The ear is a complex sensory organ and ear diseases are correspondingly diverse. Many manifest themselves as earache. Others reduce hearing performance. The following article provides you with an overview of the most common ear diseases, their symptoms and treatment.
You will also find highly qualified ear specialists for the treatment of ear diseases.
The ears are susceptible to various diseases with completely different symptoms.
A widespread ear disease is otitis media with an inflamed mucous membrane in the middle ear. This can be quite painful, but is generally harmless. A middle ear infection, which is often accompanied by fever, frequently affects children.
Labyrinthitis is also an inflammation. It affects the entire ear canal. This can lead to hearing problems as well as an impaired sense of balance.
Not all ear diseases are necessarily associated with pain. Some diseases draw attention to themselves through a discharge from the ear, while others affect the ability to hear.
Tinnitus, for example, is one of the most common ear diseases. With this condition, patients constantly hear a beeping or other noises that do not originate from the environment. This can be very distressing and significantly reduce the quality of life of those affected.
Hearing loss, also known as hearing loss or hypercusis, is a normal symptom of old age. Around 15 million people in Germany are more or less affected by it. This hearing loss tends to manifest itself gradually. In contrast, there are other explanations for sudden hearing loss, including
Other ear diseases include
Various risk factors increase the likelihood of developing an ear disease.
People who are constantly exposed to high levels of noise at work have an increased risk of hearing loss in old age. Age-related hearing loss can be prevented with targeted noise protection and a healthy lifestyle. However, hearing loss cannot be completely avoided.
A tympanic effusion usually develops from a flu-like infection or a cold. Various accidents and injuries can also cause earache. The cause of a hole in the eardrum, on the other hand, is a foreign body in the ear.
There are other possible causes of sudden hearing loss, also known as a hearing infarction:
Care should be taken when cleaning the ears. Experts recommend not using ear swabs. If used incorrectly, they can damage the eardrum. Cleaning the ears with warm water is completely sufficient.
If you suffer from unexplained ear pain or noise for several days, consult a doctor immediately. Ear diseases must be treated as quickly as possible so that they do not become chronic.
The first point of contact for an existing ear condition is the ear, nose and throat specialist (ENT). Hearing aid acousticians can now also carry out various measurements and diagnose ear diseases.
The doctor first examines the ear canal, the eardrum and the eustachian tube. If these are inconspicuous, further examinations are carried out. A hearing test and the corresponding tone audiogram, for example, can provide information on whether otosclerosis is present.
The bone conduction threshold curve and the Carhart depression are also informative. These can be used to diagnose conductive or sensorineural hearing loss, for example.
The treatment that is considered depends on the underlying disease. In the case of otosclerosis, stapesplasty surgery is quite promising. This involves placing an artificial stapes in the patient's ear.
Hearing loss is the most common symptom. Almost everyone struggles with reduced hearing as they get older. However, complete hearing loss, i.e. deafness, is rather rare. Nowadays, hearing loss can be treated quite well with hearing aids.
There is a suitable hearing aid for every hearing problem. In-the-ear and behind-the-ear hearing aids have various advantages and disadvantages. It is best to consult a competent hearing aid acoustician who can explain the differences to you.
Ampflifon is one of the market leaders in the field of high-quality hearing aids.
Inflammatory diseases in the ear have a good prognosis and often even heal without medical treatment. In persistent cases, the doctor will usually prescribe anti-inflammatory medication or antibiotics. This drug treatment works quite well and the symptoms disappear after just a few days.
The situation is different for serious illnesses such as sudden deafness or tinnitus.
If you recognize such symptoms, consult an ENT specialist as soon as possible. Only timely treatment can prevent chronic progression.
Surgery is unavoidable for some ear diseases. Every operation is associated with a certain risk. Possible complications include ringing in the ears or a loss of hearing and taste immediately after the operation. Nerve damage or complete hearing loss cannot be ruled out either, but are rather rare.
Basically, the sooner ear diseases are recognized and treated, the better the prognosis. A chronic course or even other secondary diseases such as meningitis can be prevented by timely treatment.
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