In addition to the dentist , the ENT specialist feels like the doctor with the largest range of instruments in the practice. But the widespread fear is not justified by dentists or specialists in ear, nose and throat medicine. ENT specialists know how to use their instruments very well and can usually help patients very quickly, for example with diseases and disorders in the throat, ears or nose .
What many do not know: The specialist in ear, nose and throat medicine is also often the right contact for sleep disorders caused by snoring or nocturnal breathing pauses, the so-called sleep apnea .
What is ear, nose and throat medicine?
Ear, nose and throat medicine ( neus keel oorarts Oostende) is a branch of modern medicine that primarily deals with diseases and injuries or tumors of the ears , the nose including the paranasal sinuses and the oral cavity including the pharynx and the larynx. The ENT specialist recognizes and treats existing problems (conservatively and surgically) and is also responsible for advice on prevention, aftercare and rehabilitation for the patient concerned.
All diseases of the salivary glands , such as stones, inflammation, and benign or malignant tumors, are treated. In addition, specialists in ear, nose and throat medicine (ENT specialists) treat functional disorders of the sensory organs (smell, taste, hearing, etc.) in this area and help
- Voice and language disorders,
- for hearing impairments and
- if you are dizzy.
In addition, all fractures in the face including the nose are treated surgically and conservatively.
Which diseases and disorders treat ENT specialists?
Specialists in ear, nose and throat medicine treat, among other things, ear diseases such as otosclerosis or chronic otitis media , which lead to an inflammatory destruction of the ossicles (hammer, anvil, stirrups) with resulting hearing loss . The ENT specialist can often help with voice and language disorders, allergies (including hay fever ), hearing problems through to tinnitus and hearing loss, including the provision of hearing aids.
In addition, include sleep apnea and snoring, and numerous tumors (eg, tracheal cancer , throat cancer , throat cancer , oral cancer and tumors at the base of the skull) in the field of ear, nose and throat medicine. In addition, all tumors in the orbit (eye socket) are usually operated on in cooperation with the ophthalmologist . Very often, stunted septum (septoplasty) or chronic inflammation of the paranasal sinuses are operated on.
All dizziness caused by the balance organ (otoneurology) is diagnosed and treated by the ENT doctor. A special domain of ENT is the treatment of children's diseases in the head and neck area , especially due to enlarged tonsils or tonsils (children's ENT), as well as children's hearing, voice and language disorders (pediatric audiology). A sub-specialty is the treatment of the singing and speaking voice (phoniatry) and their treatment by speech therapists .
A particular strength of ENT doctors is reconstructive plastic surgery on the face due to accidents or tumors and aesthetic reconstructive surgery on the face and neck such as nose corrections , big ears, injections, eyelid plastic surgery or face lifting .
Which diagnostic procedures do ear, nose and throat doctors use?
The most common standard procedure used by ENT doctors is endoscopy . With the help of an endoscopic probe that is inserted through a thin rigid fiberglass rod or tube, the ENT specialist can in
- the nose,
- the throat,
- the larynx,
- the throat
- the esophagus and
- the salivary ducts
- look inside.
In the area of the larynx, a tumor or vocal cord overgrowth can usually be detected at an early stage.
The function of the larynx can be examined directly endoscopically or with a flash lamp (stroboscope).
The soft tissues of the neck and the paranasal sinuses, the thyroid gland and the neck vessels are examined using ultrasound and Doppler sonography.
In the area of the ears , the specialists in ear, nose and throat medicine use the microscope and the various audiometric measurement methods. Among other things, it is possible to inspect the eardrum painlessly in order to diagnose or treat middle ear infections, eardrum or ear canal injuries or other things .
A large number of reflex procedures are carried out for the organ of equilibrium in order to distinguish vertigo from a peripheral or central cause (brain).
