ENT Treatment

One of the most common reasons people go to an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor is a sore throat. A sore throat is not an unusual condition; causes can range from a cold, or allergies, to dry air, smoking, or overuse. But, an ongoing sore throat that does not get better is cause for concern. This condition may lead to difficulty swallowing, continued hoarseness, or loss of voice.

An Otolaryngologist will be able to determine the cause of a chronic sore throat and even if it is related to a condition in another part of the body, such as the sinuses or upper digestive track. A visit to an ENT will help pinpoint the source of the problem and inform the treatment.

Throat problems like Pharyngitis, flu, streptococcal sore throat
An irritation or scratchy feeling in the throat is what is referred to a sore throat. The usual cause is a viral infection (cold/flu) called Pharyngitis, which usually resolves by itself. However, the less common variety, Strep throat (streptococcal infection), is a bacterial infection that requires treatment.

Symptoms of Sore Throat:

Pain or scratchy feeling in the throat
More painful while talking or swallowing
Soreness & swelling of glands in neck or jaw
Tonsils have white patches or pus
Hoarse voice
Sore Throat Infections cause:

Fever/Cough
Runny nose/Sneezing
Body aches/Headache
Nausea/Vomiting
Viral Throat infections
Causes of Viral infection:

Common cold
Flu (influenza)
Measles
Chickenpox
COVID-19
Croup — a common childhood illness producing a harsh, barking cough
Causes of Bacterial infection:

Streptococcus pyogenes is the most common one causing strep throat.
Allergies (pet dander, molds, dust, pollen). A postnasal drip can further irritate and inflame the throat.
Dry indoor air can make the throat feel scratchy.
Irritants such as air pollution can cause a chronic sore throat as can use of tobacco, alcohol and spicy foods.
Yelling or talking loudly for long periods also cause muscle strain.
A digestive system disorder, GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) causes stomach acids to back up in the food pipe, causing soreness of throat.
Some other symptoms include heartburn, hoarseness, regurgitation of stomach contents, feeling a lump in the throat, HIV infection, Cancerous tumours, etc.

Prevention

The best way to prevent sore throats is to avoid the germs that cause them and practice good hygiene.

Treatment

A sore throat caused by a viral infection usually lasts five to seven days and doesn’t require medical treatment, except for mild pain relievers. Bacterial infections need to be treated with antibiotics. If a sore throat is caused by some other reason, treatment will depend on diagnosis.

One of the most common ear problems that cause patients to seek out an ENT is hearing loss. There are three main types of hearing loss; conductive, sensorineural, and mixed (both conductive and sensorineural).

Conductive hearing loss when there is a problem conducting soundwaves; resulting from issues with an eardrum, ear canal and/or the three bones connected to the eardrum. Often there is a buildup of material in the ear, such as fluid or ear wax, which must be eliminated.

Sensorineural hearing loss is related to problems with the inner ear. This type of loss involves damage to the nerves from exposure to loud noise (noise-induced hearing loss), or it may be related to aging. This type of hearing loss is most often associated with hearing aids.

Other common ear problems include: ear infections in infants and young children; tinnitus, a roaring in the ears; and Meniere’s disease, that may be the result of fluid problems in your inner ear, the symptoms of which include tinnitus and dizziness. A visit to an ENT will help pinpoint the source the problem and inform the treatment.

Your hearing is muffled and there is a pain in your ear— you might be suffering from an ear infection.

Are you surprised because you probably typically associate ‘ear infection’ with children – who are more prone to them? In reality, people of any age can develop one.

An ear infection occurs when a viral or bacterial infection affects the middle ear — the sections of the ear behind the eardrum. Ear infections can be painful due to the inflammation and fluid build-up in the middle ear.

Ear infections can be acute or chronic
Acute ear infections are painful and short-termed
Chronic ear infections either recur frequently or don’t clear up. Chronic ear infections may cause permanent damage to the inner and middle ear
What are Some of the Common Signs and Symptoms?

The symptoms of an ear infection may come and go or persist for a long time. Symptoms may occur in one or both the ears. Pain is more severe if there is an infection in both your ears. Some of the common signs and symptoms are as follows:

Persistent ear pain
Tugging at the ears
Fever
Imbalance
Decrease in hearing due to fluid build-up behind the drum
Cold symptoms
How to Know If You Have an Ear Infection?

