants to the elderly.

Diseases treated by ENT specialists include:

• Ear disorders

  These conditions include hearing loss, impaired balance, ringing in the ears, infection, tumor or cancer in the ear.

• Nose trouble

  These conditions include allergies, sinusitis, difficulty smelling scents, nasal injuries, nasal congestion, and tumors or cancers in the nose.

• Throat disorders

  These conditions include difficulty swallowing, impaired voice, disorders of the adenoids, laryngitis, or tonsillitis.

• Sleep disturbance

  These conditions include obstructive sleep apnea, snoring, and other sleep disorders caused by narrowing of the airways.

• Disorders in the neck and head

  These conditions include problems with the skull, oral cavity, salivary glands, thyroid and parathyroid glands, or some facial skin disorders.

However, not all abnormalities in the neck and head area can be treated by an ENT specialist. There are a number of diseases that need to be treated by other specialists. For example, problems in the brain will be treated by a neurologist, or problems in the eye will be treated by an ophthalmologist.

Action takenENT Specialist

Some of the following actions can be carried out by an ENT specialist as a step for further examination and treatment:

• audiometry

  Audiometric examination was performed to assess hearing ability. This examination can help detect deafness.

• Oesophagoscopy

  In this procedure, the doctor will insert a flexible tube with a camera tip into the mouth, and then it is directed into the esophagus to assess for problems in the throat, such as difficult swallowing conditions.

• Sinus surgery with endoscope

  In this procedure, the doctor will insert a small binocular tube into the nasal passages to diagnose and treat sinuses.

• Tonsillectomy

  Tonsillectomy is performed to cut and remove the tonsils from inside the throat. This operation is usually performed on pediatric patients.

• Septoplasty

  This operation aims to correct the position of the nasal septum and open the blockage that obstructs the respiratory tract.

• Tracheostomy

  The main goal of the tracheostomy procedure is to expedite the blocked airway, with the installation of an assisted airway in the trachea.

• Tympanomastoidectomy

  This operation aims to reconstruct and remove epithelial inclusions (cholesteatoma) in the middle ear. The doctor will remove abnormal tissue or that has been damaged by infection in the area of ​​the mastoid bone behind the ear. Then the ENT doctor will also repair the eardrum, as well as the bones of hearing.

• Neck tumor surgery

  An ENT specialist is also in charge of performing surgery to remove lumps or tumors in the neck and head area.

When Should You See an ENT Specialist?

Not all disorders that occur in the ear, nose, and throat should be treated directly by an ENT specialist. Generally, new patients are treated by an ENT specialist after receiving a referral from a general practitioner, because the condition is quite serious or requires further treatment, such as surgery.

To prevent serious effects, you should immediately contact a doctor if you experience complaints in the ears, nose, and throat. Symptoms to watch out for include:

• Nasal congestion.
• Disturbed smell.
• Ears ringing.
• Hearing impaired.
• Difficulty swallowing.
• Sleep snoring often

If you experience the above symptoms, you should consult a doctor. If a general practitioner recommends an examination with an ENT specialist, you can ask a general practitioner for a recommendation for the name of an ENT specialist. In addition, recommendations from ENT specialists can also be obtained from family members or friends.