Whether you need care for a recurrent ear infection or a more serious condition, University of Missouri Health Care’s ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists diagnose and treat a variety of conditions.

We offer general ENT services as well as specialized care of children and adults. In addition, our researchers continually explore ways to make treatments easier and more effective.

General ENT care

General ear, nose and throat (otolaryngology) care concentrates on both surgical and non-surgical treatment of a wide variety of head and neck disorders in adults and children, including:

  • Neck lesions, nodules and cysts. Bumps or knots that form on the neck because of an injury or illness.
  • Obstructive sleep apnea. A sleep disorder that causes your airways to become blocked, which leads you to unknowingly stop breathing for short periods of time during sleep.
  • Oral lesions and taste disorders. Injuries inside the mouth or conditions that affect your ability to taste.
  • Salivary gland disease. Infections, stones, nodules and inflammatory disorders related to the gland that produces your saliva.
  • Snoring. When your airways become blocked, causing you to breathe loudly during sleep.
  • Throat problems. These include infections, swelling and lesions of the tonsils and adenoids.
  • Throat and swallowing disorders. Also called dysphagia, swallowing disorders can be caused by a variety of issues, including brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, injury, surgery and tooth problems, and more.
  • Voice problems. These include vocal cord and larynx infections, voice disorders, breathing and cough.

Specialty ENT care

You may remain in our general otolaryngology practice through the course of your treatments or you may be referred to other MU Health Care ENT specialists, who specialize in:

  • Allergy, sinus and nose. The treatment of allergies, sinus conditions and nasal problems.
  • Children’s ENT. Specialized treatment for our youngest patients.
  • Facial plastic surgery. Surgical procedures to adjust the appearance of parts of the face, head or neck.
  • Head and neck cancer. Surgery and treatment of side effects for cancers that affect the head and neck region, including skin cancer.
  • Hearing and balance (audiology). Treatment for hearing and balance issues caused by a wide range of conditions and injuries.
  • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Surgical procedures such as dental extractions and oral biopsies as well as treatment for cysts and tumors of the jaw bones, and more.
  • Voice and swallow (laryngology). Treatment for voice conditions and swallowing disorders caused by a neurological condition, injury or other illness.

Access to ENT Clinical Trials

MU Health Care’s ENT team offers our patients the most advanced, leading-edge treatments through clinical trials. Our research office has multiple clinical trials available for both pediatric and adult patients, one benefit of being part of an academic health system. Through collaboration and innovative research, we’re able to bring the best and safest treatments to mid-Missouri.