An ear nose throat (ENT) specialist can look into your ear with a lighted, magnifying instrument to see if there is inflammation or fluid build-up. That’s the tell-tale sign of an ear infection.

Who is Most Commonly Affected?

Ear infections can affect anyone but the peak age is between six months and two years. Children under seven years are prone to ear infections due to the angle of their Eustachian tubes. The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the throat and becomes inflamed during a virus attack. As children grow, the angle of the tube increases, making them less prone to accumulating fluid.Infants who are usually bottle-fed may have a higher incidence of ear infections compared to their breast-fed counterparts.

How Do You Get an Ear Infection?

What started as a cold, a sinus infection or a sore throatcan become an inner ear infection whenitspreads to the Eustachian tubes through the back of the nose and/or throat. Outer ear infections can be due to water staying in the ear after swimming or if something has scratched the outer part of the ear.

Are Ear Infections Contagious?

An ear infection is not contagious but if the cause behind it is a cold, then it could be contagious.

What Will Ease the Pain from an Ear Infection?

In many cases, an ear infection clears up on its own within a few days.

Antibiotics may be necessary if the pain continues for many days without improving or if you are running a fever
Pain relievers can also be prescribed to relieve the pain
Putting a warm compress on the ear may also help
Will the Hearing Come Back After an Ear Infection?

In the majority of cases, yes. But in rare cases, complications can lead to complete hearing loss.

How to Prevent Ear Infections?

Immunize: Ensure that your child is up to date with the vaccination schedule, including a yearly flu vaccine. Vaccinated children tend to suffer from fewer ear infections.
Good hygiene: Stress the importance of washing hands frequently to limit the spread of germs which can lead to coldand subsequent infection.
Stop smoking: Children exposed to nicotine suffer from more ear infections than those without exposure.
A Few Take-Home Points

Colds lasting longer than 7-10 days with ear symptoms should be evaluated by a doctor
Antibiotics are not always required to treat ear infections
Fluid may be present in the middle ear following infection for up to three months
Children can typically experience ear infections and usually do not suffer from hearing problems

Common nose-related issues that ENT’s see include: sinus infections, congestion, and airway blockage. Symptoms of sinus infections are pain in your face, upper teeth or in your ear, and drainage that is obstructed or abnormal, or nasal congestion. Symptoms of congestion include feelings of pressure in your head, headaches, and dizziness. Airway blockage of the nose is not being able to breathe properly through the nose.

Reasons for these symptoms can range from allergies, to viral or bacterial infections to a deviated septum. Polyps may also be the culprit in airway blockage. A visit to an ENT will help pinpoint the source of the problem and inform the treatment.

If you experience difficulty with allergies, smelling problems, structural problems or sinus problems, an ENT specialist can diagnose the condition and help find the right treatment plan for you.

One common illness often seen by ENT physicians is thyroid diseases, including Graves’ disease, along with it’s accompanying complications.

Symptoms of  Graves’ disease can include: protrusion of the eyeballs, goiter, fast heart rate, high blood pressure, difficulty sleeping, weight loss, and nervousness. In some cases, the goiter becomes so large that it begins to cause compression on the esophagus and trachea causing problems with swallowing or shortness of breath. A visit to an ENT will help pinpoint the source of the problem and inform the treatment.

If you experience difficulty with thyroid disease, Bell’s palsy, skin cancer, neck masses (tumors), or a recurring or chronic problem in the head or neck, an ENT specialist can diagnose the condition and help find the right treatment plan for you.

Throat problems like Pharyngitis, flu, streptococcal sore throat
Ear problems like infections, ear wax, tinnitus, inner ear disease causing vertigo
Nose problems like sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, nose bleeds
Advanced equipment
LASER for various surgeries
Microdebrider including laryngeal microdebrider
Harmonic Scalpel
Atmos Stroboscope
Sialendoscope for endoscopy
Comprehensive & Advanced care for all ENT cases
All routine ENT surgeries like Tympanoplasty, Mastoidectomy, Stapedotomy, FESS, Rhinoplasty, Microlaryngeal Surgery, Phonosurgery, Septoplasty