You have had that dull ache in your ear for three days. Your nose has been blocked for two weeks. Your child keeps getting throat infections every month. At what point do you stop using home remedies and see a specialist? Our ENT doctors at DR Multi Speciality Hospital in Iyyappanthangal  just 8 minutes from Porur answer the questions patients most commonly ask before booking an appointment.

The Ear: When It Is More Than Just Wax

Why does my ear hurt?

Ear pain is one of the most common reasons patients visit an ENT doctor. The cause is not always inside the ear itself. Sometimes it refers to the jaw, throat, or neck. Common causes include:

• Ear infection (otitis media) — most common in children, fluid builds up behind the eardrum
• Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa) — outer ear canal infection, worse after water exposure
• Earwax blockage pressing against the eardrum
• Change in air pressure — flights, diving, sudden altitude change
• Jaw joint (TMJ) problems radiating pain to the ear
• Referred pain from a throat or tonsil infection

See an ENT if:

• Ear pain lasts more than 2 days
• You have discharge or bleeding from the ear
• Your hearing feels muffled or blocked
• Your child has had 3 or more ear infections in a year
• You hear ringing or buzzing (tinnitus) that will not go away

Is hearing loss always permanent?

No. Sudden hearing loss can often be reversed — especially if treated within the first 72 hours. Causes of reversible hearing loss include earwax blockage, ear infection, fluid in the middle ear (glue ear), and sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Causes of permanent hearing loss include prolonged noise exposure and age-related degeneration.

The most important rule: do not wait. If your hearing suddenly drops in one or both ears, treat it as an emergency and see an ENT the same day.

The Nose: More Than Just a Cold

My nose has been blocked for 3 weeks — is that normal?

A cold lasts 7 to 10 days. If your nose is still blocked after 2 to 3 weeks, it is likely one of these:

• Chronic sinusitis — infected or inflamed sinus cavities that do not clear on their own
• Nasal polyps — soft growths inside the nose causing permanent blockage and loss of smell
• Deviated nasal septum (DNS) — the wall between your nostrils is bent, narrowing one airway
• Allergic rhinitis — triggered by dust, pollen, or mould, causing year-round or seasonal symptoms

All four conditions look identical from the outside. The difference matters enormously for treatment — a steroid nasal spray works for rhinitis but not for polyps. An ENT specialist can tell the difference in a single examination using a nasal endoscope.

When to see an ENT for nose problems:

• Blocked nose lasting more than 2 weeks
• Reduced or lost sense of smell
• Thick yellow or green discharge
• Facial pain or pressure over the cheeks or forehead
• Snoring that is getting worse
• Nosebleeds that keep recurring

Can sinusitis be cured without surgery?

Yes. In most cases, sinusitis is treated with antibiotics, nasal sprays, saline rinses, and decongestants. Surgery (FESS — Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery) is only recommended when medical treatment has failed over several months, or when there are polyps or structural problems like a severely deviated septum.

The Throat: More Than Just Tonsillitis

My child gets tonsil infections every 6 weeks — does he need surgery?

This is one of the most common questions our ENT team near Porur receives. The answer: it depends on frequency and impact. The standard guideline for tonsillectomy is 7 or more throat infections in one year, 5 per year for 2 consecutive years, or 3 per year for 3 years. Beyond frequency, surgery is also considered if infections are causing your child to miss school regularly, have breathing difficulties at night, or develop complications like a peritonsillar abscess.

I have had a hoarse voice for 5 weeks — should I be worried?

Hoarseness lasting more than 3 weeks needs an ENT examination. While most cases are benign (vocal cord nodules, reflux laryngitis, voice overuse), a persistent hoarse voice can occasionally be an early sign of a laryngeal condition that benefits from early detection. An ENT can examine your vocal cords directly with a laryngoscope in a 10-minute clinic appointment.

Children and ENT: What Parents in Porur Ask Most

• My 4-year-old snores loudly every night — is this normal? (Usually enlarged adenoids — very treatable)
• My child failed the school hearing test — what next? (Book an audiometry test with our ENT team)
• My baby keeps getting ear infections — does she need grommets? (Our ENT will assess after 3 or more infections)
• My son breathes through his mouth all the time — is that a problem? (Yes — usually enlarged adenoids blocking the nasal airway)