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Your ears, nose, and throat (ENT) are an integral part of your body, but they might not be getting the best care they can. This could be because they work so automatically that we don’t often even think about them until something goes wrong. So, in turn, we have to pay intentional attention to each one in order to maintain optimal function. Here are some tips to take better care of your ears, nose, and throat.
Understand How They Interrelate and Work
Your ears, nose, and throat form a system that allows you to hear, have balance, smell, taste, swallow, speak, and breathe. Yeah, that’s a whole lot of responsibility for such a small section of the body. Right now, consider what it would be like to lose just one of those things.
I know some of you might have had a taste (pun intended) of that recently with the onset of Covid-19. I lost my sense of smell and taste for weeks. It was so weird and frustrating being around things that I knew had an aroma that I loved…like coffee, flowers, essential oils. I also deeply missed the simple pleasure of tasting my coffee and all the foods that I loved as well. So, because we rely on each of these parts to help us sense the world and have a better quality of life, it’s crucial to take care of your ENT properly.
Visit an ENT Specialist
An ENT specialist is a doctor that had special training, enabling specialized care for all things pertaining to the ears, nose, and throat. This specialist has special equipment and procedures that help diagnose and treat things like ear infections, vocal problems, and allergies. The ENT physician also understands in-depth the correlation between all three, making treatment more inclusive and accurate. They may also recommend surgeries like Septoplasty Surgery or tonsillectomy when necessary.
Be Keen on Allergies
It’s important to get your doctor’s advice about any sinus symptoms you’re not sure about. Though a runny nose, congestion, and pressure could be a simple cold or another type of infection, it could also be an allergy. Make sure to consult your doctor about a course of action to treat seasonal and other allergies effectively with prescription meds or over-the-counter antihistamines. There may also be additional treatments you haven’t considered.
Don’t Ignore Subtle Signs
It would help if you never ignored subtle signs that something could be off in any of these important areas of the ear, nose, and throat. Some years ago I started having mild glitches in my voice that affected my speaking and singing. Yes, it was subtle but it deserved some special attention. There was nothing serious happening, but I was relieved after getting advice from my ENT doctor.
Maintenence
Your ears, nose, and throat each have special needs when it comes to taking optimal care of yourself. I recommend putting these self-care tasks on your daily routine list for best results.
Ears: Clean outside with a soft cloth or cotton swab, listen for any hearing changes, avoid listening to music or headphone too loudly, consult a doctor if your ear hurts or hearing changes.
Nose: Keep it clean, Awareness of what’s coming out of your nose, avoid strong scents and things you are allergic to, don’t overblow, consult a doctor if something hurts or seems off.
Throat: Speak gently and avoid yelling, use gentle rinses to gargle with, drink warm tea with lemon for irritation or overuse, consult a doctor if you are in pain or notice anything off.
**** This post is strictly informational and is not meant to replace the advice of your healthcare provider. Women’s lifelink, its owners, administrators, contributors, affiliates, vendors, authors, and editors do not claim that this information will diagnose, treat, or improve any condition or disease.
