Ear, nose and throat (ENT) care in Western New Hampshire
We provide personalized support for hearing, breathing, speaking and swallowing issues.
At Portsmouth Regional Hospital, our ENT doctors are equipped to care for conditions affecting the ears, nose and throat. We offer advanced treatment to help ease your discomfort and enhance your overall well-being.
Expert advice, available 24/7
Free health-related information is just a phone call away. Our nurses help you understand your symptoms, treatment options and procedures. They will also help you find a provider or specialist and schedule an appointment.
Free health-related information is just a phone call away. Our nurses help you understand your symptoms, treatment options and procedures. They will also help you find a provider or specialist and schedule an appointment.
Conditions treated by our otolaryngologists
Our ENT specialists treat a wide range of conditions, including:
- Allergies
- Autoimmune diseases
- Balance disorders
- Deviated septums
- Ear infections
- Facial deformities
- Hearing loss
- Inner ear disorders
- Meniere's disease
- Minor head injuries
- Peripheral vertigo
- Sinus infections
- Smell disorders
- Swallowing issues
- Throat diseases
- Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears
- Tumors, including acoustic neuromas
- Vertigo
- Voice disorders
Our ENT services and treatments
Our specialized team works to identify, examine and address acute and chronic head and neck problems. If you require care beyond prescribed medication, we can connect you to surgical and rehabilitation services.
Allergy and immune system support
Our physicians have advanced training in immunology, the area of medicine focused on allergies, autoimmune diseases and immune system deficiencies.
Allergies are the body's chronic, abnormal reactions to what are ordinarily harmless substances in the environment. Mold, dust, pollen, pet dander, insect stings and some foods can cause allergic reactions.
Common allergy symptoms
If you have an allergy, your immune system views the allergen that causes your hypersensitive reaction as an invader. Your body responds with a protective, chemical chain reaction that may produce symptoms, such as:
- Congestion
- Dark circles under the eyes
- Itching in the nose, roof of the mouth, throat or eyes
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Tearing eyes
Some allergies can also trigger symptoms of asthma, which is a chronic condition that causes inflammation or narrowing of the airways.
Care for balance and dizziness disorders
Impairment in one or more of your sensory systems — including the eyes, ears and special nerves in the muscles and joints — may lead to dizziness and the inability to remain upright.
At our hospital, we work to help you handle challenges with balance and dizziness. With your doctor's referral for balance assessment and vestibular rehabilitation, our physical therapists will work with you to create a plan for treating your condition.
Balance and dizziness assessment process
Our highly skilled clinical specialists perform your initial evaluation through:
- Musculoskeletal assessment and cervical screening — Defines posture, balance while standing and moving, gait analysis, range of motion, strength and sensation
- Positional and movement testing — Assess your symptoms, response and potential areas of inner ear dysfunction
- Recorded balance test — Designed to determine limits to your stability, the extent of your balance control while moving and the interaction among eyes, ears and body sensory systems (computerized dynamic posturography)
- Review of your medical history — Used to uncover information about potential sources of the problem
- Visual screening — Assesses eye tracking, gaze stabilization, acuity and visual fields
Treatments for balance and dizziness disorders
Following our assessment and evaluation, you may receive recommendations for further treatments and services.
Balance rehabilitation and retraining
We will create your unique home exercise program that may include:
- Agility drills
- Balance control exercises
- Flexibility and strength training
- Postural stability exercises
- Safety evaluations
- Transfer training
- Vision retraining
- Weight distribution training
Individual vestibular rehabilitation
Participation in our program helps you adapt to your vestibular system issue through specific exercises and positioning techniques. These activities aim to improve your ability to function, so symptoms are minimized or no longer experienced. If you have more permanent vestibular loss, we will educate you on effective management methods.
We can also arrange consultations with our neurological care specialists, a comprehensive hearing exam and a detailed visual field analysis.
Minimally invasive sinus surgery
If you experience sinus infections lasting for at least three months, we aim to provide long-term relief. We offer minimally invasive surgery to correct your sinuses, a highly effective technique that may result in a faster recovery with less discomfort.
For this procedure, known as stereotactic-guided endoscopic sinus surgery, our surgeons use a long, thin tube with a camera to pinpoint the problem area with greater precision. With this approach, you might be able to significantly reduce use of medication.
Vestibular rehabilitation referral information
Ask your doctor for a referral to our vestibular rehabilitation program. For more information or to make a referral, call our hospital's Center for Rehabilitation & Wellness at (603) 433-4015.