Ear-nose-larynx examinationThe healthy function of the organ of hearing and balancing is indispensable in our social life and our work. The ear-nose-larynx specialist pays attention to the diseases and disfunctions of the ear, the nose and its sinuses, the oral cavity, the salivary glands, the larynx, and the pharynx and the disfunctions of tasting, smelling and phonation. The most common illnesses of these are otitis media, infection and inflammation of the larynx and pharynx, hypertrophy and inflammation of the nasal and throat tonsils, adenoids, sinusitis and allergic problems.
Inflammations that occurred in childhood could develop to chronic tonsillitis. This kind of tonsillitis (focal tonsils) can cause nephritis, a myocarditis or arthritic problem that is why it is very important to treat. The rate of malign respiratory diseases is increasing in Hungary. Especially the rate of laryngeal cancer which is curable if the symptoms (pain in the ear during swallowing, persistent hoarseness) are recognized in time. When the symptoms appear it can be diagnosed with routine medical examination so the chance of the total recovery is increasing.
Nowadays hay fever is curable or symptoms can be abolished by medication for years. Vegetal pollens, hair of dogs or cats, dust mite, chemicals and organic solvents can cause hay fever.
Otitis media is a common disease which causes fever, severe pain and prostration. If you have these symptoms you should see your ear-nose-larynx specialist because if the phlegm does not empty from middle ear it can cause serious complications.
Accessible examinations and treatments at Aranyklinika:
- Rhinolight treatment
- laser acupuncture combined with local ear-nose-larynx treatment
- laser treatment of the inflammation of eardrum and acute otitis media
- re-epithelizing of the surgical cavity by laser
- laser treatment of inflammation of external ear canal
- laser treatment of inflammation of sinuses
- computerized audiometry from infancy
- ’deaf chamber’ audiometry
- examination of sinuses by ultrasound
- examination of cervical lymph nodes by ultrasound
- balance examination
- examination of pressure and reflexes in the middle ear
Septal deviation
Septal deviation is one of the most often occurring diagnose in this area. Most of the people have minor septal deviation so there is often no need to have an operation. A reason for the deviation can be that during our growing, the more distant bony part and the closer cartilaginous part is developing in different degree. At the meeting of the bony and cartilaginous part can develop differently shaped deviation. Trauma or injury can be an other reason. If it cannot be treated in time after injury it can lead to operation in most cases.
Minor septal deviation usually does not cause any problem. It should be treated surgically if it obstructs breathing. It can cause nasal congestion it can obstruct the apertures of the sinuses or predispose to headache or cold. It is operated when the patient is adult and the septal is completely developed so its shape and size will not change. During the operation they remove the deviated part. After the operation breathing normalizes the symptoms disappear.
Adenoids
It is the overgrowth of the mucous membrane in the nasal cavity or in the sinuses of the nose.
An allergic process can cause this. A chronic inflammation can be based on an allergic one. In a lot of cases there were some genetic reasons for adenoids. It is always worthy to make an allergic test in case of identify the reason of the disease. Most of the people suffering from adenoids are also have asthma.
Why do adenoids cause problems? Because these overgrowths obstruct the airways and the ventilation of the sinuses so it can cause severe pain and a long-term nasal discharge. A thorough examination is indispensable with some kind of imaging method (CT, MR). We have to detect the number, size and occurrence of the overgrowths and also exclude the possibility of a malign tumour. In most cases histologic examination is also needed.
Nowadays usually endoscopic technic (FESS) is used in the operation. Unfortunately the overgrowths occur after the operation in many cases so more operations are needed. It is worthy to try laser acupuncture which can be combined with local treatment. If its reason is allergy an anti-allergic treatment could also help a lot and can prevent recrudescence. That is why an allergic examination is so important.
The inflammation of the nasal sinuses
Its symptoms can be the strain or pain of the sinuses trickling secretion in the pharynx. The nature and occurrence of the pain is so various. This symptom is often missing from children, only recurrent coughing or frequent disease of the ears refers to this disease. The symptom of the inflammation of the ethmoidal air cells is only coughing caused by the secretion in the larynx from these cells. In case of long-term coughing the reason is chronic inflammation of the ethmoidal air cells. Many times indirect symptoms refer to sinusitis for example paleness, lack of appetite, restless sleep and coughing.
Disease of tooth root can cause unilateral sinusitis.
The inflammation of nasal sinuses is treated conservatively. The aperture of the sinuses has to be cleaned with nasal drops or local treatment. Mucolytics and antibiotics are also used if it is needed. Laser acupuncture can also help especially in recurrent cases. By this type of treatment the rinse of the sinuses is avoidable. The treatment of a chronic inflammation is an endoscopic operation. It is proved that trickling secretion in the pharynx and continuous inflammation is increasing the possibility of developing asthma and in case of developed asthma it maintain the inflammation of the airways. We diagnose inflammation by a mobile ultrasound device.
