By If you are seeing an ENT consultant in Dubai for the first time, it helps to know the steps in advance. Most visits follow a clear pattern: a talk about your symptoms, a careful look at your ears, nose and throat, and sometimes a quick test done right there in the clinic.
This guide walks you through each step. It ends with how to book with Dr. Muhammad Jabbr, Consultant ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon at Medcare Hospital Al Safa.
ENT consultant, ENT specialist or GP: what is the difference?
A GP (general practitioner) is often your first stop. A GP can treat a simple ear infection, a cold or a sore throat. If a problem keeps coming back, does not settle, or needs special tools to see clearly, a GP may suggest an ENT doctor.
An ENT specialist has completed full training in ear, nose and throat medicine and surgery. In the UAE, doctors are licensed at different grades. Consultant is the senior grade. It usually needs further years of practice after specialist level, and often higher qualifications.
A consultant can examine you, order tests, make the diagnosis and, if needed, operate. You often do not need a referral to book an ENT consultant directly. Some insurance plans do ask for one, so check your policy first.
How do you prepare to see an ENT consultant in Dubai?
A little preparation makes the visit more useful. Try to bring:
- A short symptom diary. When did it start? Is it one side or both? What makes it better or worse?
- A list of your medicines. Include nasal sprays, inhalers, blood thinners, supplements and any recent antibiotics.
- Old reports and scans. Bring hearing test results, CT or MRI reports, and any letters from other doctors.
- Your hearing aids, if you wear them.
- Your main question, written down so it does not get lost.
- Your Emirates ID and insurance card, if you plan to use insurance.
Before a hearing test, avoid loud noise, such as concerts or loud headphones, for a day or so. You can find answers to many practical questions on our frequently asked questions page.
What will the consultant ask you?
The visit starts with a conversation. In many ENT problems, your story points to the cause before any test does. Expect questions such as:
- What is the main problem, and how long have you had it?
- Does it affect your sleep, work, voice or eating?
- Do you have allergies, asthma, reflux or diabetes?
- Do you smoke, or are you around smoke or dust at work?
Be open, even about things that seem small. A blocked ear after flying, a dry throat from the air conditioning, or a voice that tires by evening can all be useful clues.
What does the ENT examination involve?
Next comes a gentle physical check. It is usually quick and painless. Depending on your symptoms, the consultant may:
- Look inside your ears with a lit scope to check the ear canal and eardrum.
- Look into your nose, mouth and the back of your throat.
- Feel your neck for lumps, swollen glands or changes in the thyroid.
- Do simple tuning-fork tests, which give a first idea of the type of hearing loss.
If you feel dizzy, there may also be simple balance and eye-movement checks. Each step is explained first.
Which tests might be done in the clinic?
Many parts of the ear, nose and throat are hidden from plain view. A quick same-day test can help.
Nasal endoscopy
A thin, lit camera is passed gently into the nose, usually after a numbing spray. It shows the septum, the turbinates, the sinus openings and the back of the nose. It can help find polyps, a deviated septum, infection or the source of nosebleeds. You can read more on our nasal endoscopy page.
Laryngoscopy
To look at the voice box and lower throat, a small scope is passed through the nose or held at the back of the mouth. You may be asked to say "eee" so the vocal cords can be seen moving. This test is useful for hoarseness, a lump feeling in the throat, swallowing trouble or a long-lasting cough. Learn more about throat and voice care.
Audiometry and tympanometry
A hearing test (audiometry) is usually done by an audiologist in a quiet booth. You wear headphones and press a button each time you hear a sound. Tympanometry is a short pressure test that shows how well your eardrum moves. Together they show the type and level of any hearing loss. See our audiology and hearing tests page for details.
Tests that may need a separate visit
Some questions need more information. Depending on the cause, the consultant may arrange a CT or MRI scan, a neck ultrasound, a fine-needle sample of a lump, allergy tests or a sleep study.
How are your results explained?
You should leave knowing three things: what is likely going on, how sure the doctor is, and what happens next.
Endoscopy pictures may be shown to you on the screen. Your hearing test graph can be talked through line by line. If the diagnosis is not yet clear, the consultant will say so and explain which test will help answer the question.
Do not be shy about asking things like "What does that mean for me?" or "Can you say that more simply?"
What does the treatment plan and follow-up look like?
Treatment usually moves step by step, starting with the simplest option that is likely to work. Depending on the cause, a plan may include:
- Advice and self-care, such as saline rinses, voice rest, sleep position changes or managing reflux.
- Medicines, such as nasal steroid sprays, ear drops or a short course of tablets where needed.
- Minor procedures, such as clearing ear wax under a microscope or sealing a bleeding vessel in the nose. Many are done in the clinic.
- Surgery, kept for problems where it offers more than other options. You hear the benefits, risks and recovery in plain words first.
A follow-up visit then checks whether the treatment is working, and the plan is adjusted if needed.
Which symptoms should skip the clinic queue?
A booked consultation suits most ENT problems, but a few cannot wait. Go to an emergency department, or call an ambulance, for:
- Trouble breathing, or drooling with a sore throat.
- A hot, swollen neck with high fever.
- Sudden weakness on one side of the face.
- A nosebleed still going after 15 minutes of pinching the soft part of the nose.
Sudden hearing loss in one ear needs a same-day check if possible, as treatment tends to work better when started early. Hoarseness or a neck lump lasting over three weeks in an adult, or blood in your saliva, should be seen within days.
Seeing Dr. Muhammad Jabbr at Medcare Hospital Al Safa
Dr. Muhammad Jabbr is a Consultant ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon. You see him in the ENT Department of Medcare Hospital on Hadiqa Street, Al Safa 1. He holds an MD, MS and DOHNS (England), as well as the European and Arab Boards in ORL-HNS.
He brings more than 20 years of experience and over 3,000 ENT procedures, and he treats both adults and children. Many patients see him as one of the best ENT consultants in Dubai. You can read more about Dr. Jabbr and his training.
Book an appointment
To arrange your consultation, choose a time online or phone +971 52 751 7811. It helps to mention your main symptom when you book. The address and other ways to get in touch are on our contact page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a first ENT consultation take?
It depends on your problem. Allow extra time if a hearing test or endoscopy is done on the same day.
Will a scope test make me sneeze or gag?
It might, for a moment. The nose can tickle and the throat can feel full. A numbing spray is often used first, which helps. Most people find it odd rather than painful, and it is over in a few minutes.
Do I need to stop eating before my appointment?
Usually not. For a routine clinic visit you can eat and drink as normal. If a numbing spray is used for a throat test, you may be asked to wait a short time before eating or drinking afterwards.
Will I get my results on the same day?
For tests done in the clinic, often yes. Scan reports and needle samples take longer, so you may be asked to come back to go through them.
Can I bring someone with me to the consultation?
Yes. A family member or friend can help you remember what was said. A parent should come with a child, and can help keep the child calm during the examination.
What if my symptoms have gone by the day of the visit?
Keep the appointment if the problem keeps coming back. Your symptom diary fills the gap, and a photo of a swelling or a short recording of your snoring can help too. Some causes, such as a deviated septum, show even on a good day.
In summary
An ENT consultation is mostly talking, looking and listening, with a short test when it helps. Bring your notes, medicines list and main question, and you will get more from the time. When you feel ready, you can book your visit with Dr. Muhammad Jabbr.
