If necessary, the physician will refer the patient for laboratory and visual diagnostics examinations or to a physician of another speciality for additional testing. For example, often throat pain is associated with gastrointestinal disorders or prolonged runny nose might be a sign of an allergy.

Red flags for visiting a otorhinolaryngologist:

• additional complaints after a period of initially mild cold or ear infection: fever, strong headache, photosensitivity, nausea and/or dizziness etc.;
• hoarseness for more than three weeks;
• any sudden impairment or loss of hearing;
• bloody discharge from the respiratory tract;
• prolonged, resistant ear inflammation with smelly discharge;
• frequent tonsillitis with pus around the tonsils, joint, kidney or heart valve inflammation.