Otorhinolaryngology (/oʊtoʊˌraɪnoʊˌlærənˈɡɒlədʒi/ oh-toh-RYE-noh-LAR-ən-GOL-ə-jee; abbreviated ORL; also called otolaryngology; other terms include otolaryngology – head and neck surgery (ORL–H&N, OHNS) and ear, nose, and throat, often called ENT) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the surgical and medical management of conditions of the head and neck. Doctors who specialize in this area are called otorhinolaryngologists, otolaryngologists, head and neck surgeons, or ENT surgeons or physicians. Patients seek treatment from an otorhinolaryngologist for diseases of the ear, nose, throat, base of the skull, head, and neck. These commonly include functional diseases that affect the senses and activities of eating, drinking, speaking, breathing, swallowing, and hearing.