Rhinology is a medical discipline that deals with health problems affecting the nose, including diagnosis and treatment. Rhinologists are specialists in this field, trained to treat a range of ailments, from allergies to tumors. The origins of rhinology are unclear, but the 20th century saw significant advances in diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of nasal function. Less invasive surgical procedures, such as keyhole surgery, have made recovery easier for patients.
Rhinology is a medical discipline that is usually considered a subspecialty of ear, nose and throat medicine. Specifically, rhinology is the study of health problems that can impact the structure and function of the nose. The discipline also addresses the treatment of these issues, and ranges from the use of antibiotics to treat infections to surgical techniques to correct abnormalities of some kind.
The healthcare professional who specializes in treating the nose is normally referred to as a rhinologist. Like most medical professionals, rhinologists receive special training that allows them to accurately diagnose and treat all types of ailments. This includes identifying and removing tumors, diagnosing allergies that cause swelling in the nasal passages, and even using surgery to correct damage that occurred in an accident.
A doctor who provides rhinological care is sometimes considered a specialist in the field of otology. However, rhinology is somewhat broader in the sense that the rhinologist is also likely to be skilled in treating health problems that occur in the general area of the nose. For example, this may include treating blocked tear ducts or surgically removing a tumor that is putting pressure on the area directly under the nasal passages. Due to the scope of the practice involved, sub-categories such as otology rhinology and laryngology rhinology have developed.
The exact origins of rhinology are unknown. However, many historians believe that the study and treatment of the nose can be traced back to ancient Egypt. Regardless of when this type of medical discipline began to emerge, there is no doubt that the 20th century saw a dramatic increase in the ability to accurately diagnose and treat diseases that were related to the nose and nasal passages.
Notable advances in rhinology have included a better understanding of the function of the nasal passages and how those functions interact with surrounding tissues and organs. At the same time, this discipline has also seen the creation of a wider range of medicines that can be used to effectively address many problems such as inflammation and infection. Less invasive surgical procedures have also been developed, making it much easier for the patient to recover from rhinology surgery. Many conditions can now be treated using keyhole surgery, a form of endoscopy that produces less pain for the patient and requires very little recovery time.
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