Ear Nose and Throat Problems

We have never heard of someone dying of sore throat, swimmer's ear or sinusitis, as they are not fatal. But all these are certainly very discomforting and annoying diseases that may interfere with your day-to-day activities. Otolaryngology is the field in medicine that studies and provides various diagnosis and treatments for ear nose and throat problems.

These problems manifest in children more commonly than in adults. Frequent illness can damage the health of children in the long run and can also adversely affect their personal and social life. Children tend to bunk schools when they are sick and cannot concentrate on studies as well. This can take a toll on their academic performance as well. So it is important to be aware of some of the prominent ENT problems in children so that can you can take care of your children in a better manner.

Common Ear Problems
Ear consists of outer ear, ear canal, and eardrum. When the sound waves hit the eardrum, vibrations are created in the inner ear and hearing occurs. Any hindrance in this process can result in ear problems. Otitis media, mastoiditis, perofrated eardrum, meniere's disease, swimmer's ear, and cholesteatoma, etc are some of the ear problems. Most of the ear diseases are caused by ear infections. For example, swimmer's ear infection is caused by bacteria or fungus that grows on the water trapped in the ear passageway. The general symptoms of all the ear problems include severe ear pain, swelling, itching and blockage in the ear, smelly discharge, etc. Some problems can also include constant fever, partial hearing loss, and rumbling in ears. One must take adequate precautions when it comes ear care. Always monitor your children when they are playing with water. Advocate the use of ear plugs when they are in water. Avoid causing any trauma to the ear by removing wax from the ear with pointed tools, instead always keep the ear buds handy. If you notice any of the signs or symptoms mentioned above, visit ENT specialist immediately.

Common Nose Problems
Nose problems can affect your normal breathing and can be annoying as they interfere with our talking making us sound nasal. Some of the common disorders include postnasal drip, nasal polyps, nosebleeds, stuffy nose and sinus infection, etc. Most of the nose problems can be triggered by allergies, nasal infections, upper respiratory infections, chronic cold, excessive mucus production, and structural abnormalities of the nose, etc. Some nose problems are also associated with chronic rhinitis, nose picking, inhaling irritating substances, and swallowing disorders. The common signs and symptoms of nose problems include, pain in the face, cheeks or nose, headache, aching forehead, foul-smelling nasal discharge, sore throat, and fever, etc. There are various nose spays available to control the allergies and infections in the nose. Some nose disorders can be cured with antibiotics, antihistamines, and decongestants, which are available over the counter in local drug stores.

Common Throat Problems
Throat problems can also interfere with your breathing, talking, and eating. The throat helps in carrying food and air to the trunk though wind pipe and alimentary canal. Pharyngitis, acute tonsillitis, and laryngitis are some of the common throat problems. Most of them are caused by viral or bacterial infections and inflammation of vocal cords. The symptoms of throat diseases include difficulty in swallowing, lump in the throat, tenderness and swelling in the throat, hoarseness, etc. Some of the other symptoms can be dry cough, fever, headache, chills, discharge in the throat, joint and muscle pain, etc. One of the simple treatment to cure throat problems is gargling with warm salt water. Salt has the cleansing properties and kills most of the bacteria and virus in the throat. You can use various over-the-counter drugs for mild throat problems. Penicillin is generally recommended for most of the throat infections. In the severe tonsil problems, a surgery may be required.

These were some of the common ENT problems that are faced by everyone at some point in our life. I hope this information was resourceful for you.