5 changes to treating and diagnosing ENT conditions

Ordering CT and MRI scans of the head/brain for three commonly presented conditions — hearing loss, acute rhinosinusitis and hoarseness — is unnecessary and should be avoided.

This advice forms part of a new set of guidelines from the Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery on testing and treatment options.

They are:

1. Don’t order CT scan of the head/brain for sudden hearing loss. However, it may be appropriate in patients with focal neurologic findings, a history of trauma or chronic ear disease.
2. Don’t prescribe oral antibiotics for uncomplicated