Otolaryngology: Treating the Head and Neck

Medicine is full of long, difficult words but otolaryngology may be one of the hardest; however when you consider that a doctor of otolaryngology diagnoses and treats diseases of the ear, nose, mouth, throat, head, and neck, the word may not seem long enough.

 

Doctors of otolaryngology are an interesting hybrid of country doctor and surgeon specialist. They are in the clinic about as much as they are in the operating room, treating surgical and nonsurgical diseases equally. Some of the instruments that doctors of otolaryngology use in the clinic look like something that should be carried around in a little black medicine bag on a house call. Many of their tools and instruments were designed in the early part of the last century and have remained the same, well, because they work. On the other hand, doctors of otolaryngology are on the forefront of technology as well. For example, otolaryngology as a field has seen the development of cochlear implants to treat the deaf. Doctors of otolaryngology place these devices in the middle and inner ear through a small incision behind the ear itself and provide sound to people that would otherwise hear none.

 

 

According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology, otolaryngology is the oldest medical professional in the United States. Doctors who wish to practice otolaryngology need to finish medical school near the top of their class and distinguish themselves academically because acceptance to train in the field is highly competitive. The field is steeped in tradition from its tools to its practices. While most surgical subspecialties begin with general surgery residency after medical school, otolaryngology is somewhat unique in that doctors begin to train for the subspecialty right after medical school graduation. Training in the field of otolaryngology requires that the physician be adept at medical treatments along with surgical interventions.

 

There are several subspecialties within otolaryngology that doctors may pursue as part of their training. Otology and Neurotology encompasses diseases of the ear and the nerves that participate in hearing and balance. Pediatric Otolaryngology covers diseases of the head and neck that occur in children, such as birth defects. Head and Neck is another subspecialty that may seem to overlap with general otolaryngology, except that doctors that choose to subspecialize in this discipline focus almost exclusively on head and neck surgery. Head and Neck surgeons remove cancerous and non-cancerous tumors and perform operations on the thyroid gland. Doctors of otolaryngology can go on to specialize in plastic and reconstructive surgery of the face and neck. Because of their extensive knowledge of the anatomy of the region, these otolaryngologists can perform rather tricky and aggressive facial reconstructions. Rhinologists concern themselves with diseases of the nose and sinuses. Doctors that specialize in Laryngology treat disorders of the throat and vocal cords as well as problems that people may have with swallowing. Finally, doctors of otolaryngology may choose to leave the operating room behind and become allergists. This specialization uses advanced diagnostic and treatment techniques to combat the growing and serious problem of allergy and allergic reactions.

 

No matter the subspecialty, the field of otolaryngology is filled with some of the brightest doctors and surgeons that medicine has to offer. Their training may be rigorous and traditional, but their dedication to the field is unparalleled.