Ear, Nose, and Throat Problems

We have never heard of someone dying of a sore throat, swimmer's ear, or sinusitis, as they are not fatal conditions. 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 school 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.

The ear consists of the outer ear, ear canal, and eardrum. When 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 common ear problems.

Most of the ear diseases are caused by ear infections. For example, swimmer's ear is caused by bacteria or fungus that grows in the water trapped in the ear passageway.

The general symptoms of all 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 precaution 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 ear buds handy. If you notice any of the signs or symptoms mentioned above, visit an ENT specialist immediately.

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 these can be triggered by allergies, nasal infections, upper respiratory infections, chronic cold, excessive mucus production, structural abnormalities of the nose, etc. Some problems are also associated with chronic rhinitis, nose picking, inhaling irritating substances, and swallowing disorders.

The common signs and symptoms include pain in the face, cheeks, or nose, headache, aching forehead, foul-smelling nasal discharge, sore throat, 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.

Throat problems can also interfere with your breathing, talking, and eating. The throat helps in carrying food and air to the trunk though the wind pipe and alimentary canal. Pharyngitis, acute tonsillitis, and laryngitis are some 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, lumps 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 simple treatment to cure throat problems is gargling with warm salt water.

Salt has 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 throat infections. In case of 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. Adequate care should be taken to avoid catching these infections, and if infected, a doctor must be consulted at the earliest.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this story is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.