E.N.T. DISEASES
Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) medicine otherwise referred to as Otorhinolaryngology: is the medical and surgical specialty dedicated to pathologies that affects the ear, nose and throat (which comprises both the larynx and the pharynx). Illnesses which affect these two areas can lead to symptoms such as deafness or vertigo, and therefore can also be diagnosed by an ENT surgeon.
THE EAR
The ear is the organ of hearing and balance. The parts of the ear include:
External or outer ear, consisting of:
- Pinna or auricle. This is the outside part of the ear.
- External auditory canal or tube. This is the tube that connects the outer ear to the inside or middle ear.
- Tympanic membrane (eardrum). The tympanic membrane divides the external ear from the middle ear.
Middle ear (tympanic cavity), consisting of:
- Ossicles - Three small bones that are connected and transmit the sound waves to the inner ear. The bones are called: Malleus, Incus and Stapes
- Eustachian tube. A canal that links the middle ear with the back of the nose. The Eustachian tube helps to equalize the pressure in the middle ear. Equalized pressure is needed for the proper transfer of sound waves. The Eustachian tube is lined with mucous, just like the inside of the nose and throat
Inner ear, consisting of:
- This contains the nerves for hearing.
- This contains receptors for balance.
- Semicircular canals. This contains receptors for balance.
Common diseases of the ear include:
- Acoustic Neuroma: A benign tumor that develops on the vestibular (balance) and cochlear (hearing, or auditory) nerves leading from the inner ear to the brain. The pressure on the nerve from the tumor may cause hearing loss and imbalance. Read More
- Balance Problems: Balance problems can make one feel dizzy, as if the room is spinning, unsteady, or lightheaded. One might feel as if the room is spinning or he/she is going to fall down. These feelings can happen irrespective of the person’s posture (whether the person is lying down, sitting or standing). Read More
- Dizziness and Vertigo: Dizziness can be caused by a problem in the inner ear, where balance is regulated. Dizziness is often a result of vertigo as well. The most common cause of vertigo and vertigo-related dizziness is benign positional vertigo (BPV). Vertigo is a very specific kind of dizziness: the feeling that you're going around and around or that the inside of your head is spinning. Read More
- Ear Infections: An ear infection occurs when a bacterial or viral infection affects the sections of the ear just behind the eardrum (the middle ear). Ear infections can be painful because of inflammation and fluid buildup in the middle ear. They can be chronic or acute. Read More
- Hearing Disorders and Deafness: Deafness is the complete inability to hear sound. Deafness and hearing loss have many causes and can occur at any age. People can go deaf suddenly as a complication of a virus, or lose their hearing over time because of disease, nerve damage, or injury caused by noise. Read More
- Hearing Problems in Children
- Meniere's disease: Meniere's disease is an inner-ear condition that can cause vertigo, a specific type of dizziness in which you feel as though you're spinning. It also can cause ringing in your ear, hearing loss that comes and goes, and a feeling of fullness or pressure in your ear. Usually, only one ear is affected. Read More
- Noise: unwanted or excessive sound that can have deleterious effects on human health and environmental quality. Read More
- Tinnitus: Tinnitus is the perception of noise or ringing in the ears. A common problem, tinnitus affects about 15 to 20 percent of people. Tinnitus is not a condition. It is a symptom of an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, ear injury or a circulatory system disorder. Read More
THE NOSE
The nose is the body's primary organ of smell. It also functions as part of the body's respiratory system.
The main function of the nose is breathing.The nasal mucosa lining the nasal cavity and the paranasal sinuses necessarily conditions inhaled air by warming and moistening it. Nasal conchae, shell-like bones in the walls of the cavities, play a major part in this process. The filtering of the air by hair in the nostrils prevents large particles from entering the lungs. Sneezing is a reflex to expel unwanted particles from the nose that irritate the mucosal lining. Sneezing can transmit infections, because aerosols are created in which the droplets can harbor pathogens.
Another major function of the nose is the sense of smell (olfaction). The area of olfactory epithelium, in the upper nasal cavity, contains specialized olfactory cells responsible for this function.
The nose is also involved in the function of speech. Nasal vowels and nasal consonants are produced in the process of nasalization. The hollow cavities of the paranasal sinuses act as sound chambers that modify and amplify speech and other vocal sounds.
