Ear, Nose and Throat
Diseases (Otolaryngology, ENT) Introduction:
Diseases of the ears, nose and throat are very common in the general
population. Often a flu, which is a viral infection
, will give the patient a cold and after a few days there might be a worsening
of the condition due to a bacterial superinfection.
Accumulations of secretions in the sinuses can cause sinusitis.
In the middle ear it can cause first acute otitis media
and later this can turn into chronic otitis and eustachianitis
with a plugging up of the normal ventilation mechanism of the middle ear. Industrial
noise exposure in the past (saw mills, noisy machine shops, blasting
etc.) have caused permanent hearing loss (high frequency),
but Workers' Compensation or government legislated prevention rules have been
very effective in the last few decades to prevent this type of hearing loss. In
growing children there are polyps (adenoids) that can
obstruct the nasal passages. Tonsils are supposed to
fight infections. However, in some children after several infections and scar
tissue formation the tonsils seems to catch every flu that goes around leading
to recurrent tonsillitis. These children need to see
the ear/nose/throat specialist (also known as "otolaryngologist") with
the view of perhaps having a tonsillectomy, which means
that the tonsils have to be surgically removed. Smokers are steady clientele
after about 20 to 30 years of exposure to the habit. Polypoid lesions
and cancer of the voice box (laryngeal cancer) are only
some of the conditions that are associated with exposure to the carcinogens of
cigar or cigarette smoke. Cancer of the lips,
tongue and oral cavity cancer, pharyngeal, esophageal
and sinus cancer , as well as bronchogenic carcinoma
are other common cancers in smokers. Here are links to the three chapters
of a variety of common nose, ear or throat problems. |
