What Throat Health Issues Can Your ENT Specialist Treat?

Although the ear nose and throat are very different organs functionally and even anatomically, the nose, ear and throat are joined together under one area of medical expertise known as ENT. The anatomical connections can be physically felt by plugging the nose and mouth while exhaling.

The pressure felt in the ears is clear evidence of the connections between the nose, ear and throat. An ENT doctor will be able to help you in all of the above areas, including chronic throat problems. They will be able to diagnose, treat and offer valuable advice for those coming with voice problems and chronic sore throats. 

What problems can an ENT help with?

In many cases, a sore throat, for example, can worsen and turn into an ear infection because there are physiological transitions between the nose, ear and throat. Here are some common throat problems in which an ENT could assist with:

• Hoarseness and various problems in sound production: Hoarseness is a symptom that can result from a variety of factors and it is the role of the doctor to find out the exact cause of hoarseness and treat it accordingly. Already here it can be seen that this is a very sensitive role that requires great skill and high professionalism, as in some cases the source of hoarseness is fatigue of the vocal cords, but in other cases hoarseness is the first symptom of a cancerous growth in the throat.
• Chronic sore throats: Chronic sore throats are most frequently caused by acid reflux. It can cause problems with the voice if left untreated. It may need to be treated with a round of ant-acids in order to combat the inflammation. Another chronic issue may be a problem with the tonsils; in which can be solved with a tonsillectomy.
• Throat cancer: Chronic smokers are the most likely to develop throat cancer, and therefore if this is something your family doctor is concerned about, your ENT doctor will be able to assist. Lumps in the throat, or visible neck lumps, a raspy voice, soreness or pain can all be symptoms. 

Other factors that can lead to a referral to an ENT doctor are for example swallowing problems, problems with epithelial breathing, feeling of a lump in the throat, problems with balance, accumulation of wax in the ears, tinnitus and dizziness. 

If you are considering speaking with an ENT about your throat issue, it is very important to note that their vast knowledge will probably be able to assist you greatly. Any type of throat issue that may be connected to another area of the body, such as thyroid or ear and perhaps even the stomach will be pinpointed accordingly and treated with the best methods possible.