Caring for Your Ears, Nose, and Throat at Home: Telemedicine for ENT

Do you want to know which ENT-related diseases can be treated by teleconsultation? Or when do you need to go to a face-to-face consultation? Telemedicine has become a complementary method to the way we receive healthcare, and this medical field is no exception.

We spoke to Dr. Edda Pruzzo about how telemedicine works in ENT, its benefits, signs that indicate the possibility of remote consultations, and more.

Which conditions related to the field of ENT can be treated with telemedicine?

“In our specialty, teleconsultation is a complementary form of healthcare that does not replace face-to-face consultations, but is based on conversations with patients or their advisors, based on their medical history and symptoms (without a physical examination), Diagnostic hypotheses can be formulated and guidance provided for next steps.In this regard, all patients can receive guidance for research, treatment, or timely referral to face-to-face counseling or emergency services if required.

When is a patient referred for an in-person consultation?

“It is necessary to do so when:

• The person exhibits severe symptoms.
• It is necessary to investigate.
• The person has a risk-based disease.
• Facing a persistent clinical condition or a condition that does not improve with treatment.
• Disease progression.
• Diagnosis is doubtful. ”

What are the signs that we should have a one-hour ENT teleconsultation?

“Symptoms that can be assessed by ENT teleconsultation are:

• ear: Hearing loss or feeling of ear plugging, pain, discharge, dizziness.
• Nose: Congestion, discharge, facial or headache, nasal crusting, intermittent bleeding.
• Pharynx or Throat: Pain, fever, difficulty swallowing.
• throat: The sound changes.
• neck: pain or swelling. ”

What is the most common type of teleconsultation in ENT?

• Acute inflammatory diseases, such as pharyngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, otitis media, vertigo, etc.
• Provide diagnosis and treatment guidance for patients who do not have access to specialists.
• second opinion.
• Continuity of treatment.
• Exam evaluation.

What are the advantages of telemedicine over traditional medicine? What possibilities does it open up?

“Some of the contributions brought about by telemedicine are:

• Directing and assisting a patient who is unable to have an in-person consultation for some reason, such as geographical isolation, the absence of a specialist or the inability to access him or her locally, circumstances, etc.
• Address concerns quickly.
• Get a second opinion about a medical diagnosis or treatment.
• Get tests and interpretations without a physical visit to a health center.
• Get a prescription if you have a chronic medical condition.
• Help plan research and treatment for patients from the area who will then travel to another site for treatment. ”

ENT telemedicine opens up new possibilities in healthcare, bringing professional medical care anywhere. No more in-person travel for guidance on possible diagnoses, research, or treatments. Symptoms and concerns related to the ear, nose, throat, and other areas of the specialty can be effectively consulted via remote consultation.

This information is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice of a health professional. In case of any symptoms or discomfort, we recommend that you consult a physician. Also, keep in mind that due to the changing nature of the topics covered in this article, some concepts may have been revised from their original publication date.