Throat, Nose and Ears

When there is a disease of the throat, nose or ears, the three body parts are usually treated together. This is due to the many connections that exist between these important organs. What is the structure and function of the ear, nose and throat, what diseases are common and how are they diagnosed and treated by an ear, nose and throat doctor?

Structure and function of ears, nose and throat

The function of our ears is well known: We hear with them all the sounds that surround us – or that we would like to have around us, like the noise in the shell. This is how we can orient ourselves, inform ourselves and communicate – without hearing, it is almost impossible to learn to speak. The importance of hearing is also evident in advertising – car manufacturers take sound design into account as a matter of course. Connected to the ear is the organ of balance, without which we would have problems walking upright. The middle ear is connected to the back of the nasal cavity via the Eustachian tube – this allows us to compensate for changes in air pressure in the middle ear by swallowing, yawning or moving our jaws (which is important when flying). The nose is for smelling – but not only: before the air we breathe reaches the lungs, the air is moistened and purified here. The senses of smell and taste are closely linked – which you notice when, for example, your sense of smell fails you when you have a cold and you suddenly can’t taste anything! We are normally not aware of how closely the senses are connected – but for synesthetes it is normal that they “see” sounds in color, for example. In addition to the oral cavity, the “throat” area also includes the pharyngeal area, in which the air we breathe flows from above via the nose towards the lungs and, on the other hand, all food flows towards the stomach. That such a “traffic junction” is susceptible to disruption is obvious – a coughing fit when swallowing is virtually a “traffic accident”.

Diseases of the ears, nose and throat.

The throat, nose, and ears can be affected by a wide variety of diseases. A few of the most common diseases can be found in the overview below.

Ears

Common ear infections are those that can occur when bathing – these conditions are usually quickly cured. More protracted are hearing losses, which can range from acute hearing loss – with or without accompanying noise (tinnitus) – to chronic, worsening hearing loss. Hearing loss can occur as early as childhood or as an age-related hearing loss in advanced adulthood. Noise and attendance at loud concerts can accelerate the development of hearing loss. Dizziness and balance disorders can have a “normal” background – as in a merry-go-round or on board a ship – or indicate a disease of the inner ear as in Meniere’s disease. Hearing loss and dizziness also occur with tumors such as acoustic neuroma.

Nose

Sniffles occur with any cold or flu. Flu-like symptoms also occur with many childhood illnesses – which you can even get in adulthood – and whooping cough or Pfeiffer glandular fever. If you have chronic rhinitis, you should also think of hay fever as an allergic reaction or sinusitis. Snoring can be caused by nasal polyps and can lead to sleep apnea, a serious condition that can lead to heart attack!

Throat

In addition to bad breath (halitosis) as a symptom of disease in diabetes, liver disease or dental problems, cancers of the oral cavity, tongue and pharynx are particularly dangerous and occur more frequently with chronic alcohol and tobacco abuse.

Examination Methods

In addition to the family doctor, the ear, nose and throat specialist is the right contact person in case of a disease in this area. To find out which disease the affected person suffers from, the doctor has various methods at his disposal.

  • Anamnesis conversation: the doctor asks about the medical history. All complaints can be further narrowed down by asking specific questions. Thus, hearing loss is distinguished between acute hearing loss and slowly increasing hearing loss.
  • Inspection (viewing) and percussion (tapping): The inspection has a special role in the ENT examination – otoscope, rhinoscope and laryngoscope are important instruments that the doctor needs for the view in the ear, nose and throat.A snuffy nose is easily recognized by the reddened, swollen mucous membranes – but why does the doctor tap on the forehead or cheekbones? Like the nose, the sinuses and maxillary sinuses are lined with mucous membrane and have a connection to the nose through which mucus and foreign matter are removed. When the mucous membranes become swollen, these connections become clogged and the sinuses can no longer clean themselves – inflammation develops, it hurts when tapping.
  • Tests: limitations in hearing, smelling and tasting are tested by various tests. So one tests the sound conduction in both ears with a tuning fork; one can check how far one can hear and which sounds are perceived how well.
  • Electrophysiological examination: to measure the activities of the auditory nerve, organ of balance or responsible brain area, small electrodes are attached to the ear canal, eardrum or head.
  • Imaging techniques: X-rays, ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are used when there is a suspicion that inflammation or a tumor is not limited to the ear or nose, but could also affect bones or the brain.

Therapeutic measures

Depending on the disease, the otolaryngologist will suggest a suitable therapy to the affected person. This serves either to cure the disease or at least to alleviate the symptoms associated with it.

Ears

In the case of hearing loss, a hearing aid, often called a hearing instrument, is used. At what point a hearing aid is needed and how it should be equipped depends on the type of hearing loss, the individual patient and their lifestyle. For example, there are cochlear implants and behind-the-ear devices that can be customized. Stress reduction is often helpful for tinnitus. Physical causes, such as tension in the cervical spine, should also be clarified.

Nose

In addition to the well-known cold remedies, aromatherapy can also provide relief. Inhaling essential oils in a steam bath can also be helpful. Different aids can be used against snoring, such as a tongue pacemaker or a CPAP mask. In some cases, surgery on the nasal septum or weight loss for obesity also helps.

Throat

For sore throats, the main thing that helps is drinking plenty of fluids. Especially sage and thyme tea can be beneficial for inflammation in the throat. For all cancers of the mouth and throat, in addition to medical therapy, it is particularly important to give up smoking and drinking alcohol – there are many approaches that are co-financed by health insurance companies. Of course, for each disease there is a special approach with medication or surgery – more details can be found at the respective disease.

Preventive measures

Various preventive measures can help keep the throat, nose and ears healthy. Hearing well can be trained, as the brain is stimulated by constant auditory experiences. A timely hearing test by an otolaryngologist or audiologist helps prevent hearing loss. Since children only have the opportunity to learn to speak without delay if they are diagnosed quickly, nationwide hearing screening for newborns would make sense. Noise protection is particularly important for children’s sensitive hearing, because background noise leads to concentration problems – even for adults, whose offices are often too noisy. Protect your nose from drying out, otherwise it can no longer clean and humidify the air. Nasal douches or special seawater nasal sprays can help. Checking your teeth and oral mucosa helps prevent bad breath, inflammation and cancer – use your semi-annual dental visit for early detection.