While only a few ear, nose and throat diseases are fatal, they can cause considerable cosmetic, communication and pain problems for the afflicted person. Ear infections are the most common ailments, especially in children. Throat infections are not as serious but can be uncomfortable and painful. The nose is subject to bacterial infection, growths and cancer.
Meniere's Disease
Meniere's disease is an inner-ear condition that causes severe attacks of dizziness, hearing loss and ringing of the ears; it can be accompanied by sudden nausea and vomiting. It is caused by an imbalance of normal fluid volume in the inner ear. These attacks last about two to three hours.
Myringitis
This middle ear disease causes painful blisters on the eardrum. The pain usually lasts from two to four days. The doctor may relieve some of the pain by cutting open the blisters. Since it is difficult to tell whether Myringitis is caused by viruses or bacteria, it's often treated with antibiotics and pain medication.
Perichondritis
An outer ear infection, perichondritis is a bacterial infection in the ear lobe or ear canal that affects the cartilage of the ear. This results from ear piercing, insect bites or other injuries to the ear. This infection can last several months and cause deformation of the external ear. People with weak immune systems or diabetes are more susceptible to contracting perichondritis.
Nasal Polyps
These are growths around the openings of the sinuses; they look like teardrops. Many people are not aware they have nasal polyps but may have symptoms such as loss of smell, itching around the eyes, drainage of fluid in the throat, sneezing and many infections. If you have nasal polyps, your doctor should take a sample and have it checked for cancer. If polyps are causing frequent infections or blocking the airway, they need to be removed. Sometimes nasal polyps will shrink or disappear with medication treatments.
Epiglottitis
The epiglottis is a piece of tissue that prevents food from going down the voice box and lungs while swallowing. A bacterial infection of the epiglottis can close off the ability to breathe within 12 hours, causing an emergency. Symptoms may be a muffled voice, squeaky noise while breathing in, severe throat pain, fever, drooling and difficulty in swallowing. The doctor may have to put an air tube into the trachea to keep the airway open.
Laryngitis
Laryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx or voice box. It is caused by a virus, breathing cigarette smoke, allergic reaction or frequent vomiting. Laryngitis symptoms include changes in the voice, hoarseness and loss of voice.
Tonsillitis
Inflammation of the tonsils--caused by streptococci bacteria--usually lasts from four to six days. It most commonly affects children from 6 to 10 years of age. After puberty, the tonsils tend to shrink in size. Tonsillitis can be a one-time problem or a recurring one. A common remedy for chronic recurring tonsillitis is to remove them. Usual symptoms of the illness are sore throat, drainage containing pus, fever, swelling of the glands under the jaws, chills and headache.
