otorhinolaryngologists

An otorhinolaryngologist, also called an otolaryngologist or ENT doctor, is a physician who specializes in the medical and surgical treatment of disorders of the ears, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck. The field, sometimes referred to as otorhinolaryngology, covers a broad range of conditions affecting hearing and balance, the nasal passages and sinuses, the throat and voice, and the neck region, including aspects of sleep and swallowing.

Common areas of care include hearing loss and balance disorders, otitis, tinnitus, and vestibular disease; sinusitis, chronic rhinitis, nasal obstruction, and allergic diseases; voice, swallowing, and upper airway disorders; pediatric ENT issues such as tonsillar disease and congenital abnormalities; and diseases of the neck and skull base, including thyroid and salivary gland conditions, as well as certain head and neck cancers.

Training typically begins with medical school, followed by a residency in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery. Many practitioners complete fellowships in subfields such as otology/neurotology, rhinology, laryngology, pediatric ENT, or skull base surgery. Board certification or equivalent credentialing is common in many countries.

Diagnostic and treatment approaches combine office-based evaluations (audiology testing, endoscopy, laryngoscopy) with surgical interventions ranging from minor procedures (tonsillectomy, myringotomy) to complex operations (functional endoscopic sinus surgery, cochlear implantation, thyroid or neck surgery, skull base procedures). The field emphasizes multidisciplinary care often involving audiologists, speech-language pathologists, allergists, and other specialists. The term ENT remains widely used in daily clinical practice, while otorhinolaryngology serves as the formal, international designation.