ENT Doctors in Pinehurst, NC

This one sits on its own because it is the part people most often get wrong, including on pages like this one. Sudden hearing loss in one or both ears is time-critical by itself, with or without any other symptom. NIDCD says you should consider sudden deafness symptoms a medical emergency and visit a doctor immediately, and that although about half of people recover some or all of their hearing spontaneously, usually within one to two weeks, delaying diagnosis and treatment can decrease treatment effectiveness. On treatment it is specific: steroids should be used as soon as possible for the best effect, and treatment delayed for more than two to four weeks is less likely to reverse or reduce permanent hearing loss.

NIDCD also notes what makes people wait: they put off seeing a doctor because they assume the hearing loss is allergies, a sinus infection, or earwax. It says people often discover it on waking, or when they try to use the affected ear on a phone, sometimes after a loud pop, and that a feeling of ear fullness, dizziness, or ringing can come with it. One more list belongs on an ear, nose and throat page, because two items on it are the kind of thing a reader would otherwise book an ENT appointment for: sudden dizziness or loss of balance, and sudden trouble speaking. Both are on CDC's list of stroke signs. Call 9-1-1 right away, CDC says, for sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination; sudden trouble seeing; sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech; or a sudden severe headache with no known cause. It adds not to drive to the hospital or let someone else drive you, but to call 9-1-1 for an ambulance so medical personnel can begin treatment on the way.

Trouble breathing is the first. MedlinePlus, writing about epiglottitis, an inflammation of the tissue that covers the windpipe which it calls a life-threatening disease, says epiglottitis can be a medical emergency and to seek medical help right away, and that you should seek immediate medical attention or call 911 or the local emergency number if a person has breathing trouble. It adds that difficulty breathing is a late but important sign, and that the airway can suddenly close or become totally blocked, which makes the earlier signs a reason to go rather than a reason to wait. It says epiglottitis begins with a high fever and sore throat, and lists abnormal breathing sounds, drooling, difficulty swallowing, voice changes, and blue skin color alongside them. It also says not to press the tongue down to try to look at the throat at home, because doing so may make the condition worse.

Bleeding from the nose is the second, and MedlinePlus draws the line by the clock rather than by how it looks. It says to get emergency care if bleeding does not stop after 20 minutes, if nose bleeding occurs after a head injury, if your nose may be broken, if you are taking medicines to prevent your blood from clotting, or if you have had nosebleeds in the past that needed specialist care. Its own home-care instruction, for a nosebleed that is none of those things, is to sit down and gently squeeze the soft part of the nose closed for a full 10 minutes, leaning forward and breathing through your mouth, and to wait at least 10 minutes before checking. For any of the emergency signs on this page, do not spend the time searching a directory.

Otolaryngologists, usually called ENT doctors, are physicians and surgeons who treat conditions of the ears, nose, sinuses, throat, and neck: recurring sinus infections, chronic congestion, recurrent ear infections, hearing and balance concerns with a medical cause, tonsil and adenoid problems, voice and swallowing issues, and lumps in the neck. MedlinePlus's nosebleed page gives one concrete example of the referral route, saying you may need to see an ear, nose, and throat specialist for further tests and treatment.

ENTs and audiologists work on the same organ from different sides, and what an individual practice takes on varies with training and with state licensure, so it is a fair question to ask when you call. If your concern is primarily hearing testing or hearing aids, the audiology page in this directory may be the more direct starting point. These specialties commonly refer to one another, though whether a referral is needed at all depends on your plan and the practice.

A primary-care provider handles most short-lived ear, nose, and throat problems and refers to ENT when something persists, recurs, or needs a procedure: sinus infections that keep returning, an ear that won't clear, snoring with gasping, hoarseness that lingers, or a neck lump. ProviderQuoHealth shows credentials, accepted insurance, and accepting-new-patients status; the guides below cover how specialty referrals work for military families and veterans in the Fort Bragg area.