An ENT specialist — an ear, nose and throat surgeon, also called an otolaryngologist — treats problems of the ears, nose, sinuses, throat, voice and neck, in adults and in children. See one if a problem has not settled on its own, keeps coming back, or is affecting your hearing, your breathing, your voice or your sleep. AIM Health Care provides ear, nose and throat care at Drax Hall, St Ann.
What does an ENT specialist actually treat?
ENT covers more ground than most people expect. The ears, the nose and sinuses, and the throat and voice box are connected structures, and a problem in one often shows up in another — which is why they are looked after by one specialty rather than three.
An ENT specialist manages hearing and balance problems, blocked or runny noses, sinus disease, tonsil and adenoid problems, hoarseness and voice change, difficulty swallowing, snoring and disturbed sleep, and lumps in the neck. Some of that is treated with medication and advice; some needs a procedure. You can see the consultants who lead this care on our clinical team page.
Ear problems worth an appointment
Ear symptoms are the most common reason people are referred. Book a consultation if you notice:
- Hearing that has dropped, in one ear or both
- A blocked or full feeling that will not clear
- Ear pain, or discharge from the ear
- Ringing or buzzing (tinnitus) that is persistent or distressing
- Dizziness or a spinning sensation
A great deal of hearing loss is treatable, and some of it is as simple as wax or fluid behind the eardrum. The point of being seen is to find out which kind you have.
Nose and sinus problems
A blocked nose that never fully clears, repeated sinus infections, facial pressure, a reduced sense of smell, or nosebleeds that keep returning are all reasons to be assessed. Allergy, a deviated septum, polyps and chronic sinus inflammation all produce similar symptoms, and they are managed differently — so the diagnosis matters more than the label “sinus”.
Throat, voice and swallowing
Most sore throats settle by themselves. What is worth a specialist opinion is a throat problem that does not: a hoarse voice that has not recovered after a few weeks, a persistent feeling of something stuck in the throat, pain on swallowing that keeps returning, or tonsillitis that comes back again and again.
Voice change matters particularly if you use your voice for work — teaching, preaching, sales, broadcasting — because the earlier it is looked at, the more can usually be done about it.
Snoring and disturbed sleep
Heavy snoring, waking unrefreshed, or a partner noticing that you stop breathing in your sleep are worth raising. These are common complaints, but they are not trivial ones, and the assessment often involves both the airway itself and what happens overnight.
ENT problems in children
Children are a large part of ENT practice. The usual reasons are repeated ear infections, fluid behind the eardrum affecting hearing and speech, large tonsils or adenoids causing snoring and broken sleep, and mouth-breathing. A child who seems not to hear well, turns the television up, or is falling behind with speech should have their hearing checked rather than watched.
Which symptoms should not wait?
Some things are worth an appointment sooner rather than at your convenience:
- Hearing loss that came on suddenly, particularly in one ear
- A lump in the neck that is new or is not going away
- Hoarseness that has persisted for several weeks without improving
- Difficulty swallowing, or food catching when you swallow
- Blood in the saliva or in the phlegm, or repeated nosebleeds from one side
- Severe ear pain with fever, swelling behind the ear, or facial weakness
Most of these turn out to have ordinary explanations. They are on the list because the ones that do not are much easier to deal with early.
What happens at an ENT appointment?
The consultation starts with your history — what the problem is, how long it has been there, what makes it better or worse. The examination is usually straightforward: the ears, nose and throat are examined directly, often with a light and a small scope, and it is done in the room while you sit in the chair.
It helps to bring:
- A list of your symptoms and roughly when they started
- Any medications you take, including nasal sprays and drops
- Previous results, scans, hearing tests or referral letters
- Your questions, written down, because appointments move quickly
What if you need a scan or a procedure?
Some questions are answered in the consultation room; others need imaging or a minor procedure. Having those on one site means fewer trips and a faster answer. AIM provides diagnostic imaging on site, and procedures that do not require an overnight stay can be carried out at our outpatient surgical centre.
Where can you see an ENT specialist in St Ann?
AIM Health Care provides ear, nose and throat consultations at Lot 12 Business Center, Drax Hall, Saint Ann’s Bay. You can book an appointment online, call (876) 972-6315, or send us a message.
This article is general information and cannot take the place of an examination. For advice about your own health, book an appointment with the team at AIM Health Care and we will talk it through with you.