In the silence of a medical office, where the aromas of medical
solutions mingle with the barely perceptible ring of instruments, the
otolaryngologist becomes that mysterious traveler who embarks daily on
an expedition through the winding labyrinths of human perception. The
profession of an ENT doctor is not just working with the ear, throat,
and nose; it’s the art of balancing on the thinnest edge between four
of the five human senses: hearing, smell, taste, and even balance. The
otolaryngologist becomes a conductor of a symphony of sensations,
tuning each instrument of this amazing orchestra so that a person can
fully enjoy the polyphony of the surrounding world.
Few know that otolaryngologists work with such complex structures as
the labyrinth of the inner ear — a true architectural wonder of nature
enclosed in a pea-sized bone. Semicircular canals, utricle, and
saccule form the vestibular apparatus responsible for perceiving the
body’s position in space. And nearby, like a twisted seashell, lies
the cochlea — home to the organ of Corti, where mechanical vibrations
of sound waves transform into nerve impulses. Endolymph and perilymph
— two fluids with different chemical compositions — bathe sensitive
hair cells separated from each other by the thinnest Reissner’s
membrane, only a few cells thick.
In the nasal area, otolaryngologists deal with equally amazing
structures. The olfactory epithelium, located high in the nasal cavity
in the area of the so-called olfactory cleft, occupies an area of only
5 square centimeters but contains about 10 million receptor cells
capable of distinguishing thousands of smells. Interestingly, the
chemosensitive endings of olfactory neurons are the only nerve cells
in the body that directly contact the external environment and are
capable of regeneration throughout a person’s life.
In the professional community of otolaryngologists, there are
interesting contradictions. For example, in the treatment of chronic
tonsillitis, some specialists adhere to conservative tactics, striving
to preserve the tonsils as an important organ of the immune system.
“Tonsils are an outpost protecting the body from invasion of
infection,” they say. Another school of otolaryngologists believes
that chronically inflamed tonsils become not a defender but a threat,
a source of constant toxic load on the body. “When a fortress is
captured by the enemy, it is better to destroy it than to allow the
opponent to use it for their purposes,” is their argument.
Similar debates are ongoing regarding endoscopic surgery of the nasal
sinuses. Minimally invasive techniques that preserve the normal
anatomy and physiology of the nose are contrasted with more radical
approaches that, according to their proponents, guarantee a lower
percentage of recurrence. “We must be radical in relation to the
disease but conservative in relation to the patient’s tissues,”
proclaims one school. “Better to remove more tissue now than to
operate on the patient again in a year,” retorts the other. The truth,
as is often the case in medicine, lies somewhere in the middle and is
determined by the individual characteristics of each specific case.
The consciousness of an otolaryngologist functions like a
multi-channel acoustic system tuned to capture the slightest
dissonances in the sound of the human organism. Their hearing is often
trained to such an extent that they can distinguish acoustic nuances
inaccessible to the ordinary person. For example, an experienced ENT
doctor can, by the nature of a child’s cry, suggest the presence of
otitis media, and by the timbre of an adult’s voice, suspect vocal
cord nodules or other laryngeal pathology.
This special “clinical hearing” develops through years of practice,
but its foundation is laid long before entering medical school. Many
otolaryngologists recall that their path to the profession began with
childhood curiosity about the sounds and smells of the surrounding
world, with the first books about the structure of the human body.
Colorful illustrations showing the path of a sound wave through the
auditory canal to the middle ear, where tiny bones — the hammer,
anvil, and stirrup — transmit vibrations to the inner ear, often leave
an indelible impression in a child’s memory. Stories about how dogs
hear ultrasound and bats use echolocation awaken interest in acoustics
and the physiology of hearing.
The education of an otolaryngologist is a long journey, beginning with
obtaining general medical knowledge, continuing with specialization,
and never ending throughout the professional life. At each stage of
this journey, books become indispensable guides to the world of
medical knowledge. From fundamental anatomy textbooks where the
complex structure of the temporal bone is detailed, to highly
specialized monographs on cochlear implantation or endoscopic surgery
of the paranasal sinuses — each book adds a new element to the mosaic
of professional mastery.
