When should you see an ENT specialist?
It is worth booking a consultation when an ear, nose or throat problem has lasted for a few weeks, keeps coming back or is getting worse. Only an examination can find the cause.
Some symptoms should not wait. Sudden hearing loss should be checked as soon as possible. If a nosebleed will not stop, or if breathing or swallowing becomes difficult, go straight to A&E.
These are the most common reasons for a consultation:
- Blocked nose or difficulty breathing through the nose
- Sinusitis, facial pain or colds that do not clear up
- Recurrent nosebleeds (epistaxis)
- Hearing loss or a feeling of a blocked ear
- Tinnitus, meaning whistling or buzzing in the ears
- Vertigo or loss of balance
- Ear pain or fluid coming from the ear
- Hoarseness or a changed voice lasting more than a few weeks
- Snoring or pauses in breathing during sleep
- Lumps or swellings in the neck
- Recurrent tonsillitis or sore throats
What happens during an ENT consultation in Bari?
The consultation starts with a conversation, known as the medical history. The doctor asks about your symptoms, when they started and what makes them worse. He also asks about past illnesses, operations and medicines.
Next comes the examination of the ear, nose and throat. The doctor looks at the ear canal and eardrum with a small lighted lens (otoscope) or with a microscope. He checks the inside of the nose, then the mouth, tonsils and throat. Finally he palpates the neck, which means feeling it gently for any lumps.
At the end, the doctor explains in plain words what he has found. If needed, he suggests further tests, a treatment or a follow-up check. When an operation might help, he discusses its benefits and risks with you.
Which tests can an ENT specialist do?
Not every patient needs every test. The doctor suggests a test only when it helps to understand the problem. Some are done during the consultation, others at a separate appointment.
The tests that may be carried out, if needed, are:
- Audiometry: measures hearing with sounds played through headphones
- Impedance audiometry: checks the eardrum and middle ear with a small probe at the entrance of the ear
- Vestibular tests: assess balance, in cases of vertigo
- Oto-endoscopy: shows the ear canal and eardrum with a thin scope
- Ear microscopy: examines the ear under a microscope, with magnified images
- Nasal endoscopy: shows the inside of the nose and the openings of the sinuses
- Flexible laryngoscopy: a thin flexible tube, passed through the nose, shows the throat and vocal cords
- Laryngeal endoscopy: examines the larynx with a rigid scope placed through the mouth
How does an endoscopy of the nose and throat work?
An endoscopy lets the doctor see parts of the nose and throat that are hidden to the naked eye. It uses an endoscope: a thin tube, flexible or rigid, with a light and a small camera. The images appear on a screen.
The test is quick and usually painless. You may feel mild discomfort, want to sneeze or have watery eyes. Sometimes the doctor first uses a local anaesthetic spray, which numbs the nose or throat for a short time.
Side effects are rare and usually mild, such as a small nosebleed. If an anaesthetic was sprayed in the throat, it is best to wait until the numbness wears off before eating or drinking. The doctor explains beforehand how the test is done.
How should you prepare for an ENT consultation?
No special preparation is needed. It can help to note down beforehand when your symptoms started and how often they occur.
It is useful to bring:
- Reports of previous consultations and tests, including hearing tests
- CT or MRI scans and their reports, if you have them
- A list of the medicines you take, with the doses
- Any known allergies, especially to medicines or anaesthetics
- Any referral letter from your GP or paediatrician
When should a child see an ENT specialist?
ENT consultations are common in children too. The most frequent reasons are enlarged adenoids, recurrent tonsillitis and frequent ear infections. Other signs worth mentioning are snoring, breathing through the mouth or possible hearing loss.
When booking, it helps to give the child's age and symptoms, so that you receive the most suitable advice. It is also worth bringing the paediatrician's reports and any tests already done.
How do you book and where is the practice?
You can book online on MioDottore or by phone on +39 080 5219334. Current fees and available dates are shown on MioDottore.
The practice is at Via Niccolò dall'Arca 19, 70121 Bari. If you are looking for an ENT specialist in Bari who is easy to reach without a car, the practice is a few minutes' walk from Bari Centrale station and Piazza Aldo Moro, where many AMTAB bus routes stop.
Who carries out the consultation?
Dr Nicola De Candia is a specialist in Otolaryngology (1991) and Neurosurgery (2009), both from the University of Bari. Since 1994 he has been a Consultant in the Department of Otolaryngology at the Policlinico di Bari.
He holds a PhD in Pathophysiology of Audio-Verbal Communication from the University of Naples Federico II. He has trained in endoscopic surgery of the nose and skull base on courses in Italy and abroad. He teaches “Endoscopic sinonasal techniques” at the University of Bari ENT specialist school.
The information on this page is for general education and does not replace a specialist consultation: indications, recovery times and risks are assessed case by case.