Laryngology primarily deals with conditions affecting the oral cavity and throat, larynx, nose or ears. However, appropriate examinations are necessary to identify any disease conditions. Today, in an era of technological development, this is not a major challenge for a doctor, especially in a modernly equipped office. As a result, during the first visit the doctor can quickly determine what is troubling the patient.
Depending on the case
Properly conducted ENT diagnostics is primarily tailored to the needs of the individual patient. This means that ear conditions are diagnosed differently from those affecting the throat or nose.
In some cases, however, the methods may be similar, even when they involve different parts of the body. Such methods include, for example, taking swabs, which is mainly intended to detect the presence of specific bacteria, inflammation or foci of more serious conditions.
The second examination of this type is an endoscopic examination, which is now performed on an outpatient basis in most medical centres. It makes it possible to diagnose certain diseases affecting the throat, nose or ears, and thanks to images saved on a computer or storage media, the doctor can determine the rate of disease progression or the effects of treatment.
Otoscopy and rhinoscopy
The two most frequently performed examinations as part of ENT diagnostics are otoscopy and rhinoscopy. Both are non-invasive diagnostic methods, which is why they are used at the initial stage of diagnostics when ENT abnormalities are identified or during preventive examinations.
An otoscopic examination is an examination of the ears using an otoscope, a special viewing instrument. It has a replaceable flexible tip, which is inserted into the patient's ear, while the condition of the ear canal is assessed through a magnifying glass at the end of the device. This is the basic examination used to diagnose any abnormalities and inflammatory conditions in the auditory system.
A related examination is rhinoscopy, performed visually using a special viewing instrument (anterior rhinoscopy) or a laryngeal mirror (posterior rhinoscopy), to diagnose diseases of the nasal cavities. This examination makes it possible to identify inflammation in the nose and nasal cavities, as well as in the paranasal sinuses.
These two examinations are often performed in parallel to obtain a complete picture in cases of inflammation or abnormalities in the physiological structure of the nose, ears or throat.