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An Ear, Nose and Throat physician diagnoses and treats conditions such as diseases, trauma, nerve damage, and all issues surrounding the neck and head that are ENT-related. They can also perform numerous procedures and surgery within the scope of the head and neck in-office, or a hospital setting.
We caught up with Dr. Catherine Smith of Bayfront Health Medical Group to find out more.
H&W: Dr. Smith, give us an overview of your ENT services and what you offer patients as far as diagnosis, treatment, and care.
Dr. Smith: I treat patients from pediatrics to geriatrics, which entails a significant, wide-ranging scope of conditions and therapies. I specialize in disorders of the ears, nose, and throat. I treat ear disorders such as hearing loss, ringing in the ears and ear infections like swimmers ear.
Allergies in Florida are year-round, so very often, we work in conjunction with allergy specialists in the area to help alleviate or lessen these conditions for our patients. I can assess and treat nasal disorders such as sinusitis, deviated nasal septum repair and nasal trauma.
There are also many disorders of the throat that we see in our office, such as difficulty swallowing, voice box changes like hoarseness or a weak voice, and we diagnose and treat chronic sore throats, swollen glands, and lymph nodes.
At our Bayfront location, I can perform numerous procedures right in the comfort of our office, like minor skin excisions of the head and neck, or skin lesion biopsies. I can also put tubes in the ears in certain patients with local anesthetic, while others might be better suited for a surgical outpatient setting.
I frequently survey patients in office for head and neck cancers and utilize the laryngoscope and the telescope to view or treat the airway and ears. I also work closely with all specialists from oncologists to endocrinologists to give my patients the most comprehensive ENT care available.
Catherine Smith, M.D., is a board-certified otolaryngologist trained to diagnose and manage disorders and diseases of the ear, nose and throat (ENT). She has more than 20 years of experience treating patients with both surgical and non-surgical
options for symptoms affecting the sinuses, ears, throat, thyroid, and salivary glands. She treats patients of all ages, including newborns.
Dr. Smith received her undergraduate from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, and her medical degree from SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn in New York. She completed her residency in otolaryngology at Louisiana State University Health Science Center in New Orleans, where she was later brought on as an Assistant Professor.
Bayfront Health Medical Group provides comprehensive care for conditions that affect the ear, nose and throat. Ear, nose and throat doctors work with audiologists, neurologists, and other specialists to treat minor issues such as earaches and sinus conditions, as well as complex problems with hearing, balance, taste, and speech.
Ear, nose and throat doctors are trained in both medical and surgical treatment, so when surgery is necessary, your ENT specialist can manage all aspects of your treatment.
Bayfront Health Medical Group ENT services include treatment for the following:
• Hoarseness and throat pain
• Facial pain, fractures and trauma
• Hearing loss
• Sleeping difficulty and snoring
• Ear pain
• Tongue tie
• Facial nerve disorders
• dizziness
• Nasal obstruction
• Neck lumps and bumps
• Difficulty swallowing
• Head and neck skin lesions
Bayfront Health Medical Group Otolaryngology
Punta Gorda
713 E. Marion Ave., Ste 133
Punta Gorda, FL 33950
(941) 833-1777
