What Does an ENT Doctor Do?

There is a specialist type of doctor for every area of the body; a dermatologist deals with skin issues, for example, and a gastroenterologist helps with digestive problems. An ENT (ear, nose, and throat) doctor – also known as an otolaryngologist – works on your head and neck, and that includes your throat, your esophagus, your sinuses, and your hearing. In essence, they work on any area of the body located above the lungs and below the brain, excluding the eyes which are a different specialty all by themselves. So what exactly does an ENT doctor do?

Auditory conditions

ENT doctors are specialists in ear problems, and one of their main functions is to diagnose and treat a wide range of different hearing and ear-related conditions. This could be anything from a simple (yet painful) infection to complete hearing loss and everything in between.

Impacted earwax is a specific issue that plagues many people, and an ENT doctor can remove this earwax safely, using the correct tools. Since this is a task that should never be carried out at home in case of causing additional hearing damage, visiting an ENT doctor if you have impacted earwax is an ideal solution. Other conditions they can treat include tinnitus and growths or tumors.

Nasal issues

It may surprise you to learn that a good ENT doctor can help to relieve the symptoms of many different allergies. Although it is not their job to help with the allergy itself (this will need a different kind of specialist, such as an allergist), relieving the symptoms can help their patients greatly, and give them back their lives in some cases when the allergies have been particularly severe.

In addition to this, ENT doctors can clear any nasal congestion, remove nasal polyps, and address sinus issues that could include treating infections or performing surgery to help with chronic sinusitis. Other surgical interventions include correcting a deviated septum.

Throat health

ENT doctors can deal with many throat-related issues. One of the elements that they are particularly helpful in diagnosing and treating are throat infections that will include the most well-known; tonsillitis. In many cases, tonsillitis is something that can be treated at home with antibiotics after seeing a general doctor, but in some cases, it can be more serious, and more in-depth work will be required, including surgery. If antibiotics don’t clear the infection, an ENT doctor will need to be consulted.

If you have difficulty swallowing for any reason, again an ENT doctor is the specialist to seek advice from. They will be able to diagnose any specific conditions, including throat cancer or vocal cord infections.

Other areas

An ENT doctor’s scope of work is a large one, and it may even fall into areas beyond the ears, nose, and throat. Other conditions that an ENT can help with include:

• • Insomnia and other sleep disorders

Thyroid problems

• • Cancerous and non-cancerous growths

Head injuries