Inflammation of ear canals
Inflammation of external ear canals is most occurred in summer because it is caused by infection of water in most cases.
If water reaches the epithelium of ear canals it gets wet and wet skin is ideal for bacteria’s spread and reproduction.
The reason for inflammation can also be improper cleaning of the ear. It remains wet after having a bath or you can hurt it with the cleaning sticks or pathogens can get in on these sticks. Inflammation of external ear canals is painful, itchy and secretion trickling in the canals. Tissues swell in the canals so it becomes narrower that is why it needs regular treatment which removes hurt and detached cells and accumulated secretion. The aim of the treatment is abolish inflammation and infection.
Otitis media
One of the most often diseases of this area and it is always preceded by a cold. It is often in childhood and usually caused by bacterial infection which go through the Eustachian tube from the pharynx. If its cause is not bacteria it also can be abnormal function of the Eustachian tube. Purulent otitis media’s symptoms can be high temperature, lack of appetite, prostration and sensitivity of pressure in the ear. Later the symptoms become stronger and eardrum can tear which lead to otorrhoea. In case of serous otitis media this symptoms are missing usually the only symptom is blunt hearing. In most cases it is diagnosed on an audiometry. It is always preceded by inflammation of sinuses or the pharynx. There are anatomic reasons for the connection between these diseases. On the back part of the nasal cavity near to the nasal tonsil there is a narrow canal which is named Eustachian tube and it leads to the middle ear canal. It has an important task in the hearing function of the ear. Ina healthy person the middle ear canal is full of air and contains auditory ossicles which transmit sound waves. They can function properly if the pressure in the middle ear is equal to the external pressure. That is why it is so important to restore the function of the Eustachian tube during the treatment. Sometimes especially with children the solution is removing the nasal tonsils but it is worthy to try other treatments before. An other appropriate treatment is blowing through the Eustachian tube which you can also do at home but of course be very careful.
In case of otitis media in an infant or a child it is important to clean their nose properly and it is also advisable to use nasal drops. For decrease the pain in the air you should heat the ears. In case of advanced otitis media opening up of the middle ear is needed but it is rarer and rarer because of the modern antibiotics. In some cases long-term opening up of the eardrum is the solution. Then we put tube in the ear.
Tonsillitis
The laryngeal tonsil is part of the cervical lymph ring. In case of children it often causes problems so it is often needed to be removed. It has an important task in avoiding pathogens get in the body and protecting us against them. The hypertrophy of nasal tonsils obstructs breathing. Its symptoms are breathing through mouth and snoring. The tonsillitis is one of the most often diseases and presence of modern antibiotics helped much in curing it.
The acute inflammation’s symptoms are high temperature, difficulty in swallowing and pain in the ears. The tonsils are swollen and red the near lymph nodes are also bigger than normal and painful. If pus appears on tonsils it is follicular tonsillitis. It is treated by antibiotics, antipyretics and analgesics.
In case of chronic tonsillitis there is no sore throat in symptoms but halitosis, bigger lymph nodes, weakness, fatigue, lack of appetite and slight fever can occur. The tonsils are bound secretion can be squeezed out from them.
In case of chronic tonsillitis the tonsils should be removed.
Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
This disease affects a significant percent of people.
It became known in the beginning of the past century, when they discovered that gastric acid damages the mucous membrane of the oesophagus. The name, reflux oesophagitis, is from dr. Allison who realized that the injury of mucous membrane is caused by reflux.
Heartburn is not natural feeling during eating, it is important to pay attention to it. Reflux occurs in healthy people too and it does not cause any problem if the harmful and protective effects in mucous membrane are balanced. If this balance gets upset problems occur.
In case of reflux the gastric acid, other digestive juices and the content of the stomach and duodenum get back to the oesophagus where they cause anatomical alterations and inflammation. The most often symptom is severe pain behind the sternum, the heartburn. it is caused by the disfunction of lower oesophageal sphincter between the stomach and oesophagus. The reflux of the content of stomach can cause painful swallowing and pain in the chest. It often disturbs sleeping at night, and coughing and long-term hoarseness is also very frequent symptom. The acidic content cause symptoms like asthma so it often leads to wrong diagnose. The patient complains about ‘dumpling’ in the pharynx, production of thick mucus and pain in the ear.
Bloating, nausea and feeling of fullness are rarer symptoms.
The disease is more often in the age around 40. It also occurs in physiologic form in infants when they ‘burp’. A healthy infant outgrows this later. Beside the treatment you should be on a basic diet which contains a lot of fruit and vegetable. Pregnancy, obesity, wearing tight clothes and hernia of diaphragm predispose to reflux.
You should avoid the following food and activities: alcohol, cocoa, citrus, tomato, greasy and spicy meals, coffee, tea, fizzy drinks and smoking.
| 
