Ear, nose and throat specialists (ENTs) investigate and treat problems or diseases of the ear, nose and throat. They are also known as otorhinolaryngologists.
As qualified medical doctors, they can prescribe medicine, treat and examine patients and perform operations. ENT specialists treat conditions such as deafness, tinnitus (ringing or buzzing noises in the ears) or hearing impairments. They can repair a torn eardrum and even control excessive snoring by means of implants.
They also prescribe hearing aids, do cochlear implants (implanting of electrodes in the inner ear to stimulate nerves which conduct hearing), treat nasal polyps (growths), treat sinusitis and remove tonsils, perform rhinoplasty (an operation to change the shape of a nose) and deal with various other conditions and complaints. Patients make appointments to consult them, and they visit others in hospital and perform surgery.
They normally work in well-equipped, nicely furnished well-lit consulting rooms, and in hospitals.