- Otolaryngology is a medical specialty that diagnoses and treats disorders of the ear, nose, and throat (ENT), as well as conditions affecting the head and neck.
- Patients may wonder when they should see an ENT doctor over a primary care physician for ailments affecting these regions.
- In this blog, the ENT physicians and audiologists at AOC educate patients about when they should consider seeing an ENT doctor.
Otolaryngology is a unique field of medicine that handles a number of disorders affecting the ear, nose, and throat region. Of course, most people are familiar with the relatively common ENT ailments such as ear infections, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), sleep apnea, and TMJ pain, but ENT doctors treat so many other conditions as well. In fact, AOC is one the Valley’s leading ENT clinics because they provide care for specialties and subspecialties within this medical field.
ENT specialty care may cover the following health problems:
- Ear: ear infections, hearing impairment, balance disorders, tinnitus, swimmer’s ear, injury to the ear, etc.
- Nose: chronic nose bleeds, nasal congestion, deviated septum, breathing problems, allergies, sinus problems, issues with smell, etc.
- Throat: injury to the throat, tonsil infection, adenoid infection, asthma, sore throat, voice or swallowing problems, hoarseness, GERD, etc.
In addition to some of these specialty services, the physicians at AOC also provide ENT subspecialty care. Depending on the condition and symptoms, ENT subspecialty care at AOC may include:
- Pediatric airway
- Head and neck cancers
- Craniofacial surgery
- Endoscopic sinus surgery
- Neurotology
- Thyroid/parathyroid
That said, you might still be asking yourself, “When should I see an ENT doctor?” If your insurance allows you to self-refer, you may want to call an AOC Physician location and speak to the medical staff about your ENT problem.
The team at AOC is expertly trained and mitigates most, if not all, conditions affecting these areas and they’d be happy to answer any questions you may have! If you’re still unsure of what to do, talk to your primary care physician. If he or she believes you should see a specialist, call AOC to schedule an appointment with one of our physicians!
Arizona Otolaryngology Consultants (AOC) is a comprehensive ENT clinic that provides care for all diseases of the ears, nose, throat, and sinuses. The physicians at AOC have the highest level of training and expertise in ENT care and ENT subspecialty care, which includes the management of pediatric airway, cancer, skull base surgery, advanced head and neck surgical and reconstructive procedures, craniofacial surgery and more. Call 602-264-4834 to request an appointment today!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.