Otolaryngology is the medical speciality devoted to conditions and abnormalities in the ENT (ear, nose and throat) sphere, namely:
- the ear (external, middle and internal);
- the nose and sinuses;
- the throat and neck (mouth, tongue, larynx, trachea);
- the salivary glands.
The ear nose throat specialist is, therefore, interested in problems affecting hearing, voice, breathing, smell and taste, balance, and aesthetics of the face. It indeed includes head and neck surgery.
What conditions do ear, nose and throat specialists treat?
An otolaryngologist can manage many conditions and abnormalities since all organs of the ENT sphere can be affected by:
- congenital disabilities;
- tumours;
- infections or inflammation;
- trauma or injury;
- degeneration (especially deafness);
- paralysis (facial, laryngeal);
… but also, indications for plastic and cosmetic surgery of the face and neck.
When to consult an ENT specialist in Singapore?
The otolaryngologist, or ear nose throat specialist like the ones in entspecialistsingapore.com, is involved in the treatment of many diseases. Here is a non-exhaustive list of problems that can be managed in ENT clinics in Singapore:
At the level of the mouth:
- removal (excision) of the tonsils, adenoids;
- salivary gland tumours or infections;
- tumours of the mouth, tongue.
At the nose:
- chronic nasal congestion;
- snoring and sleep apnea ;
- sinusitis ;
- rhinoplasty (the operation to “redo” the nose);
- sense of smell.
At ear level:
- recurrent ear infections ;
- hearing loss or deafness;
- earache (ear pain);
- tinnitus ;
- balance problems, dizziness.
At the level of the throat:
- voice pathologies;
- stridor (noise when breathing);
- thyroid disorders (in collaboration with an endocrinologist);
- gastro-laryngeal reflux;
- larynx cancers, cervical masses.
Although ear nose throat pathologies can affect everyone, there are certain recognized risk factors, among others:
- smoking;
- excessive alcohol consumption;
- overweight or obesity (snoring, apnea …);
- young age: children are more prone to ear infections and other ENT infections than adults.
What do the ENT doctors do?
As some of the best ear nose throat specialists do in order to reach a diagnosis and identify the origin of the disorders, ENT specialists like Dr Dennis Chua do the following:
- question his patient to find out the nature of the disorders, their date of onset and how they are triggered, the degree of discomfort felt;
- performs a clinical examination of the organs in question, using instruments adapted to the nose, ears or throat (spatulas, otoscope, etc.);
- may use additional examinations (x-ray, for example).
Depending on the problem and the treatment to be provided, the otolaryngologist may have recourse to:
- various drugs;
- to fiberscopes or endoscopies, to visualize the interior of the respiratory tract for example;
- surgical procedures (ENT is a surgical speciality), whether they are tumour, repair or reconstructive procedures;
- prostheses or implants;
- to rehabilitation.
What are the risks during an ear nose throat specialist consultation?
Consultation with an otolaryngologist does not entail any particular risk for the patient.
Cosmetic surgery: nose operation
Having an operation on the nose is quite an adventure that one should not undertake lightly, especially when it is solely for aesthetic purposes. How to choose your ear nose throat specialist? How does the first consultation take place? Is there a statutory cooling-off period? Who and what to be wary of?
Ear nose throat specialist or cosmetic surgeon?
Nose surgery for aesthetic purposes, or rhinoplasty, is most often done in the private sector and the ENT clinics in Singapore, and it most often falls within the domain of plastic surgeons.
The ear nose throat specialists are more concerned when the operation of the nose must be done because of respiratory discomfort. The ENT clinics and services then have all the equipment (scanner, MRI, equipment to assess the airways and obstruction, etc.) to properly explore the problem and judge whether or not the operation is necessary.
Indeed, sometimes it is better to have a well-adapted medical treatment than a surgical intervention which will not give the hoped-for results. But plastic surgeon or ear nose throat specialist, what matters most is a great surgeon.
To return to purely cosmetic intervention, the establishment where it takes place must be approved for cosmetic surgery. This approval corresponds to specific health standards (equipment, recovery room). It gives you the certainty that only surgeons can operate and that you will not end up in the hands of an unqualified doctor operating in poor conditions.
How to become an ear nose throat specialist?
To become an otolaryngologist or ENT doctor, the student must obtain a diploma of specialized studies in ear – nose – throat, and head and neck surgery.
The studying ear nose throat specialist must follow a first-year common to health studies. Note that an average of less than 25% of students manage to cross this milestone;
After 5 or 6 years, students take the national classifying tests, and depending on their classification; they can choose their speciality and their place of practice.
The internship in otolaryngology, for ear nose throat specialist, then lasts 3 to 5.
Finally, to be able to practice as a paediatrician and carry the title of doctor, the student must also defend a research thesis.
Finding an ear nose throat specialist
To find an ear nose throat specialist in Singapore is pretty easy as the city-state is having some of the best ENT clinics and some of the best ear nose throat specialists and ENT doctors and practitioners are located in Singapore.
So, if you require ENT treatments and if your looking for the est ear nose throat specialist, Singapore is the best option.