Otorhinolaryngology

An otorhinolaryngologist is more commonly known as an ear, nose and throat surgeon (ENT surgeon). As the name suggests these doctors specialise^† in diseases that affect the ears, nose and throat.

Medical Conditions

ENT surgeons deal with any condition that affects the ears, nose or throat.
Common examples include:

Ear - deafness, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), dizziness, ear infections, ear drum problems
Nose - polyps, cancer, sinusitis, bleeding
Throat - cancer, hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing, trapped foreign body
Head & Neck - surgical conditions and tumours^† involving the structures of the neck

Specialty Areas of Interest

Paediatric^† ENT
ENT cancers

Associated Tests

Hearing tests (audiometry)
Fibreoptic^† laryngoscopy
CT scans
MRI

Procedures

Treatment may involve administration of medication, either tablets or in drop form. Alternatively operative treatment may be required. There are numerous different ENT procedures that an ENT surgeon can perform.

Procedures include operations on the ear, salivary glands, nose, larynx and throat
Cosmetic operations

What to expect

History

Your ENT surgeon will ask about your symptoms, their duration and any associated medical problems.

Examination

Your ENT surgeon’s examination will vary according to your presentation. They will generally examine your ears, nose and throat but will then spend more time on the relevant part. They will use fibreoptic^† equipment and examining microscopes to assist in their examination.