Otorinolaryngology: When To See And Ear, Nose, And Throat Doctor

Hello, my name is Betsy Jorgenson. Welcome to my site about ENT specialists. When I had my son, I was surprised to see how many ear infections he developed in the first five years of life. After he started having ear infections on a regular basis, his doctor referred him to an ear, nose and throat, or ENT, specialist. This specialty doctor helped him overcome the infections by draining the ears using specially designed tubes. On this site, I will talk about all the different care techniques used by ENT doctors. Please feel free to use the info on my site to familiarize yourself with the services offered by this type of practitioner.

Otorinolaryngology: When To See And Ear, Nose, And Throat Doctor

9 July 2017
 Categories: , Blog


Understanding all of the medical subspecialties can be a difficult task. Names such as otorhinolaryngologist don't easily roll off the tongue, let alone assigning some sort of meaning to such an intimidating word. Still, when something goes wrong with your body, it is important to know who to turn to. An otorhinolaryngologist—or ear, nose, and throat doctor—can help with all kinds of problems—everything from hay fever to Hashimoto's disease with plenty of stops in between. 

Area of Expertise

An ear, nose, and throat doctor treats the aforementioned body parts as well as the upper neck and base of the skull. While this may seem like a small part of the body to specialize in, it is nonetheless a critical part of the body. When you consider all of the glands and organs found within this region, it is easy to see why there is a need for a medical subspecialty.

Thyroid Conditions

One critical gland that falls within the domain of the otorhinolaryngologist is the thyroid, which helps to govern our bodies' metabolism and can play a key role in body weight. Several conditions can affect thyroid health including Hashimoto's disease, which refers to the body's immune system attacking and seeking to destroy the thyroid. If you experience abnormal weight gain, sensitivity to cold, fatigue, and general weakness then you may have a problem with your thyroid. Hashimoto's disease is just one example of a disease that attacks the thyroid, so talking to an ear, nose, and throat doctor may be just what you need to figure out what can be done to correct poor thyroid health. 

Hay Fever

You do not have to suffer from anything as serious as a malfunctioning thyroid in order to see an otorhinolaryngologist. If you suffer from chronic hay fever and have not found anything that has helped you to find lasting relief, then talking to an ear, nose, and throat doctor can help you figure out why you keep suffering from inflammation of your nasal cavity. 

While it is easy to think that someone with an unwieldy name like otorhinolaryngologist clearly is someone that you will never have the need to see, there are all kinds of ways that said specialist can help to improve your quality of life. While you likely will not be able to get an appointment with a specialist without going to a primary-care physician first, it is still a good idea to look into a good ear, nose, and throat doctors in your area. 

Contact a medical center like Alpine Ear, Nose & Throat, PC for more information and assistance.