Otolaryngology (oh-toh-lar-un-GAHL-uh-jee) is a medical specialty dealing with diseases of the ears, nose and throat. It is one of the most popular specialties for residency training. Doctors who choose this field usually have 4 years of college, then 4 years of medical school and 5 additional years in a program focusing on the specialty. After finishing the 5 year program, doctors are eligible to take an exam and become board certified. Many of these specialists have subspecialty areas, such as pediatric otolaryngology, head and neck cancer surgery, sinus disorders, ear infections and voice and swallowing problems.
The surgeons who are certified in this field are known as otolaryngologists or ENTs. They may have subspecialties such as otology, rhinology, allergy and head and neck surgery, which include surgeries on the thyroid gland, salivary glands, throat, sinuses, larynx (voice box), pharynx and facial plastic surgery.
In the 19th century, doctors figured out that the ear, nose and throat are closely connected by a system of tubes and passages. They began to make tools to allow them to take a closer look at these parts of the body and to treat health problems that affected them. This led to the creation of this medical specialty.
Ears
This includes hearing loss, ear infections and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). It also involves the treatment of congenital problems, such as cleft palates. It can involve the removal of small lesions and superficial skin cancers in an outpatient setting, and it can involve reconstructive surgery on the outer ear and eardrum. In some cases, otolaryngologists perform a procedure called a myringotomy, where they open the eardrum with a needle to relieve pressure caused by fluid buildup.부산코골이
Nose: Otolaryngologists perform surgical procedures on the nasal cavity and sinuses to treat inflammation, infection and polyp growth. They also can repair a deviated septum and correct a crooked nose. This area of expertise also includes allergy testing, which may include a series of skin pricks that contain different allergens to see how your body reacts. Some otolaryngologists offer immunotherapy, where they give patients shots of medication to reduce the severity of their allergies.부산코수술
Tonsils and Swallowing
Otolaryngologists diagnose and treat a wide variety of inflammatory conditions of the tonsils, adipose tissue and lymph nodes in the neck. They can perform biopsy on suspicious lumps and masses to identify if they are cancerous or noncancerous. They can also perform a tonsillectomy or removal of the tonsils. They can also remove a tumor from the throat, and they can use an endoscope to perform throat surgeries. They can remove enlarged tonsils, and they can do a thyroidectomy or removal of the parathyroid glands.