How ENT Doctors Enhance Your Health: From Allergies To Sleep Apnea

Imagine a doctor who’s an expert in not just one aspect of your health but multiple areas. An ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor or otolaryngologist has that exact expertise. They specialize in diagnosing and treating ear, nose, throat, head and neck conditions.

Many people aren’t fully aware of the number of conditions an ENT doctor handles and their experience level, said Paul Wilson, MD, an otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon at Franciscan Health Lafayette East. In addition to surgical residencies, many ENT doctors gain further expertise in subspecialties like neurotology, rhinology, facial plastic surgery, pediatric otolaryngology, sleep surgery and laryngology.

Why Should You See An ENT Doctor?

For individuals facing conditions like seasonal allergies, serious hearing loss, a deviated septum and even head and neck cancers, such as skin, throat, thyroid and salivary tumors, ENT doctors are invaluable. These specialists treat disorders affecting some of your most vital senses and functions.

ENT doctors cover a wide range of expertise, from ear-related issues, such as tinnitus (ringing in the ears), chronic ear infections and cochlear implants to sinus and oropharyngeal surgery (throat or pharynx surgery), including conditions like chronic tonsil problems and voice disorders.

Sleep Apnea, Snoring And ENT Treatments

Sleep apnea, a disorder where breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep, is a condition that is very important to treat.

“Untreated sleep apnea has long-term health consequences, including increased risk of car and workplace accidents, heart and lung complications and even dementia,” said Dr. Wilson.

Many patients with sleep apnea use a CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure mask, to keep their airways open while sleeping. Unfortunately, Dr. Wilson said wearing the mask can be a challenge for about half the patients. But, an ENT surgeon can be part of the treatment puzzle in those cases.

Problems with breathing, like a septal deviation or a sinus issue with polyps, can make wearing the mask uncomfortable. In those cases, Dr. Wilson said an ENT “can treat nasal breathing or sinus allergy issues with medications or surgery, improving people’s mask tolerance.”

Patients have other potential surgery options, too.

“A newer treatment is the Inspire^® implant, an FDA-approved obstructive sleep apnea therapy implanted comfortably inside your body to treat the root cause of sleep apnea,” said Dr. Wilson. “The implant senses when a patient breathes and then uses a stimulating electrode to push the tongue forward to open the airway.”

Sleep obstruction can occur anywhere in the throat.

“A tonsillectomy (removal of the tonsils) is a common procedure we offer in children with sleep problems because children tend to have bigger tonsils,” said Dr. Wilson. “It’s a little more complex in adult patients, but that type of surgery can often play a role in treatment.”

6 Conditions An ENT Treats

ENT doctors have experience helping patients overcome common and complex conditions. Dr. Wilson highlighted a few.

1. Persistent Sinus Issues

Ongoing sinus issues such as chronic sinusitis involve prolonged symptoms like nasal congestion, facial pain and sinus pressure. They are a common reason people seek ENT expertise. Dr. Wilson said ENTs offer treatments, from medicine to surgery, ensuring an individualized approach to managing and reducing discomfort.

2. Hearing Loss Or Ear Disorders

Whether it’s a gradual hearing loss, tinnitus or recurrent ear infection, ENT doctors have the expertise to diagnose and treat ear-related problems. Dr. Wilson emphasized the importance of addressing these issues early to avoid long-term damage. Hearing tests, imaging and sometimes surgery can tackle the root cause of decreased hearing or ear discomfort, preventing further damage.

3. Throat And Voice Concerns

Chronic sore throats, voice disorders and other related conditions cause discomfort and impact professional and personal interactions. ENT doctors identify the underlying causes, whether infections, vocal cord damage or other conditions. Treatment options may include voice therapy or even surgery.

“We use a targeted approach to restore and improve throat health and voice function,” said Dr. Wilson.

4. Chronic Ear Infections

“Young children tend to get a lot of middle ear infections as they develop an immune system,” said Dr. Wilson.

After several ear infections, Dr. Wilson often recommends implanting ear tubes. The tubes equalize pressure, allow fluid to drain out, and decrease the frequency and severity of infections.

Adults can also suffer from persistent ear infections caused by skin cells and other debris that form a cyst-like mass. This type of infection often requires surgery to remove infections in the ear bone.

5. Allergies

Allergies can often lead to ENT problems such as sinusitis and ear infections. ENT doctors can provide comprehensive allergy testing to identify specific triggers, followed by tailored treatments to help manage symptoms effectively. Treatments may include medications to relieve symptoms or allergy shots or drops to reduce sensitivity to allergens.

6. Head And Neck Tumors

ENT doctors use early detection, diagnosis and treatment to help with head and neck tumors. Their expertise allows them to manage benign (noncancerous) and malignant (cancerous) tumors affecting areas such as the thyroid gland, salivary glands and lymph nodes. They also have experience treating skin and throat cancer. ENT doctors work closely with a multidisciplinary team to provide comprehensive care tailored to each person.

What Do I Need To Know About Scheduling An ENT Appointment?

Your primary care provider (PCP) can refer you to an ENT doctor when needed. For example, your PCP can treat a routine sinus infection that goes away with antibiotics. But Dr. Wilson said an ENT can “help when a condition isn’t improving.” Depending on insurance requirements, some patients can directly request an appointment with an ENT.

Schedule Your Path To Better Health Now

Don’t let allergies, sleep apnea or hearing loss hold you back any longer. Discover how Franciscan’s expert Otolaryngology/ENT doctors can improve your quality of life today.