Common diseases of the nose include:
- Allergy: This is an immune system response to a foreign substance that may not typically be harmful to the body. These foreign substances are called allergens. They can include certain foods or pollen. Read More
- Common Cold: Common cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract (nose and throat). It is usually harmless, although it might not feel that way. Many types of viruses can cause a common cold. Read More
- Hay Fever: Hay fever, also called allergic rhinitis, causes cold-like signs and symptoms, such as a runny nose, itchy eyes, congestion, sneezing and sinus pressure. Unlike a cold, hay fever isn't caused by a virus. Read More
- Nasal Cancer: Nasal and sinus cancer affects the space behind the nose (the nasal cavity) and the small air-filled cavities inside your nose, cheekbones and forehead (sinuses). It is a rare type of cancer that most often affects men aged 40 and over. Read More
- Sinusitis: Sinusitis is an inflammation or swelling of the tissue lining the sinuses. Healthy sinuses are filled with air. But when they become blocked and filled with fluid, germs can grow and cause an infection. Conditions that can cause sinus blockage include: The common cold. Read More
THE THROAT
The throat (i.e. the pharynx and larynx) is a ring-like muscular tube that acts as the passageway for air, food and liquid. It is located behind the nose and mouth and connects the mouth (oral cavity) and nose to the breathing passages (trachea - windpipe and lungs) and the esophagus (eating tube). The throat also helps in forming speech.
The throat contains the:
- Tonsils and adenoids: Tonsils are located at the back and sides of the mouth and adenoids are located behind the nose. They both help to fight infections. Removal of tonsils and adenoids, when necessary, will not reduce one’s ability to fight infections since there are many other tissues to perform that function.
- Pharynx: The space with muscle-lining that connects the nose and mouth to the larynx and esophagus (eating tube).
- Larynx: The larynx, also known as the voice box is a cylindrical grouping of cartilages, muscles and soft tissue that contains the vocal cords. The larynx is the upper opening into the trachea (windpipe), the passageway to the lungs.
- Epiglottis: a flap of soft tissue and cartilage located just above the vocal cords. The epiglottis folds down over the vocal cords to help prevent food and irritants from entering the lungs.
- Subglottic space: the space immediately below the vocal cords. It is the narrowest part of the upper airway
The following are some common diseases of the throat:
- Allergy: This is an immune system response to a foreign substance that may not typically be harmful to the body. These foreign substances are called allergens. They can include certain foods or pollen. Read More
- Common Cold: Common cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract (nose and throat). It is usually harmless, although it might not feel that way. Many types of viruses can cause a common cold. Read More
- Cough: A cough, also known as tussis, is a voluntary or involuntary act that clears the throat and breathing passage of foreign particles, microbes, irritants, fluids, and mucus, it is a rapid expulsion of air from the lungs. Read More
- Diphtheria: Diphtheria is a serious infection caused by strains of bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae that make toxin (poison). It can lead to difficulty breathing, heart failure, paralysis, and even death. Read More
- Head and Neck Cancer: Head and neck cancer is a group of cancers that starts in the mouth, nose, throat, larynx, sinuses, or salivary glands. Symptoms for head and neck cancer may include a lump or sore that does not heal, a sore throat that does not go away, trouble swallowing, or a change in the voice. Read More
- Sore Throat: A sore throat is a painful, dry, or scratchy feeling in the throat. Most sore throats are caused by infections, or by environmental factors like dry air. Although a sore throat can be uncomfortable, it usually goes away on its own. Read More
- Streptococcal Infections: Streptococcal infections are caused by any one of several species of Streptococcus. These gram-positive, sphere-shaped bacteria cause many disorders, including strep throat, pneumonia, and wound, skin, heart valve, and bloodstream infections. Read More
- Throat Cancer: Throat cancer refers to cancerous tumors that develop in the throat, voice box or tonsils. The throat is a muscular tube that begins behind the nose and ends in the neck. Throat cancer most often begins in the flat cells that line the inside of the throat. Read More
ENT specialists also encounter diseases in areas such as:
- Head and Neck/Thyroid (neck masses, Grave’s disease, enlarged thyroid glands)
- Sleep (sleep-disordered breathing, nasal and airway obstruction, snoring and sleep apnea)
- Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (cleft palates, drooping eyelids, hair loss, ear deformities, facial paralysis, and trauma reconstruction).
- Pediatrics (birth defects of the head and neck, developmental delays, ear infection, tonsil and adenoid infection, airway problems, asthma and allergy).
