ENT & Head & Neck Surgery

Utkal Hospital

What Is an ENT Specialist?

An ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist is a medical doctor trained in managing illnesses related to the ears, nose, nasal passage, sinuses, larynx, oral cavity, upper pharynx, as well as structures of the neck and face. ENT specialists are experts in both medical and surgical management of the following:

Ear

Deafness is a condition where the ability to detect certain sound frequencies is partially or completely impaired. A person may need to see an ENT specialist if they are suffering from partial or full deafness. Furthermore, an ear disorder, such as an ear infection, hearing impairment, diseases that affect balance, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), or pain in the ear are also treated by an ENT. The experts in our ENT hospital specialize in performing Cochlear Implant (CI) Surgeries on patients who are profoundly deaf or hard of hearing. Cochlear Implants are primarily designed to mimic natural hearing. Often referred to as bionic ear, it works by using special technologies that mimic the non-working parts in the ear.

Nose

ENT specialists manage and treat issues that affect the nose, sinuses, and nasal cavity. These issues can affect breathing, cause loss of smell, as well as change the physical appearance.

Throat

Disorders that affect the throat can disrupt speech, eating, digestion, swallowing, and singing. ENT specialists can identify, manage, and treat such problems.

Head and Neck

ENT specialists are trained to manage tumors, diseases, trauma, and defects in the head, neck, and face. An ENT specialist can perform cosmetic and reconstructive surgery in all of these areas. They can also manage issues with the nerves in the head and neck that control smell, sight, hearing, as well as facial movements.

Conditions Treated by an ENT Specialist

Swollen Adenoids: Frequent throat infections can lead to enlarged adenoids. Enlarged adenoids can cause difficulty in breathing and block the eustachian tubes, which connect the middle ear to the back of the nose.
Sinusitis: Inflammation of the sinuses result in a plugged nose and thick nasal mucus accompanied by pain in the face.
Tinnitus: A condition wherein an individual hears sound when no external sound is present.
Nasal Airway Obstruction: A condition in which the airflow in and out of the nose is hindered and affects one or both nasal passages. It is caused by either swelling of the nasal tissue or an anatomical blockage which results in narrowing of the nasal cavity and congested sensation in the nasal passage.
Tonsillitis:Swelling of the tonsils caused due to a viral infection or bacterial infections such as strep throat.
Eardrum Perforation: A tear or hole in the eardrum which can result in hearing loss. This condition can also make the middle ear more prone to infections or injury.

Tinnitus

Overview

Tinnitus is a condition when an individual hears a sound that no one else can hear. Different people hear different types of sounds such as ringing, buzzing, or other sounds. This condition can vary in intensity and can be constant or frequent. Tinnitus can sometimes lead to hearing loss.

Causes

The causes of tinnitus are

Ear infection
Excess wax in the ear
A pierced eardrum
High blood pressure
A benign tumor on the acoustic nerve

Signs and Symptoms

Hearing a sound that no one else can hear
Ringing, buzzing, or any other sound

Treatment

Different treatment options include:

Use of hearing aid, if hearing is impaired
Use of a tinnitus masker which masks the tinnitus with ‘white noise’
In some cases, tinnitus goes away without any treatment

Nasal Airway Obstruction

Overview

As its name suggests, nasal airway obstruction is a condition where the nasal passage gets blocked and makes it difficult for an individual to breathe through his nose. Sometimes the cause of nasal airway obstruction is enlarged turbinates. Turbinates are small, bony structures located in the nasal passages that are covered with mucous membranes. This condition makes everyday activities such as eating, speaking, and sleeping more difficult.

Signs and Symptoms

Below are the symptoms of tonsillitis:

Difficulty in breathing, eating, and sleeping
Frequent nasal congestion
Headache
Nose bleeding

Causes

There are many causes of nasal airway obstruction including:

A deviated septum
Hormonal changes
Allergies
Environmental irritants

Treatment

Traditional medical therapy, including allergen/irritant avoidance and/or use of nasal medications, may be enough to treat turbinate enlargement. However, following treatment options are possible:

Septoplasty – This is a surgical procedure carried out to correct the shape of the septum of the nose.

Tonsillitis

Overview

Signs and Symptoms

Below are the symptoms of tonsillitis:

Difficulty in swallowing
Ear pain
Fever, chills
Headache
Sore throat
Tenderness of the jaw and throat

Causes

Bacterial infection
Viral infection
Strep throat

Treatment

Following treatment options are available for tonsillitis:

Doctors generally give antibiotics to treat tonsillitis as they are not serious and do not cause other problems.
Tonsillectomy – If infection goes severe, your doctor would suggest tonsillectomy. It is an operation done to remove tonsils. This option is recommended for people who get repeated or extremely severe bouts of tonsillitis. The surgery is suggested only for people who have had:
Frequent ear infections because of swollen tonsils
Swollen tonsils that make it harder to breathe or swallow
Sore throats that stop you, or your child, getting on with everyday life (such as finding it hard to sleep or your child missing school)

Sinusitis

Sinusitis refers to the inflammation of the sinus membranes due to an infection caused by a virus, bacteria, or fungus. The sinuses are air-filled spaces in the skull. The following are the types of sinuses: Frontal sinuses, Maxillary sinuses, Ethmoid sinuses, Sphenoid sinuses. If the opening from a sinus cavity becomes blocked, the flow of the mucus gets blocked and results in pressure buildup causing pain and inflammation.

Following are the types of sinuses:

Frontal sinuses
Maxillary sinuses
Fever, chills
Ethmoid sinuses
Sphenoid sinuses

If the opening from a sinus cavity becomes blocked, the flow of mucus gets blocked and results in pressure buildup causing pain and inflammation.

Causes

Sinusitis can be caused due to following reasons:

Small hair in the sinuses
Cold and allergies
A deviated nasal septum
Smoking
Weakened immune system from HIV or chemotherapy

Signs and Symptoms

The most common symptom of acute sinusitis is a cold that doesn’t go away. Other symptoms are:

Bad breath or loss of smell
Cough, often worse at night
Fatigue
Fever
Headache
Sore throat

Treatment

Following treatment options are available for tonsillitis:

Generally, doctors suggest antibiotics or decongestants for several weeks. Pain killers can also be given to provide relief.
Antihistamines or nasal sprays are prescribed to treat the allergies that cause chronic (recurrent) sinus infections.
If medicines do not result in positive outcomes, surgery is done to treat chronic and severe sinusitis. During the surgery, surgeons create an extra or enlarged passageway in the wall of the sinus cavity. It allows the sinuses to get more air easily and free from infection.
Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) – This surgery is done to treat chronic symptoms of sinusitis.

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