Surfer's ear, also known as exostosis, is the condition where the ear canal becomes narrow due to the growth of a bone over time. This bone growth is caused by an exposure to cold water and cold air (common in surfing) and causes lumps and bulges in the ear canal, affecting hearing.A specialist doctor can conduct a surgical procedure to help you treat the exotosis and get rid of the bone growth.
There are 2 types of hearing loss, conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss:Conductive hearing loss: Caused by physical problems affecting the movement of sound waves through the ear, includingWax or foreign body in the ear canalMiddle-ear infections or injurySwollen ear canalSensorineural hearing loss: Caused by damage to the hair cells or nerves that sense the sound waves in the ear, includingProlonged exposure to loud noisesEar pressureHead traumaMedication effectsYou can get a hearing loss test if you experience any of these symptoms:Difficulty hearing in conversationsFrequently asking people to repeat themselves in conversationsListening to music or watching television with a higher voume than others doHearing better in one ear than the otherRinging or buzzing in earsSome tests and treatments for hearing loss are ventilation tubes, labyrinthectomy, ear microscopy, pure tone audiometry (PTA), and impedance audiometry (Tympanometry).
A tuning fork can be used to test your hearing ability to diagnose any possibility of hearing loss. During the test, a vibrating tuning fork is placed on your forehead while the doctor analyses your hearing reaction to the vibration.
Age-Related Hearing Loss (Presbycusis) is the hearing loss that happens slowly with age as we grow older. It usually starts with the loss of hearing ability for high frequency sounds, and can worsen over time. It is one of the most common type of hearing loss and is usually treated with a hearing aid or other treatments.
A ruptured eardrum means that there is a hole or tear on the thin tissue surrounding your eardrum. This can lead to hearing loss or middle ear infections and injuries. Several different factors can cause a ruptured eardrum, like middle ear infection, ear pressure, loud sounds or blasts, foreign objects in your ear, or head trauma and injuries.If your eardrum rupture is unable to recover on its own, a surgical treatment may be needed. This can be a myringoplasty, a myringotomy, or a tympanoplasty. You should get your eardrum condition checked by the specialist doctor to get an advice on the best choice of treatment.
Ear pressure discomfort is also known as ear barotrauma, which is what you feel when your ears fail to equalize the pressure of your ears' inner space and that of the surrounding environment.Some symptoms of ear barotrauma includ ear blockages, ear pain, hearing loss, dizziness, ear ringing, and ear discharge.If youare diagnosed with ear barotrauma, the specialist doctor can help you with treatments like clearing the ear canal, treating any congestion or infections in the ear, or in some cases surgical procedures of the inner ear.
Swimmer's ear, also known as otitis externa, is the infection of the outer ear canal. This condition is usually caused by water remaining in the ear, creating a moist environment for bacterial infection, common among swimmers.Some symptoms of swimmer's ear include:redness of ear canalear dischargeear canal blockagehearing difficultiespain in ear canalSwimmer's ear can usually be treated with cleaning and antibacterial topicals if detected early.
Malignant otitis externa is the infection or damage on the bones of the ear canal, caused by bacterial infection in the inner ear. This condition is common in diabetic patients and people with a weakened immune system.Some symptoms for malignant otitis externa include:ear dischargeinner ear painhearing lossinner ear itchingfeverdifficulty swallowingfacial muscles weaknessTreatments for malignant otitis externa focus on curing the infection and getting rid of the bacteria. You can consult a specialist doctor to diagnose your condition.
Eardrum fluid is usually a case of Glue Ear. Glue Ear, or Otitis Media with Effusion, is the build-up of fluid at the middle ear section, due to causes like a cold, sore throat, or upper respiratory infection. This can lead to hearing difficulties or ear pressure discomfort.Some treatments done for Glue Ear are ventilation tubes, Grommet insertion (Tympanostomy tube), and ear microscopy for checking.
Ramsay Hunt Syndrome is the condition where a viral infection to the facial nerve near the ears cause a facial paralysis and hearing loss.Ramsay Hunt Syndrome is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. After we have recovered from chicken pox, the virus remains dormant (or asleep) in our bodies. Years later, this virus may reactivate can cause conditions like shingles or Ramsay Hunt Syndrome.The main symptoms of Ramsay Hunty Syndrome is facial paralysis and painful rash with fluid-filled blisters around the ear.Ramsay Hunt syndrome needs to be properly diagnosed for the right treatment, so do consult a specialist doctor to have your condition checked.
Perichondritis is an infection or inflammation of the connective tissue in our ear. This can be caused by an infection or a spread from an external inflammation. Treatments for this infection usually include antibiotics depending on how severe the infection is.
Are you having dizziness or vertigo? The main difference is that vertigo, other than just experiencing dizziness, gives you a feeling or illusion that either you feel as if you are moving even though you're not (subjective vertigo), or you feel that your surroundings are moving even though they're not (objective vertigo). Vertigo is usually caused by a problem in the ear, and can be tested and treated using several different procedures, including Canalith Repositioning Procedure (Epley Maneuver), Cawthorne-Cooksey (CC) Exercises, Dix-Hallpike Maneuver, Posterior Semicircular Canal Occlusion, Labyrinthectomy, Vestibular Rehabilitation, or Ear Microscopy.
Meniere Disease is an inner ear disorder that can lead to vertigo (dizziness), hearing loss, ear ringing (tinnitus), or ear pressure discomfort. Some treatments for Meniere Disease include Vestibular Nerve Section and Intratympanic Injection. You can get a diagnosis from the doctor to see if you require a treatment for Meniere Disease.
