Ear, Nose, and Throat Complications and Challenges in the Elderly With Multimorbidity

Abstract

Elderly patients will not only present to specialists with specific ear, nose, and throat (ENT) complaints but will also seek treatment for comorbidities that have significant impacts on their quality of life; as well as the prognosis of the specific disease being managed the specialist with an increased demand on health care resources. While the principles of management of ENT disorders in the elderly are not so different from what is obtainable for other age groups, it is very important to take note of the specific differences and apply individualized treatment plan for better outcome. ENT diseases in the elderly may also present with unexpected or uncommon symptoms and this will mean that management must be carried out with caution. Medication dosage, performance scale, extent of surgical operations, and other treatment modalities are considerable in management of elderly ones. Subtle complaints from the elderly should not be over looked or managed by unqualified personnel. They should be referred early to specialists for proper management.