Ear, Nose & Throat

Last Updated: August 16, 2022

Ear, nose, and throat health ecompasses the proper functioning of smelling, swallowing, and hearing.

What is the relationship between the ear, nose, and throat?

The ear, nose, and throat are all interconnected parts of the body and control the functions of balance, smelling, speech, swallowing, and hearing. The ears are connected to the throat through a passageway called the Eustachian tubes, which balance air pressure and drain fluid internally from the ear. The nose is directly connected to the throat (referred to as the pharynx) to help with breathing. Conditions such as allergic rhinitis, tinnitus, vertigo, and throat infections can affect ear, nose, and throat health.

How could diet affect the ear, nose, and throat?

Anecdotally, some people have reported improvements in various conditions involving the ear, nose, and throat after dietary changes. Although there is some evidence to suggest there is an association between dietary interventions and a reduced risk of hearing problems[1] and allergic rhinitis,[2] further research is needed to determine specific dietary recommendations.

Which supplements are of interest for the ear, nose, and throat?

Notable supplements that may help with allergic rhinitis include probiotics,[3] pelargonium sidoides, and spirulina. vitamin c,[4] zinc,[5] and probiotics[6] may be helpful for treating or preventing upper respiratory infections. melatonin may provide benefits in the context of tinnitus.

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References
  1. ^Dawes P, Cruickshanks KJ, Marsden A, Moore DR, Munro KJRelationship Between Diet, Tinnitus, and Hearing Difficulties.Ear Hear.(2020)
  2. ^Oh HY, Lee SY, Yoon J, Cho HJ, Kim YH, Suh DI, Yang SI, Kwon JW, Jang GC, Sun YH, Woo SI, Youn YS, Park KS, Cho HJ, Kook MH, Yi HR, Chung HL, Kim JH, Kim HY, Jung S, Jung JA, Woo HO, Koo KO, Kwon SO, Lee JK, Chang WS, Kim E, Lee J, Kim S, Hong SJVegetable dietary pattern may protect mild and persistent allergic rhinitis phenotype depending on genetic risk in school children.Pediatr Allergy Immunol.(2020-11)
  3. ^Alexander E Zajac, Austin S Adams, Justin H TurnerA systematic review and meta-analysis of probiotics for the treatment of allergic rhinitisInt Forum Allergy Rhinol.(2015 Jun)
  4. ^Hemilä H, Chalker EVitamin C for preventing and treating the common coldCochrane Database Syst Rev.(2013 Jan 31)
  5. ^Jennifer Hunter, Susan Arentz, Joshua Goldenberg, Guoyan Yang, Jennifer Beardsley, Stephen P Myers, Dominik Mertz, Stephen LeederZinc for the prevention or treatment of acute viral respiratory tract infections in adults: a rapid systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trialsBMJ Open.(2021 Nov 2)
  6. ^Sarah King, Julie Glanville, Mary Ellen Sanders, Anita Fitzgerald, Danielle VarleyEffectiveness of probiotics on the duration of illness in healthy children and adults who develop common acute respiratory infectious conditions: a systematic review and meta-analysisBr J Nutr.(2014 Jul 14)
  7. ^The content of this page was partially adapted from MedlinePlus of the National Library of Medicine accessed 10 October 2022
  8. ^Schwartz SR, Magit AE, Rosenfeld RM, Ballachanda BB, Hackell JM, Krouse HJ, Lawlor CM, Lin K, Parham K, Stutz DR, Walsh S, Woodson EA, Yanagisawa K, Cunningham ERClinical Practice Guideline (Update): Earwax (Cerumen Impaction) Executive SummaryOtolaryngol Head Neck Surg.(2017-01)