Ear infections can come in various forms, and the main sign that you may have an ear infection is if you feel pain in your ear. Ear infections can affect the outer ear, middle ear, or inner ear, with different conditions like ottitis media or otitis externa the culprits.The most important thing to do is to get your ear condition tested and diagnosed by a verified doctor, so that the suitable treatment can be carried out.Some common tests and treatments for ear infections are adenoidectomy, ventilation tubes, and ear microscopy.
Tinnitus is the condition where you constantly hear a ringing sound in your ear. This ringing sound can be in the form of ringing, buzzing, roaring, clicking or hissing. It can also be a sign or symptom of some other underlying causes.Some tests and treatments for tinnitus include white noise machines, masking devices, tinnitus retraining, and clicking, humming, or ringing tests. You can get a test and diagnosis from the doctor to see what type of tinnitus and a suitable treatment for your condition.
Acoustic Neuroma is also known vestibular schwannoma. This is a non-cancerous slow-growing tumour that develops at the inner ear section. Acoustic neuroma can lead to difficulting balancing, hearing loss, ringing in the ear, or hearing difficulties.
Cholesteatoma is a non-cancerous skin growth that develops at the middle ear section, behind the eardrum.Cholesteatoma can be either a birth defect or caused by repeated middle ear infections. Treatments like cholesteatoma surgery, removal of mastoid (mastoidectomy) and atticotomy can be done to treat cholesteatoma.
Mastoiditis is a bacterial infection that affects the inner and middle ear, caused by infected or inflamed mastoid cells in our ear, or as a result of untreated middle ear infection (otitis media).In some cases, the mastoid in the ear needs to be removed, in which case a mastoid removal surgery (mastoidectomy) is done.
Otitis media is the infection and inflammation of the middle ear. This is a painful condition that can be acute or chronic, and causes redness, swelling, and a build-up of fluid behind the eardrum.Depending on the condition of the Otitis Media infection, treatments like Chronic Otitis Media Treatment, Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media Treatment, Chronic Otitis Media Surgery, Ventilation Tubes, and Grommet Insertion may be done.You can get your ear tested and diagnosed by the doctor to know what treatmen to receive.
Glue Ear, or Otitis Media with Effusion, is the build-up of fluid at the middle ear section, due to causes like a cold, sore throat, or upper respiratory infection. This can lead to hearing difficulties or ear pressure discomfort.Some treatments done for Glue Ear are ventilation tubes, Grommet insertion (Tympanostomy tube), and ear microscopy for checking.
A ruptured eardrum means that there is a hole or tear on the thin tissue surrounding your eardrum. This can lead to hearing loss or middle ear infections and injuries. Several different factors can cause a ruptured eardrum, like middle ear infection, ear pressure, loud sounds or blasts, foreign objects in your ear, or head trauma and injuries.If your eardrum rupture is unable to recover on its own, a surgical treatment may be needed. This can be a myringoplasty, a myringotomy, or a tympanoplasty. You should get your eardrum condition checked by the specialist doctor to get an advice on the best choice of treatment.
When you feel pain on your ear, whether it is your outer ear, middle ear or inner ear, there may be chances of injuries or infection.Ear pain can also be acute (sudden) or chronic (long term). In either case, you should always get your ear condition checked and diagnosed by the doctor so that the problem can be identified and treated effectively rather than worsen.
A fungal ear infection, also known as otomycosis, happens when there is a blockage of the ear canal caused by the presence of fungi or bacterial infection. Though usually able to be cured by medication, some conditions can be linked to other infections and should be checked and diagnosed accurately by a specialist doctor.
Fluid discharged from the ear is usually ear wax. However, if you find abnormal ear discharge such as dry crusted discharge, or white, bloody, or yello discharge, this can be a sign of infection or rupture in the inner ear.Treatments for ear discharge depends on the root cause of the problem. Do get your condition diagnosed accurately by a specialist doctor to get the right treatment.
Impacted earwax happens when your earwax causes a blockage in your ear and affects your hearing. Trying to remove the earwax by yourself may be counter-productive because you may push the wax deeper or injure your inner ear.Medical treatments like earwax softener medicine or earwax removal done by a trained doctor can help you solve this problem.
Ear injuries or traumas can be caused by different factors like accidents, a ruptured eardrum, or any injuries to your inner ear caused by infections.As we can't access to our ear canal and inner ear, we usually can't treat our ear injuries or traumas without the help of a specialist doctor. Depending on the type of injury, the doctor will diagnose and administer the most effective treatment for the recovery of the injury.
Otosclerosis, also known as otospongiosis is an abnormal growth of bone near the middle ear which can result in hearing loss if left untreated. Hearing aids can help solve hearing problems but in some cases, a surgical procedure to remove the bone growth may be needed.
Facial nerve palsy, or facial nerve paralysis, is when part of your face, usually unilaterally, shows weakness. This can include muscle weakness, loss of taste, decreased salivation,and decreased tear secretion.Some of the common causes of facial nerve palsy are: infection or inflammation of the facial nerve, head trauma, head or neck tumour, or stroke. Facial nerve palcy can happen gradually, or suddenly, depending on the cause.
Labyrinthitis is an ear infection that causes the the inner structure of the ear, called the labyrinth, to become inflamed. This can cause a loss of hearing or balance.Some of the symptoms of labyrinthitis include:dizzinessloss of hearingheadacheringing in the earear dischargeear painblurry visionViral infection can cause labyrinthitis. If you suspect that you could have a labyrinthitis infection, get a consultation with a specialist doctor to make sure your condition gets diagnosed and treated accurately.