In our digital age, when medical knowledge is available in the form of
online courses, video lectures, and virtual simulators, it might seem
that printed books should take a back seat. However, many experienced
otolaryngologists admit that they prefer to learn from traditional
sources. There is a hypothesis that the process of reading a printed
book activates certain neural connections that contribute to a deeper
assimilation of material. When a doctor turns the pages of a surgical
anatomy atlas, tracing with a finger the course of the facial nerve
through the parotid salivary gland, not only visual but also tactile
analyzers are engaged. This creates a stronger mnemonic trace that
later helps during actual operations.
Some otolaryngologists practice reading medical texts aloud, noting
that this helps better memorize complex terms and anatomical
relationships. Interestingly, this activates the same speech centers
of the brain that are involved in the clinical examination of a
patient and history taking. Thus, the process of reading aloud becomes
a kind of training for the doctor’s speech apparatus, developing clear
articulation and correct medical terminology, so necessary for
effective communication with patients and colleagues.
Otolaryngology, like all modern medicine, is in constant motion,
balancing between traditions and innovations. On one hand, there are
classical methods of diagnosis and treatment that have proven their
effectiveness over decades. On the other hand, revolutionary
technologies emerge, promising new possibilities in the fight against
diseases. Regular reading of professional literature becomes for the
ENT doctor that compass which helps not to stray from the course in
the stormy sea of medical information, critically evaluate new
methods, separating truly valuable developments from temporary
fashionable trends.
The peculiarity of medical literature lies in its technical
complexity, saturation with specific terms and concepts. For a
beginning doctor, such texts can seem like impenetrable jungles of
terminology. Perhaps that is why many otolaryngologists remember with
such warmth their first children’s books about the human body, where
complex processes were explained in simple and understandable
language, and bright illustrations made abstract concepts visible and
tangible.
Otolaryngology is not just a medical specialty; it’s an art requiring
not only scientific knowledge but also a special clinical intuition,
intuition, manual skills. Just as a musician hones his craft for
years, an ENT doctor constantly improves his skills, striving for that
ideal which he once saw in his teachers or read about in books about
the great doctors of the past. This aesthetic component of the
profession often remains behind the scenes, but it is what gives
special depth and satisfaction from each successfully treated patient,
from each virtuosic operation performed.
Unlike many other medical specialties, otolaryngology is closely
linked to communication and the quality of life of patients. Hearing
loss can lead to social isolation, voice problems can cause
professional unfitness, chronic sinusitis can deprive a person of the
joy from the aroma of flowers or the taste of food. Recognizing this,
the ENT doctor becomes not just a medical specialist but a guardian of
the most important channels of human connection with the surrounding
world. And here, not only professional literature comes to the rescue,
but also fiction that develops empathy, understanding of patient
psychology, the ability to see behind the symptoms of a disease a
specific person with his individual needs and life circumstances.
If you notice your child’s interest in sounds, curiosity about how we
hear, speak, distinguish smells, perhaps before you is a future
otolaryngologist. Don’t rush to direct his interest exclusively in the
medical direction — allow curiosity to develop naturally. Books about
the nature of sound, about animals with amazing abilities to hear and
make sounds, about how the human ear works or how the voice is formed
— all this can become the first bricks in the foundation of a future
profession.
Children’s books with bright illustrations, explaining complex things
simply and fascinatingly, not only develop cognitive interest but also
form a special type of thinking necessary for a future doctor:
attention to detail, the ability to establish cause-and-effect
relationships, spatial imagination. Even if your child doesn’t choose
the profession of an otolaryngologist in the future, these qualities
will be useful to him in any field of activity. Give your child a book
about how we hear, how the voice is formed, how our nose works — and
perhaps this very book will ignite in him a spark of curiosity that
will eventually grow into the flame of a calling. Remember: each
children’s book is a door to the world of knowledge, and one can never
predict what horizons will open behind it for your child. Investment
in children’s reading today is an investment in a future where your
child can realize their potential, perhaps becoming that very doctor
who will return someone’s lost hearing or give the joy of free
breathing.