While ENT disorders can be very serious, they often stay overlooked until the situation becomes critical. Untreated ear, nose, or throat disorders can worsen overall health and decrease the quality of your life significantly. If you suspect something goes wrong with organs like the nose, ear, or throat it is important to seek medical help from a professional specialist.
Keep reading to discover 4 reasons to visit an ENT doctor ASAP.
1. Chronic hoarseness
Hoarseness is an abnormal change in your voice. This condition is often accompanied by a dry or scratchy throat. This can prevent you from making smooth vocal sounds. This problem is associated with an issue with the vocal cords or voice box inflammation. Other causes of hoarseness include allergies, acid reflux, thyroid glands problems, or oral cancer.
If you experience hoarseness that lasts longer than 10 days and becomes a persistent issue, you need to talk with your doctor about it. While hoarseness isn’t an emergency, a sudden inability to speak may indicate a serious underlying condition.
2. Recurrent ear infections
A chronic ear infection that occurs in the space behind the eardrum (the middle ear). This infection often develops because of a eustachian tube clogged with fluid. The fluid buildup presses the eardrum. This can cause pain of different severity. If left untreated, the infection can contribute to permanent damage to your ear like eardrum rupture. The symptoms of a chronic ear infection include ear pain, fever, hearing loss, and fluid draining from ears.
It is important to visit your doctor immediately if you suspect you have an ear infection. The doctor can prescribe you treatment to prevent further development of the disease. Common treatment methods include using ear drops, warm compresses, and over-the-counter pain relievers. In severe cases, your doctor may suggest surgery to drain the fluid from your ear.
3. Allergies
Allergy is a response of your immune system to foreign substances called allergens. Allergens are potentially dangerous for your body. They often include pet dander, certain foods, and pollen. The response of your immune system can involve sneezing, watery eyes, or inflammation, depending on the allergen. While most allergies aren’t life-threatening, some allergens can cause a more severe reaction called anaphylaxis.
It is important to visit an allergy doctor if you have allergies. The doctor can help you relieve symptoms and improve the quality of your life. The treatment usually includes antihistamines, corticosteroids, and decongestants. In some cases, the patient may need immunotherapy.
4. Chronic nasal congestion
Chronic nasal congestion is often a symptom of another underlying condition like a sinus infection. Nasal congestion can be accompanied by a runny nose, mucus buildup, swollen nasal tissue, and sinus pain. Home remedies can help you relieve congestion but they cannot cure a sinus infection. In this case, the congestion will recur. Other conditions that cause congestion include deviated septum or nasal polyps.
It is important to visit your doctor if congestion lasts more than 10 days or accompanied by a high lasting fever. Green nasal discharges or asthma are other reasons to seek medical help. Depending on the underlying condition the doctor can prescribe a treatment. If congestion is caused by tumors or polyps, your doctor may suggest surgery.
It is important to be aware of these five conditions. If you have or suggest you have one of them, make sure you schedule an appointment with an ENT specialist. The faster you report symptoms to your doctor, the faster you can receive appropriate treatment and get relief. This can decrease your risk of severe complications, speed up recovery time, and improve the quality of your life.
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