Problems of the ear, nose, and throat are among the most common disorders encountered in family practice. As in family practice, the scope of otolaryngology includes areas claimed by other disciplines: allergy, infectious disease, oncology, neurology, pediatrics, and both plastic and general surgery. The affected areas are more or less accessible to examination once one learns to deal with certain inherent protective reflexes. Diagnosis is usually straightforward and specific, and management of many of the disorders is within the family physician’s scope of competence.