An earache, a sore throat or snoring while sleeping can actually hide more serious health problems. In order for these not to become more acute or lead to serious complications, it is a good idea to have a specialist consultation. ENT doctor Dr. Simona Bîtlan, doctor of medicine, who joined the online consultation platform Digital Clinics, explains for which conditions you should contact an ENT doctor.
ENT symptoms that should worry us are: any discomfort or unusual sensations in the ear, throat or nose such as pain in the maxillary sinus, teeth of the upper jaw, temples, in the root and back of the nose, smell disorders, pain around the eyes and forehead, swelling of the forehead and upper eyelid, swelling of the soft tissues of the cheeks, upper lip or enlarged lymph nodes near the ear, nose and neck. Fever, headaches or a strong deterioration in the general condition require an ENT consultation in association with other branches of medicine. It would be better not to ignore this aspect, is the recommendation of doctor Simona Bîtlan
Inflammation of the tonsils and polyps
The frequent reason for a consultation with an ENT is inflammation of the tonsils and polyps. This pathology is specific to children and requires mandatory treatment, because chronic infection, such as rhinitis or otitis, can deform the cartilage and bone of the nose.
Snoring in sleep
If snoring occurs most nights during a month, then it is necessary to pay attention to it and have a specialist consultation with an ENT doctor. Treatment for snoring can vary from simple changes in habits, from certain medications, sprays, strips, prostheses to surgical interventions. Don't forget that there is also the situation of occasional nocturnal snoring, 50% of people experiencing such an episode, due to an atypical sleeping position, fatigue or a temporary state of airway blockage.
Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea also requires the consultation of an ENT doctor. Apnea is a relatively common condition that consists of stopping breathing periodically during sleep. Treatment for sleep apnea consists of medication, surgery or the use of special devices during sleep.
Deviated nasal septum
A deviated septum is another nasal condition that requires a visit to an ENT doctor. It represents the curvature or lateral deviation of the wall in the middle of the nose that separates the nose into the two nasal cavities for two reasons: the mismatch between the size of the cartilage and the size of the bone framework in which it sits or trauma to the nose. Symptoms of septal deviation can be treated with medication or, most often, with septal deviation surgery.
Acute otitis media
Acute otitis media is an infection of the middle ear. Otitis is a very common condition, its incidence being closely linked to respiratory viral epidemics. Left untreated, otitis media can lead to perforation of the eardrum: pain and fever disappear, being replaced by otorrhea, as the dominant symptom, i.e. the leakage of purulent fluid from the ear. Hearing loss, which means decreased hearing, is also maintained at this stage and can last for several weeks.
Otitis media that occurs during childhood infectious diseases, such as measles, scarlet fever, chickenpox or mumps, generally has a slow and tortuous evolution, with more frequent complications, requiring particular attention from the pediatrician and the ENT specialist.
Do I have a cold or the flu?
Consult your ENT doctor who can differentiate between a common cold and the flu. An acute viral infection of the upper respiratory tract (nose, throat) or the well-known “common cold” is self-limited. Nasal obstruction, sneezing, dry or productive cough, dysphonia, irritability, decreased appetite, sleep disorders frequently occur, and these can persist from 3 to 5 days and resolve in approximately 14 days. Residual cough following these infections can persist for 3 or even more weeks.
Do not "wing it" when taking antibiotics
Recent studies in the specialized literature show that there is a percentage of 46% of viral diseases that are treated unnecessarily with antibiotics. The choice of antibiotic by the doctor must take into account many related data and the patient’s current conditions. Therefore, winging one's administration of antibiotics is not recommended in the case of throat, nose, and ear conditions, as there is a risk of complications of diseases that initially seemed minor or their interference with the patient's other conditions.
