Specialists

Ear Nose & Throat (ENT)

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What is ENT?

ENT stands for ears, nose and throat and is the specialty that diagnoses and treats conditions relating to problems with the ears, nose and throat.

An ENT doctor (or Otolaryngologist) will assess, diagnose and treat many disorders that come from the ears, nose and throat. These include-

Treatment of infection, disease and damage to the ear to improve hearing and balance.
Treatment of sinus and nasal disorders, including allergy, to relieve pain and ease breathing.
Treatment of infections of the throat and larynx.
Head and neck surgery – specializing in surgery on cysts, glands such as lymph, salivary, thyroid and parathyroid glands, and head and neck cancers.
Facial plastic surgeery – this can include aesthetic procedures such as rhinoplasty (‘nose job’), pinnaplasty (large ears), face lifts or reconstructive surgery such as re-setting the jaw. There is a big cross-over here with the work of plastic and oral and maxillofacial surgeons.
Paediatrics – there are many ENT conditions, that require treatment at a very young age. These include infections of adenoids or tonsils that require surgical removal, and grommets inserted for ‘glue ear’.

Common surgical procedures include –

Insertion of grommets – to allow air to get through to the middle ear in cases of chronic middle ear infection which can impact on hearing. This is typically carried out in children and can be removed or fall out of their own accord.
(Adeno) – Tonsillectomy – removal of tonsils and/or adenoids to relieve a variety of conditions such as sleep apnoea or recurrent infections.
Septoplasty – correction of nasal septum to enable clear breathing and prevent obstruction.
Endoscopic sinus surgery – minimally invasive surgery for serious cases of inflamed, infected and blocked sinuses.
Tracheostomy or “operations on the voice box (larynx)” – creation of an alternative airway in the throat for patients experiencing difficulty breathing.

Symptoms and conditions

Literature on this site is for information purposes only, please do not use it to self-diagnose or any form of self-treatment. We recommend that you see a registered healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment plan.

Possible symptoms:

Ear pain, fever, discharge from the ear, itching, flaking skin of the outer ear, swelling of the outer ear
High pitched ringing/whooshing in the ears, anxiety, difficulty sleeping
Sensation of room spinning, nausea, vomiting, feeling off balance, difficulty concentrating
Headache, fever, thick nasal discharge, blocked nose, ear pain, pain in jaw, loss of smell
Feeling as though ears are blocked, muffled hearing, pain in the ears, popping sound when swallowing or opening mouth, ringing in the ears
Fever, swollen and painful throat, pus on the tonsils

Related conditions:

Ear Infections
Tinnitus
Vertigo
Sinusitis
Eustachian tube dysfunction
Tonsillitis

Tests & investigations

Examples of tests done in Ear Nose & Throat (ENT)

Physical examination

This is to allow a clinician to assess your ears, nose and throat checking for any abnormalities or signs of infection. An examination will involve looking into your ear with an auroscope which can detect the presence of ear wax, inflammation or perforation of your ear drum. An external examination of the ears will also be done and a thorough assessment of the inside of your mouth and back of the throat.

Laryngoscopy

A laryngoscopy is an invasive procedure to examine your larynx (voice box).

This is done using a laryngoscope, a thin tube with a camera that enables a close look at your larynx.

It is used to investigate problems such as dysphonia (hoarse voice) and can diagnose laryngitis and throat cancers.

MRI internal auditory meatus

This is an imaging technique that is non-invasive and can look at the structures within the ear in more detail. It is usually used to exclude tumours that may be causing hearing loss such as acoustic neuroma or meningioma.

Audiometry

This is otherwise known as a hearing test and is done to assess the level of hearing and what type of hearing loss may be present.

It is performed in a sound-proof room. Sounds of different frequencies in decreasing intensities will be played through headphones and you will press a button to show when you heard it. The tester will be able to determine the level of hearing depending on your response. .

Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA)

This is an invasive test used to assess lumps in the neck.

A small needle is inserted into the lump and cells within the lump are aspirated (sucked out) using a syringe. The cells are then smeared onto a microscope slide and sent off to the lab.

Looking at the cells under a microscope can confirm whether a lump is benign (non cancerous) or malignant (cancerous)

Ultrasound of thyroid gland

This is a non-invasive test used to assess any persistent thyroid lumps.

This test will ascertain if the thyroid lump is fluid-filled (cystic), solid or mixed and whether there is any other thyroid lumps not felt on clinical examination.

It is a painless procedure using an ultrasound probe over a layer of gel on the neck.

What's involved?

Consultation Process

Symptom assessment

The consultant will ask you to describe your symptoms and concerns and take a medical history.

Physical examination

The consultant will carry out an appropriate physical examination.

Tests and investigations

The consultant will arrange appropriate tests and investigations such as blood tests and imaging.

Our Specialists

Professor Dae Kim – Ear, Nose & Throat Surgery

Professor Dae Kim is a Consultant ENT and Thyroid Surgeon based in London and Surrey. He is based at The Royal ...

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