If you have some problem with hearing, face difficulty in swallowing, or suffer from chronic running nose, you should consult an ENT doctor or one who specializes in treating various conditions of the ear, nose, and throat. In Singapore, Dr KH Lim Ear Nose Throat (ENT) Clinic is a reputed clinic for treating such conditions but not restricted to it.
It means that Dr. K H Lim treats conditions related to the ear, nose, and throat and problems related to the head and neck. Yes, Dr. Lim’s clinic offers high-quality, comprehensive otolaryngology care, which has a broader scope than ENT and includes the head and neck. Understanding otolaryngology’s scope should help set the right expectations for ENT surgeons.
ENT surgeons automatically qualify to treat some head and neck conditions and are therefore called otolaryngologists. Therefore, there is no reason to think that ENT is different from otolaryngology, but rather it is appropriate to consider that ENT comes under the umbrella of otolaryngology.
- Conditions treated by otolaryngologists
Otolaryngologists treat various diseases as under:
- Any ear condition, including ear infection, trouble with balance, or hearing loss. Ear infections include burning, pain, itchiness, hearing loss, swimmer’s ear, tinnitus, and sudden deafness.
- Issues with the nose include sinusitis, allergies, growth, problems with smell, and breathing issues.
- Throat problems like swallowing issues, throat inflammation, tonsillitis, voice problems, diseases of the larynx mouth, and throat cancer.
- Snoring problems and sleep apnea, a condition those blocks or restricts the airway during sleep and causes breathing difficulties, including briefly stopping breathing.
- Infections in the head and neck include tumors in the mouth, sinuses, nose, voice box, and throat.
However, Otolaryngologists treat only some specific cases related to the head, excluding the treatment of the brain, nervous system, and eyes. For any issues with the brain and nervous system, you should consult a neurologist; for problems with the eyes, you should consult an ophthalmologist.
In addition, ENT doctors can also treat facial deformities and facial trauma due to growth abnormalities.
- ENT Care for children
Children need specialized care during ENT treatment because they often cannot explain their problems to the doctor in the desired manner. Some ENT doctors undergo special training to treat children, become experts in dealing with children, and quickly understand their problems for effective diagnosis. Known as Pediatric ENTs, they practice in clinics specially designed for children. These clinics have special arrangements to keep kids happy during their time at the clinic so that they are in the right frame of mind and cooperate with the doctor to carry out the treatment without any fuss.
Other specialties of ENT include Rhinology, which focuses exclusively on your sinuses and nose. Despite being ENT surgeons, these doctors treat patients suffering from nose problems such as bleeding nose, stuffy nose, sinusitis, loss of smell, and unusual growth.
Your primary care doctor can refer you to an Otolaryngologist, or you can search the internet for a top ENT specialist. Make sure that you refer a credible medical practitioner for proper treatment.
