What Is an Ear, Nose or Throat Doctor Called?

The Short Answer

An ear doctor, a nose doctor and a throat doctor are all the same specialist: an ENT doctor, formally called an otolaryngologist.

One speciality covers all three regions, because the ears, nose and throat are physically connected and diseases frequently move between them. A blocked nose can cause ear pressure; acid reflux from the stomach can inflame the voice box. Training a single specialist across all three reflects how these problems actually behave.

That said, several more precise titles exist, and knowing them helps when you are choosing whom to see.

Exact Names by Region

Ear Doctor

An ear doctor is called an otologist, or a neuro-otologist if they also manage balance disorders and conditions involving the nerves of hearing and balance.

They treat ear infections, perforated eardrums, hearing loss, tinnitus, cholesteatoma, otosclerosis, and vertigo, and they perform surgery such as tympanoplasty and cochlear implantation.

An important distinction: an audiologist is not a doctor of medicine. Audiologists are university-qualified professionals who test hearing, fit hearing aids and deliver rehabilitation — but they do not prescribe medication or operate. In practice the two work together closely. See our audiology and speech-language pathology service.

Nose Doctor

A nose doctor is called a rhinologist — from the Greek rhino, meaning nose.

Rhinologists treat chronic sinusitis, nasal polyps, deviated septum, allergic rhinitis, nosebleeds, loss of smell, and CSF leaks from the nose. Surgery includes endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) and septoplasty.

Note that a rhinologist treats nasal disease and breathing, while a plastic surgeon performing cosmetic nose reshaping does rhinoplasty. Some surgeons do both.

Throat and Voice Doctor

A throat doctor is called a laryngologist, particularly when the focus is the voice box and airway.

They treat persistent hoarseness, vocal cord nodules and polyps, vocal cord paralysis, laryngopharyngeal reflux, swallowing disorders, and airway narrowing. Professional voice users — teachers, singers, lawyers — are often referred to a laryngologist specifically. See our voice and airway clinic.

Neck Lump, Thyroid and Cancer

For a lump in the neck, a thyroid swelling, or a suspected cancer of the mouth or throat, the specialist is a head and neck surgeon, sometimes called a head and neck oncosurgeon when their practice is cancer-focused.

They manage neck lumps, thyroid nodules, salivary gland tumours, oral cancer, throat cancer, and perform thyroidectomy, neck dissection and reconstruction.

This is a distinct sub-speciality with its own super-speciality qualification (MCh in Head & Neck), separate from general ENT practice. At THANC, head and neck oncology is led by Dr. Vidhyadharan S, MCh (Head & Neck) — see our head and neck surgery department. If a neck lump, mouth ulcer or voice change turns out to need cancer care, this is the team you would be referred to.

Which Doctor Should You Actually Book?

For most problems, book a general ENT consultation. The specialist will examine you and, if your problem needs focused expertise, refer you internally to the right sub-speciality. You do not need to diagnose yourself first.

Book a sub-speciality directly when you already know the diagnosis — for example, a confirmed thyroid nodule needing surgery, or an established voice disorder requiring a laryngologist.

Seek care urgently for sudden hearing loss in one ear, difficulty breathing, a rapidly growing neck lump, or coughing up blood.