Stands for Ear, Nose and Throat. The department of medical science that deals with these three domains together. A specialized doctor in this domain is called Otolaryngologist, or more commonly as ENT itself.

Why it is so important?

Ears, nose and throat are vital parts of the body. Let’s have a look at these crucial organs and learn what may go wrong with it.

• Ears – It is the sensory organs that enable us to hear sounds around us. Moreover, it contributes towards an overall balance of the body.

• Nose – It is another sensory organ that enables us the sense of smell. It also contributes partially towards taste and filter the air entering through the nostrils as a defense mechanism.

• Throat – It provides the passage for air, water and food to reach the wind pipe and food pipe respectively.

Malfunction of these organs can affect the quality of life significantly. In certain cases, it can even become a medical emergency. In case a problem in any of these organs persists, proper treatment should be sought without delay.

So, what are the common ENT problems and their symptoms?

The most common ENT disorders and their respective symptoms are –

1. Ear infection – germs entering the ear gets trapped causing ear infection. Children are more likely to get infected with it. If left untreated for long duration, it can significantly affect the hearing and speech development of the child.

Symptoms of ear infection are

a) Hearing loss
b)Drainage from ear
c)Difficulty with balance
d)Pain in the ear
e)Pulling or tugging the ear in children

2. Sinus infection – Sinuses are the cavities located inside the skull surrounding the nose and eyes and contributes to the vocal resonance. Sinus infection occurs when a pathogen such as bacteria or virus enters the sinus cavities.

Symptoms of sinus infection are

a) Runny nose
b) Difficulty in breathing
c) Constant coughing or sneezing
d) Headache
e) Sharp pain around the eyes and bridge of nose
f) Bad breath and toothache

3. Tonsillitis – According to ENT specialists in ILS Hospitals, most of the people suffer from mild tonsil infection at least once in life. But occasionally it gets severe due to inflammation to that extent when passage of air gets blocked and swallowing becomes difficult. In these circumstances, the removal of tonsil becomes inevitable, though nowadays this medical procedure is executed rarely.

Symptoms of Tonsillitis are

a) Difficulty in swallowing food and water
b) Change in voice
c) Persistent strep throat
d) No significant effect of antibiotics

ENT specialist should be consulted and proper treatment should be availed as soon as any of such symptoms persist for a long time.