Chapter 17: Otorhinolaryngology: the ear, nose, and throat medical terminology

Otorhinolaryngology (ENT)

focuses on a specific region of the body, the head, and the neck rather than on a whole body system

Ear

hearing and equilibrium (balance)

Nose

smell and entrance for air into the body

Pharynx

carries air to the larynx and trachea, and the food and drink to the esophagus

Larynx

speech

Trachea

brings air to the lungs

Otorhinolaryngologists

physicians who specialize in diagnosing and treating conditions affecting these organs

adenoid/o

adenoids

audi/o

hearing

audit/o

hearing

aur/o

ear

cochle/o

cochlea

epiglott/o

epiglottis

laryng/o

larynx ( voice box)

myring/o

tympanic membrane (eardrum)

nas/o

nose

ot/o

ear

pharyng/o

pharynx (throat)

rhin/o

nose

sinus/o

sinus

tonsill/o

tonsils

trache/o

trachea (windpipe)

tympan/o

tympanic membrane (eardrum)

gastr/o

stomach

myc/o

fungus

neur/o

nerve

py/o

pus

-al

pertaining to

-algia

pain

-ar

pertaining to

-eal

pertaining to

-ectomy

surgical removal

-gram

record

-ic

pertaining to

-itis

inflammation

-logist

one who studies

-logy

study of

-megaly

enlarged

-meter

instrument to measure

-metry

process of measuring

-oma

tumor

-ory

pertaining to

-osis

abnormal condition

-osmia

smell

-otomy

cutting into

-phonia

voice

-plasty

surgical repair

-plegia

paralysis

-rrhea

discharge, flow

-rrhexis

rupture

-sclerosis

hardening

-scope

instrument for viewing

-scopy

process of viewing

-spasm

involuntary muscle contraction

-stenosis

narrowing

a-

without

an-

without

de-

without

dys-

without

endo-

within

pan-

all

para-

alongside

Epistaxis

nosebleed

Falling test

group of tests to evaluate balance and equilibrium

ex: balancing on one foot, heel to toe walking, walking forwards with eyes open

test is repeated with patient's eyes closed ; swaying and falling with eyes closed can indicate an equilibrium malfunction

Hearing aid/ amplification device

device used by persons with impaired hearing to amplify sound

Ménière disease

acute of chronic inner ear condition, can lead to a progressive hearing loss, symptoms include vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus

Nasal cannula

two-pronged plastic device for delivering oxygen directly into nose; one prong is inserted into each naris

Otitis externa (OE)/ otomycosis/ swimmer's ear

external ear infection; commonly caused by fungus

otitis interna/ inner ear infection

inflammation of inner ear; can affect both hearing and equilibrium

otitis media (OM)/ middle ear infection

bacterial or viral infection of middle ear; often preceded by upper respiratory infection during which pathogens move from pharynx to middle ear through eustachian tube

Pertussis/ whopping cough

bacterial infection of upper respiratory system, uncommon now due to diphtheria, pertussis tetanus (DPT) vaccine, whoop sound made when coughing

Pressure-equalizing tube (PE tube)

small tube surgically placed in eardrum; assists in draining trapped fluid and equalizing pressure between middle ear cavity and atmosphere

Rinne and Weber tuning fork tests

tests to assess both function of auditory nerve and ability of ear structures to conduct sound waves to inner ear, physician holds tuning fork against or near bones on side of patient's head

tinnitus

ringing in the ears

vertigo

sensation of spinning or whirling around; uncorrectly used to mean dizziness

AD

right ear

AS

left ear

AU

both ears

DPT

diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus

EENT

eyes, ears, nose, throat

ENT

ear, nose, and throat

ET

endotracheal

HEENT

head, eyes, ears, nose, throat

OE

otitis externa

OM

otitis media

Oto

otology

PE tube

pressure- equalizing tube

T&A

tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy

URI

upper respiratory infection