As one of the five classic human sensory organs, the ear is responsible both for the sense of hearing—that is, the perception of acoustic stimuli—and for the sense of balance, also known as vestibular perception. Thanks to the ear, humans can perceive tones, sounds, and noises, and orient and balance their bodies in space. The ear consists of the outer ear (auricle, earlobe, and external auditory canal), the middle ear (eardrum and ossicles), and the inner ear (cochlea and vestibular system).
Ear disorders are systematically classified in Chapter VIII of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) internationally recognized ICD-10 diagnostic classification system under codes H60 through H95, depending on which part of the ear is affected. These range from infections to hearing loss, as well as congenital and acquired malformations, and include disorders causing dizziness. Physicians who specialize in the treatment of ear disorders have typically completed specialized training as otolaryngologists. However, specialists in plastic and aesthetic surgery also treat injuries and malformations of the ear, for example, in the context of ear reconstruction. On the following pages, you can find detailed information about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of ear disorders and locate selected, qualified specialists in otolaryngology.
Ear disorders are systematically classified in Chapter VIII of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) internationally recognized ICD-10 diagnostic classification system under codes H60 through H95, depending on which part of the ear is affected. These range from infections to hearing loss, as well as congenital and acquired malformations, and include disorders causing dizziness. Physicians who specialize in the treatment of ear disorders have typically completed specialized training as otolaryngologists. However, specialists in plastic and aesthetic surgery also treat injuries and malformations of the ear, for example, in the context of ear reconstruction. On the following pages, you can find detailed information about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of ear disorders and locate selected, qualified specialists in otolaryngology.
