Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) physicians, or otolaryngologists, are medical doctors who specialize in conditions of the head and neck. This specialty is formally known as Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, reflecting the comprehensive nature of their practice. Otolaryngologists provide both medical and surgical treatment for a wide range of issues. Their expertise covers common ailments and complex disorders affecting the ears, nose, throat, and related structures. This specialized focus helps patients maintain fundamental functions like hearing, breathing, and speaking.
ENT Focus: Treating Hearing and Balance Issues
The subspecialty focusing on the ear is known as otology and neurotology, dealing with disorders of hearing, balance, and the nervous system connections between the ear and brain. Otologists manage hearing loss, categorized as conductive (sound transmission problems) or sensorineural (damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve). Chronic ear infections, which can lead to a hole in the eardrum or a cholesteatoma, are treated with medical management and surgical procedures like tympanoplasty and mastoidectomy.
These specialists also address tinnitus and balance disorders like vertigo. Meniere’s disease is an inner ear disorder that causes episodes of vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, and tinnitus. Surgical solutions include stapedectomy for otosclerosis and the placement of cochlear implants for severe sensorineural hearing loss. Neurotologists operate on complex issues such as acoustic neuromas, which are noncancerous tumors on the nerve connecting the ear and the brain.
ENT Focus: Managing Nasal and Sinus Function
Rhinology is the subspecialty dedicated to the nose and sinuses, focusing on conditions affecting breathing and the sense of smell. Chronic sinusitis, a persistent inflammation of the sinuses, is a common issue managed by rhinologists using medication and surgical techniques. They address structural problems like a deviated septum, which can obstruct airflow and contribute to chronic congestion.
Procedures to correct structural issues include septoplasty, which straightens the nasal septum, and functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). FESS is a minimally invasive technique using an endoscope to open sinus drainage pathways and remove obstructions like nasal polyps. Loss of smell, known as anosmia, also falls under the rhinologist’s care, often resulting from chronic inflammation or obstruction. Advanced rhinology includes complex procedures like endoscopic skull base surgery to remove tumors near the brain through the nose.
ENT Focus: Addressing Voice and Swallowing Disorders
Laryngology focuses on disorders of the throat and the larynx, dealing with issues of voice, breathing, and swallowing. Laryngologists frequently treat hoarseness (dysphonia), which can be caused by overuse or the development of benign growths like vocal cord nodules or polyps. These physicians use diagnostic tools such as laryngoscopy, which involves inserting a flexible tube with a camera to visualize the vocal cords in motion.
Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) is managed by laryngologists, often in collaboration with speech-language pathologists. Dysphagia can result from neurological disorders or structural issues, and assessment may include a barium swallowing study. Treatment for vocal cord issues ranges from voice therapy to surgical interventions like microlaryngoscopy or thyroplasty to reposition a paralyzed vocal cord. They also treat inflammatory conditions, such as chronic tonsillitis, which may require a tonsillectomy.
ENT Focus: Comprehensive Head and Neck Care
Otolaryngologists provide comprehensive care for the entire head and neck region, often involving complex surgical procedures. These specialists manage and surgically treat head and neck cancers, which can affect the larynx, oral cavity, salivary glands, and thyroid.
Treatment for cancer often requires the removal of tumors, followed by reconstructive surgery to restore function and appearance. The surgical expertise of an ENT physician is also applied to managing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults and children.
While initial treatment for OSA may involve continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), surgical procedures on the soft palate, tongue, or pharynx may be necessary to open the airway. Pediatric otolaryngology covers issues specific to children, such as congenital neck masses and the surgical repair of cleft palates.