All You Need to Know About an Otolaryngologist or ENT Doctor

 

An otolaryngologist or ENT doctor is a specialist treating conditions affecting the ears, nose, and throat. They are surgeons as well and so perform surgeries if required. Apart from treating diseases of the ears, nose, and throat, an ENT doctor treats conditions affecting the head and neck. And you can easily find an ENT doctor in your city. For instance, if you are in Doha, you can see one at a medical centre in Doha. Furthermore, here is everything you need to know about ENT doctors, also known as otolaryngologists.

Ears are responsible for hearing as well as balancing. So it is crucial to maintain proper ear health, and an ENT doctor helps with that. They treat conditions affecting the ear such as chronic ear infections, hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, ruptured eardrum, Meniere’s disease, eustachian tube dysfunction, otosclerosis, ear tumours, impacted ear wax, middle ear fluid, and temporal bone fractures.

Similarly, the nose is a significant organ that helps in breathing, filtering the
air, and sensing smell. And the conditions affecting the nose can affect its functioning. Some of the nasal conditions treated by ENT doctors include allergies, sinusitis, rhinitis, nose bleeds, deviated septum, nasal polyps, postnatal drip, and nasally obstructed breathing.

The throat acts as the passageway for air, food, and liquid. It helps in breathing, speaking and swallowing. So preventing and treating throat conditions is necessary. ENT doctors help treat throat conditions, including vocal cord disorders, throat tumours, sore throat, sleep apnea, snoring, subglottic stenosis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Moreover, swallowing disorders, hoarseness, laryngitis, tonsil and adenoid conditions are also managed by ENT doctors. However, visit a reputable hospital in your area for any treatment. Say you are in Qatar, consult an ENT doctor at the
best hospital in Qatar.

Like we mentioned before, an ENT doctor’s area of specialization is not limited to ears, nose, and throat. They treat issues affecting the head and neck as well. The head and neck conditions managed by ENT doctors are infections and tumours in the head and neck, thyroid conditions, facial injuries, facial deformities, and congenital neck masses. To correct facial injuries and deformities, they perform reconstructive as well as plastic surgeries.

Furthermore, some otolaryngologists specialize in treating specific parts. Some of the subspecialists are rhinologists, laryngologists, and audiologists. Rhinologists specialize in treating conditions that affect the nose and sinuses. They treat complicated sinus diseases, disorders of the skull base, nasal masses, and cases involving neurosurgeons. Laryngogologists focus on the larynx, pharynx, and associated conditions. And audiologists are specialists in treating diseases that affect hearing. They diagnose and treat hearing disorders, help select suitable hearing aids and prevent hearing loss.

You can consult an otolaryngologist if you are experiencing recurring ear, sinus, or throat infections, hearing changes, swallowing difficulties, frequent nasal congestion or runny nose, snoring, sleep apnea, and so on. Ultimately, an ENT doctor or otolaryngologist can help you with diseases affecting your ear, nose, throat, as well as head and neck.