HalsNasenOhren

Hals-Nasen-Ohren, also known as Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde or otorhinolaryngology, is a medical specialty devoted to disorders of the head and neck with a focus on the ears, nose, and throat. The field also covers related structures such as the larynx, salivary glands, thyroid gland, and lymph nodes in the neck.

Common areas of focus include the ears (hearing loss, ear infections, tinnitus, balance disorders), the nose and paranasal sinuses (nasal obstruction, rhinitis, sinusitis, smell disorders), and the throat and larynx (sore throat, tonsillitis, hoarseness, voice disorders, sleep-disordered breathing). Pediatric ENT is a major subfield, addressing conditions that affect children such as recurrent ear infections and tonsillar disease.

Diagnostics combine patient history with physical examination and specialized tests. These can include otoscopy, nasal endoscopy, laryngoscopy, audiometry and tympanometry, as well as imaging studies like CT or MRI when indicated. Biopsy and laboratory tests may be used for suspected tumors or infectious processes.

Treatments span medical and surgical approaches. Medical management often involves antibiotics, analgesics, antihistamines, nasal corticosteroids, decongestants, or allergy management. Surgical procedures commonly performed by ENT specialists include tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, septoplasty and turbinate reduction, endoscopic sinus surgery, ear surgeries such as myringotomy with tubes or tympanoplasty, cochlear implants, stapedectomy, and, in some cases, thyroid or salivary gland surgeries.

Education and practice typically require medical school followed by several years of specialized residency in Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde, with board certification in many countries. Clinicians work in hospitals, clinics, and private practices, and the field includes ongoing research across pediatric ENT, otology, rhinology, and head-and-neck oncology.