Complete examination of the ear, throat and nose in children and adults, ORL, otorhinolaryngology, treatment of diseases of the ear, throat and nose

A complete ear, nose, and throat examination (ENT examination) is a medical procedure used to diagnose and evaluate the health of the ears, nose, throat, and airways. This examination can reveal various problems such as infections, inflammation, allergies, hearing problems, sinuses or tonsils. The examination is also important in preventive medicine, because it enables timely detection of potential diseases and their complications.

The examination begins with taking a medical history, in which the doctor asks questions about symptoms, previous illnesses and treatments. Then it goes to the physical examination, which includes several steps:

Inserting an instrument into the ear (otoscopy) - the doctor uses an otoscope (a special instrument with a light) to examine the inside of the ear, the eardrum, the canals and assess whether there is inflammation or fluid accumulation.

Examination of the throat (laryngoscopy) – the doctor uses a lighted instrument (laryngoscope) to examine the throat, tonsils and vocal cords, checking for signs of inflammation, infection, difficulty breathing or any changes.

Examination of the nose (rhinoscopy) - the doctor uses a special instrument (rhinoscope) to examine the inside of the nose, sinuses and mucosa, to check for inflammation, difficulty breathing or allergic problems.

Also, the doctor can test the hearing using audiometry, if hearing problems are suspected.

A complete examination of the ear, throat and nose usually takes between 10 and 20 minutes, depending on the complexity of the examination and the condition of the patient. If additional tests are required, such as an audiogram or additional laboratory findings, the examination time may be longer. Usually, the examination is quick and painless, although in young children it may take more time to collect all the necessary data.