Otolaryngology is the branch of medicine that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, and head & neck disorders. The full name of the specialty is otolaryngology–head and neck surgery. Practitioners are called otolaryngologists–head and neck surgeons, or sometimes otorhinolaryngologists (ORL). A somewhat outdated, but nevertheless commonly used, term for this specialty is ENT (ear nose and throat).

Subspecialties

• Head and neck cancer surgery
• Facial plastic and reconstructive surgery
• Neuro-otology (surgery of the inner ear, middle ear, and temporal bone)
• Diagnosis and management of hearing problems
• Allergy
• Cranial base surgery
• Sinus surgery
• Sleep apnea and snoring surgery
• Laryngeal and voice surgery
• Tracheal surgery
• Pediatric ear, nose, throat, head and neck surgery
• Thyroid and parathyroid gland surgery
• Maxillofacial trauma surgery

Some examples of disorders of the ear, nose, throat, head, and neck

• Head and neck cancer
• Hearing loss
• Snoring and sleep apnea
• Thyroid cancer
• Sinusitis – acute, chronic
• Rhinitis
• Environmental Allergies
• Parotitis
• Deviated septum
• Laryngitis – inflammation of larynx and vocal cords producing hoarsness
• Tonsillitis – inflammation of tonsils producing pain, odynophagia (painful swallowing), fever, etc.
• Pharyngitis – inflammation of the pharynx producing symptoms more or less similar to tonsilitis
• Otitis media – middle ear inflammation
• Mandibular fracture repair