ENT

The ENT department at KIMS-Arete Hospital blends state-of-the-art technology with the nuanced expertise of seasoned otolaryngologists. Here, precision meets compassion, ensuring outcomes that are both clinically effective and personally meaningful. 

Whether the condition could be as simple as a blocked nose or persistent ear pain, a child with glue ear, or as arduous as an adult struggling with voice changes or a senior with hearing loss, experts at the ENT Department (Ear, Nose, and Throat) offer comprehensive care. Right from diagnosis to advanced surgeries. All under the guidance of a team of specialists equipped with the latest technology.

Trust us throughout the treatment journey for an excellent patient care. Explore our treatment options.

ENT Symptoms (Signs in ENT) 

1. Ear Pain (Otalgia): One of the most common reasons for visiting hospitals, earaches can be a symptom of infection or an underlying health condition. Nevertheless, it must be understood that it’s rarely a sign of a serious illness. Treatment depends on the aetiology but may include medication, home remedies, heat and cold therapy, etc.
2. Rhinorrhea (Runny Nose): Rhinorrhea is the condition of mucus dripping or “running” out of the nose. It could be several possible causes, such as cold and/or dry air, allergies, or the common cold. Rhinitis (inflammation of nasal tissues) can also cause this symptom.
3. Hearing Loss: Anyone from babies to elderly people can be affected by hearing loss. There could be various things that can cause hearing loss, but exposure to loud noise is the most common reason people have the condition. Although hearing loss can’t be reversed, surgery to treat some issues can improve hearing. Devices like hearing aids can reduce hearing loss.
4. Sore Throat: A sore throat is a painful, dry, or scratchy feeling in the throat and is one of the most common symptoms, accounting for more than 2% of all adults visiting the hospitals every year. Most sore throats are caused by infections or by environmental factors like dry air. Although a sore throat can be uncomfortable, it usually resolves on its own.
5. Mouth Breathing: Mouth breathing is the condition of people being unable to breathe through their nose, which is why respiration occurs through their mouths. Mouth breathing can cause various types of sleep disorders that affect daily life. It also can change the structure of people’s faces. Healthcare providers treat mouth breathing by surgery or medication to enable people to breathe through their nose.
6. Balance Problems: Balance disorders can occur with symptoms of unsteadiness, dizziness, or vertigo, making it difficult to maintain equilibrium while standing or walking. These issues can arise from various causes, including inner ear problems, head injuries, or other underlying medical conditions. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and may include nausea, vomiting, vision changes, and even falls.
7. Tonsil or Adenoid Inflammation or Infection: Tonsil and adenoid inflammation or infection, commonly known as tonsillitis and adenoiditis, respectively, are conditions where the tonsils and adenoids, part of the immune system, become inflamed and infected. These tissues, located in the back of the throat and nasal cavity, respectively, help protect the body from infection by trapping germs but can themselves become infected.
8. Hoarseness of the voice: Hoarseness (dysphonia) is a condition of a raspy, strained, or breathy voice that occurs due to changes in the vocal cords and can range from mild to severe cases. It is often caused by vocal cord issues, such as inflammation, etc. While it's often a symptom of common illnesses like colds, it can also be caused by more serious conditions like vocal cord cancer.

