Ear Care From ENT Specialists in Shelby, Belmont & Gastonia, NC 

Medically reviewed by Frederic E. Levy, MD 

Patients searching for an ear doctor can trust an ENT specialist to provide comprehensive care tailored to their individual needs. Ear pain, muffled hearing, drainage, ringing, pressure, or dizziness can disrupt work, school, sleep, and daily routines. Because several ear conditions can cause similar symptoms, an ENT specialist can examine the ear canal and eardrum, review your symptoms, and help determine what may be causing the problem.

ENT Carolina’s team of ENT specialists cares for children and adults at our offices in Shelby, Belmont, and Gastonia, North Carolina. Our team treats common ear disorders and works with our audiology team when symptoms involve hearing loss, tinnitus, or balance. Patients with ear concerns can schedule an appointment or visit our walk-in ENT clinic for acute ear concerns such as ear pain, ear infections, or sudden changes in hearing.

Ear Conditions We Treat at ENT Carolina 

ENT Care for Ear Pain

Ear pain can begin inside the ear or come from a nearby area such as the jaw or throat. Common causes include an outer or middle ear infection, eustachian tube dysfunction, ear canal irritation, injury, or temporomandibular joint problems. An ENT evaluation can help separate these causes, especially when pain is severe, keeps returning, or occurs with drainage or hearing changes.

Swimmer’s Ear Treatment (Otitis Externa)

Swimmer’s ear is inflammation or infection of the outer ear canal. It may develop after water stays in the ear, but it can also follow irritation from cotton swabs, earbuds, hearing aids, or skin conditions. Symptoms may include pain when the outer ear is touched, itching, redness, swelling, fullness, or drainage. After examining the canal and eardrum, your provider may recommend cleaning the canal, prescription ear drops, and steps to keep the ear dry while it heals.

Treatment for Middle Ear Fluid (Otitis Media)

Otitis media with effusion means fluid is present behind the eardrum without necessarily having an active infection. It can cause a blocked feeling, popping, muffled hearing, or balance concerns and may occur after a cold or when the eustachian tube is not working well. Your ENT specialist may monitor the fluid, check hearing and middle-ear pressure, address contributing nasal or allergy symptoms, or discuss ear tubes when fluid persists and affects hearing.

Ear Infection Care

Ear infections may affect the outer canal or the space behind the eardrum. Adults may notice pain, pressure, drainage, or reduced hearing. Children may also tug at an ear, become irritable, sleep poorly, or develop a fever. Treatment varies by the type and severity of the infection. Repeated middle ear infections may require a hearing test or a discussion about ear tubes, particularly when fluid or hearing changes continue between infections.

Eardrum Perforation Treatment

A perforated eardrum is a hole or tear in the eardrum. It may result from infection, pressure changes, a loud sound, or an injury to the ear. Symptoms can include sudden pain, drainage, ringing, dizziness, or hearing loss. Some perforations heal without surgery, while others need further treatment or repair. An ENT can confirm the perforation, check for infection or hearing changes, and explain how to protect the ear while it heals.

Evaluation for Dizziness

Dizziness can mean spinning, lightheadedness, unsteadiness, or feeling as if you are moving when you are still. Inner-ear conditions are one possible cause, but dizziness may also be related to circulation, migraine, medication, or other medical concerns. Your ENT visit may include a symptom history, ear exam, hearing test, or balance testing to help determine whether the problem may be coming from the inner ear and what care is appropriate.

Professional Earwax Removal

Earwax helps protect the ear canal, but it can become impacted and cause fullness, discomfort, ringing, muffled hearing, or trouble using hearing aids. Cotton swabs and other objects often push wax deeper and may injure the canal or eardrum. ENT Carolina provides professional earwax removal using a method selected for the amount and location of the wax and the condition of the ear. Once the blockage is removed, the provider can recheck the canal and eardrum for irritation, infection, or another cause of symptoms.

Find an ENT Specialist Near You

Choose the ENT Carolina office that is most convenient for you. Our ear, nose, and throat providers see patients in Gastonia, Shelby, and Belmont, North Carolina.