A Look at Your Ears Nose and Throat


You probably can’t count the number of times you have heard the abbreviation ENT. ENT stands for” Ear, Nose, and Throat”, and the doctors that specialize in this part of your physiology are known as otolaryngologists.

The ears, nose, and throat are all closely interlinked in their functions, and if one component is affected it is likely to one or both of the others are also involved.

Let’s take a look at each of these components and explore the possible morbidities that may arise.

The Ear

About the Ear

The structure of the ear is threefold. The outer ear i.e., the pinna is the cartilage and skin that protrudes out the sides of your head, followed by the ear canal leading inwards and lined with hair follicles and glands secreting ear wax.

The middle ear comprises the eardrum, the Eustachian tube that balances pressure on both sides of the eardrum, and the ossicles -tiny bones that relay sound vibrations into the inner ear. In the inner ear are the semi-circular canals which maintain balance and the cochlea (a spiral fluid-filled structure) that transfer sounds as electrical signals to the brain.

Ear Ailments

  • Excess Ear Wax − Ear wax can accumulate due to unnecessary removal through unnatural means, causing stuffiness, pain, itchiness, and odor.

  • Ear Infections − These include otitis media (middle ear), otitis externa, and otitis interna (inner ear) infections caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi from internal or external sources. These are more common in children between 6-24 months of age

  • since their eustachian tubes haven't developed fully and are shaped differently than the angled tubes in adults. Infections are usually treated with antibiotics to prevent permanent hearing loss or developmental issues in children.

  • Tinnitus − This is a ringing/ roaring/buzzing noise in your ears that can be continuous or intermittently last for 5 minutes or more, at least once a week. It is caused by external causes like certain medications, and head injuries, amongst others – there is no underlying medical reason.

  • Otosclerosis − The ossicles in your middle ear constantly renew their tissues, but any problems during this process can cause the bones to harden and stop transmitting sound vibrations.

  • Vestibular neuritis − The vestibular nerves in your inner ear become infected and inflamed causing a sudden onset of vertigo and nausea.

Other issues could include injuries to the outer ear due to piercings, cuts, or blunt force trauma – if the outer skin becomes infected the issue is called perichondritis.

Injuries to the inner ear may cause Ménière's disease, a pressure build-up in the inner ear leading to dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, and rapid involuntary eye movements.

The Nose

About the Nose

The external part of the nose is made of cartilage and divided into two nasal cavities i.e., the holes through which we breathe in and out. The nasal cavities are divided into two by the septum that runs down the middle of the nose.

Four pairs of air pockets surround the nose, namely the maximally, ethmoid, sphenoid, and frontal sinuses, that keep mucus moist. The conchae (3 pairs of turbinates) running parallel to the nose warm and moisten the air you breathe in.

Nose Ailments

  • Sinusitis − One of the most common nasal complaints, sinusitis happens when the hollow spaces of the sinuses become filled with pus due to the entry of germs, interrupting mucus discharge. This could happen due to bacterial, viral, or fungal infections as a secondary infection, or as an allergic reaction.

  • Sinusitis causes a stuffy feeling and tenderness around the eyes and face, facial pain, headaches, nasal congestion, and even pain in the molars. Bacterial sinusitis can be treated with a dose of antibiotics, and nasal lavage/irrigation with salt water can help reduce congestion and related aches.

  • Nosebleeds − Another regular phenomenon, nosebleeds happen easily since blood vessels are right at the surface of the septum, making their rupture very likely.

  • They could occur courtesy of injuries, heat/dry weather, blowing your nose too strongly, or blood-thinning medications. These aren't usually serious unless they become chronic necessitating medical consultation.

  • Nasal Polyps − These painless growths are benign and non-cancerous, but they create a bumpy nasal passage that blocks the free flow of air, hindering breathing, causing post-nasal drip, and disrupting air filtration by the tiny hairs that line the nasal canal.

  • Injuries − injuries can cause a deviated septum, which may also be present at birth leading to congestion, breathing difficulties, and headaches. Nasal valve collapses may also occur from sports injuries or trauma.

  • Allergic Rhinitis and Inferior Turbinate Hypertrophy − allergic reactions to external irritants causing sneezing, coughing, runny nose, and difficulty breathing freely.

The Throat

About the Throat

The throat is also called the pharynx and is divided into 3 parts - the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and laryngopharynx. The nasopharynx and oropharynx are located above the nose and behind the mouth respectively and comprise the adenoids and tonsils respectively, which are infections-fighting lymph tissue.

The laryngopharynx is situated in front of the esophagus and comprises the larynx i.e., the voice box surrounded by cartilage and soft tissue. It is also the opening to the trachea that goes down into the lungs and is covered by a thin flap of cartilage called the epiglottis that prevents food from going into your windpipe.

Throat Ailments

  • Hoarseness − A hoarse voice can be caused by a viral/bacterial infection that causes swelling in your vocal cords causing air movement, vibrations, and sound. It can also be because of swollen lymph nodes, smoking, voice strain, and laryngitis, which is an inflamed voice box.

  • Strep Throat − Caused by the Streptococcus bacteria, this bacterial infection can cause swollen tonsils, fever, stomach pain, white patches on the throat, and a sore throat.

  • Tonsilitis − The infection/inflammation of the tonsils can cause difficulty swallowing i.e., dysphagia, excess saliva production, malaise, pain around the ears, and many others. The causes for tonsilitis vary as does the treatment, so a proper check-up is essential.

Conclusion

Keep in mind that any recurrence or persistent presentation of symptoms could be indicative of a more serious underlying disorder such as cancerous tumors, vocal cord paralysis, asthma, or neurological causes.

Updated on: 21-Mar-2023

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