ENT Tests 

1. Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA): This behavioural hearing test can identify the hearing threshold levels, which helps determine the degree, type, and configuration of hearing loss. The test involves delivering pure tones at various frequencies (typically between 250 and 8000 Hz) through headphones, allowing otolaryngologists to measure the quietest sounds a person can hear. This information is crucial for diagnosing hearing issues and guiding appropriate referrals to audiologists or otolaryngologists. 
2. Speech Audiometry Tests: These are a set of tests done to understand the person’s ability to recognise speech. These audiometric tests use speech as the stimulus. It needs both the results—the response of the patient when listening to speech in a quiet environment and in the presence of noise (e.g., speech babble or speech noise).
3. Tympanometry: A simple test to diagnose issues related to hearing loss, in particular, the working of the middle ear by measuring the status of the eardrum. The most common issues affecting the middle ear are usually easy to treat.
4. Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) Test: This test is used to find out the status of the inner ear, or cochlea, works. It measures otoacoustic emissions, or OAEs. These are sounds given off by the inner ear when responding to a sound. There are hair cells in the inner ear that respond to sound by vibrating. The vibration produces a very quiet sound that echoes back into the middle ear. This sound is the OAE that is measured.
5. Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry (BERA/ABR): This test helps in diagnosing the suspected neurologic abnormalities of the 8th cranial nerve. It is the auditory nerve that is associated with hearing pathways. Through this test, hearing loss, especially due to acoustic tumours, cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumours, etc., can be diagnosed. 
6. Vestibular & Balance Tests: these are a range of tests that are done to understand the working of the vestibular system within the inner ear. These tests are commonly prescribed if the patient is experiencing symptoms of a balance disorder, like dizziness, etc.
7. Eustachian Tube Function Test: This test understands the working status of the eustachian tube and its openings and closings, which are necessary for proper middle ear ventilation and pressure regulation. The test typically involves measuring the pressure changes in the ear canal in response to various manoeuvres, such as swallowing or yawning, which naturally open the Eustachian tubes.
8. Nasal Endoscopy (Rhinoscopy)—The test for examining the nasal passages and sinuses using a thin endoscope (a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera) inserted into the nose. It gives a clear, inside view of the sinuses and nasal passages. Through this, otorhinolaryngologists diagnose and treat a range of conditions affecting the nose and sinuses.
9. Paranasal Sinuses CT (Sinus CT scan)—This test aims to explore the anatomy of the paranasal sinuses through computed tomography scans (CT scans). 
10. Laryngoscopy: This test examines the larynx (voice box) through a laryngoscope (a thin tube with lights, a lens, and video cameras) that helps them to look closely at the larynx. Laryngoscopes can also aid the otorhinolaryngologists in removing tissues from the larynx.

ENT conditions and diseases (ENT diseases list)

Ear Problems

• Ear infections: Also known as acute otitis media, this ENT infection is seen in the air-filled space behind the eardrum, known as the middle ear. Usually, it is seen more in children than in adults. Treatment includes managing pain and watching the issue. Sometimes antibiotics are prescribed to clear the infection.
• Pain or discharge in ears: Also known as otorrhea, ear discharge can vary in type and colour, including yellowish or brownish wet earwax, clear fluid, blood, or pus. While it is a common condition among children, adults can also experience it. Ear discharge is most frequently caused by infections, but there are other potential reasons, such as foreign body insertion. 
• Hearing loss: The inability to partially or completely hear sound in one or both ears and can be either conductive or sensorineural or mixed. The common causes include ageing, exposure to loud noises, and certain medical conditions.
• Fluid in the ear: Also called glue ear, it is common in children and causes muffled hearing due to fluid build-up behind the eardrum. 

Nose & Sinus Issues

• Nasal blockage: A common condition that occurs due to something restricting the free flow of air. Common causes include sinus infections and allergies. In children, the most common cause of nasal obstruction is enlarged adenoid glands.
• Nasal discharge: Also called rhinorrhea, this is the free flow of thin mucus fluid from the nose, a common symptom of allergies (hay fever) or certain viral infections. In some cases, underlying health problems can also cause rhinorrhea. Postnasal drip is the accumulation of mucus in the back of the throat, which can cause a feeling of congestion, a sore throat, or a cough.
• Allergic Rhinitis: Commonly known as hay fever, this allergic reaction causes sneezing, congestion, itchy nose, etc. It can be triggered by various allergens, including pollen, pet dander, mould, and dust mites. Treatment options include lifestyle changes, allergy medications, and immunotherapy (allergy shots) to help manage symptoms.
• Sinus Infections: Sinus infections, or rhinosinusitis, occur when the nasal cavities become swollen, infected, or inflamed. Facial pain, a stuffy or runny nose, fever, etc., are the symptoms. They can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or irritants such as pollen, etc. Treatment options may include decongestants, nasal sprays, and, in some cases, antibiotics if a bacterial infection is present. 
• Loss of smell: Also called anosmia, this disease is characterised by the inability of the patient to detect odours. Although it is usually a temporary side effect from a cold or sinus infection, at times it could be a symptom of other, more serious medical issues like diabetes or traumatic brain injury, etc.

Throat & Voice Disorders

• Tonsils: Tonsils are part of the immune system located in the back of the throat as two round lumps of tissue. Both tonsils and adenoids help to trap pathogens, such as bacteria or viruses, and kill them with antibodies. They often become enlarged while they’re fighting a pathogen. 
• Change in voice: A change in voice quality can be referred to as a voice disorder. Speech-language pathologists and medical professionals with training in ear, nose, and throat disorders diagnose and treat voice problems. The cause of the voice change determines the course of treatment. Voice therapy, medications, injections, and surgery are all possible forms of treatment.
• Swallowing difficulty: Also called dysphagia, this can be a painful condition, and in a few cases swallowing is impossible. Occasional difficulty swallowing usually isn't cause for concern, but chronic dysphagia can be a serious medical condition that needs treatment.