Otolaryngology is the branch of
medicine that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of
ear,
nose,
throat, and head and neck disorders. The full name of
the specialty is otolaryngology-head and neck surgery.
This medical
specialty dates back to the 19th century, when doctors recognized
that the head and neck had a series of interconnected systems.
Doctors developed techniques and tools for looking at the structures
of the head and neck, and a medical specialty was born.
Otolaryngology is a medical specialty which is focused on the ears, nose,
and throat. It is also sometimes referred to as
otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, since
otolaryngologists are qualified to perform surgeries on the delicate
and complex tissues of the head and neck. A practitioner of
otolaryngology may also be called an ear, nose, and
throat doctor, or an ENT for short. In addition to the general
medical specialty of
otolaryngology, doctors can also
focus on a variety of subspecialties which are devoted to specific
regions of the head and neck or particular systemic medical
problems.
