Common Ear Nose and Throat Problems
The Dangers of Self Diagnosis
The internet can be a very good quality source when it comes to health in sequence but patients should be careful as it can enlarge anxiety as they try to piece together sign to form a self-diagnosis. By the time some patients get to the doctor they are worried they have cancer or another life threatening illness.
Symptoms that can occur across common ear nose and throat problems may include:
- Cough
- Snoring
- Difficulty sleeping
- General malaise
- Ear pain
- Changes to hearing
- Headache
- Sinus congestion
- Sore throat
- Bad breath
Common ear problems
Ear infections are bacterial or viral infection of the ear canal. They are treated with both medical and surgical interventions.
Common types of ear infections are:
- Otitis externa: infection of the outer ear canal
- Otitis media: middle ear infection. This can be severe otitis media or chronic otitis media
Changes to hearing are known as auditory dysfunction. There are many reason of auditory dysfunction, but some of the most general are tinnitus and conductive hearing loss caused by infection, Eustachian tube dysfunction, wax build up and swimmers ear. When two or more of these factors combine, it is considered mixed hearing loss.
Common nose problems
Many people suffer with alterations to the function of their nose. Patients experience changes to their ease of breathing and complain of stuffiness and congestion. Medical and surgical treatment options are available for the treatment of nose and sinus problems.
Common conditions include:
- Nasal trauma
- Septal deviation
- Sinus infection also known as sinusitis, both acute and chronic
Common throat problems
Throat infections are one of the most general throat complaints seen by both common Practitioners and ENT specialists. They can be treated with medical and surgical treatments such as antibiotics, good oral hygiene practices and surgical intervention.
Types of throat infections include:
- Tonsillitis, both acute and chronic
- Laryngitis
- Pharyngitis
Though most people think that snoring is harmless because it is believed to be ordinary, but some people might have obstructive sleep apnoea. It can affect the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of not only the patient, but also their partner. People who are not in a relationship may be unaware that they snore or stop breathing in their sleep.
What to do if you think you have an ear, nose or throat problem
It takes a health professional to properly assess and diagnose an ear, nose or throat situation. If you are suffering from any ear, nose or throat discomfort that is concerning you, speak with your GP who can assess you. Your GP can decide if you need to speak to an otolaryngologist – a specialist of the ear, nose and throat – for further investigation and treatment. The specialist can give you with either a medical or a surgical management strategy if you need it.