What You Should Know About Common Ear Diseases
Ear problems can happen to anyone and they are usually the most disconcerting. These diseases are more common than people think, and early detection is important to preclude serious complications. A lot of people suffer from these conditions, but only few of them get diagnosis and proper treatment. While most ear diseases are not threatening, they can keep a person from doing their normal functioning. Untreated ear conditions can lead to deafness, infections like meningitis, and paralysis of the facial nerve.
Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is more prevalent than we think. A lot of people suffer from mild hearing loss and don’t even know it. Without knowledge about hearing loss, a lot of people are at risk. The common cause of this condition is excessive and repeated noise exposure. People exposed to industrial noise are prone to develop hearing disorder.
Early signs of hearing loss are usually undetected because people do not really think the symptoms mean anything out of the ordinary. For instance, turning the television volume more than other people at home may not be noticed as a symptom. Inability to understand speech and conversations may sometimes be mistaken for simple confusion or inattentiveness.
Impaired hearing can have profound effects on the life of the sufferer. Without proper diagnosis, appropriate help is not achieved. At the same time, people with undetected hearing loss are at risk of sustaining further damage and progressing hearing loss.
Normal people should have their hearing assessed every three years. People who are working in hazard places (occupational areas with loud noise) should have their hearing assessed at least once a year. If you have been diagnosed with hearing loss, you should go to your audiologist or otolaryngologist regularly to monitor the progress of your impairment.
Otitis Media
Middle ear infections are common among kids, but they can occur in adults too. These infections start from common colds or sinus infections gone worse. When these upper respiratory tract infections reach the Eustachian tubes, congestion in the middle ear happens. The constriction of the Eustachian tubes creates a negative pressure in the middle ear, and this negative pressure pulls fluid from adjacent tissues. The buildup of fluid in the middle ear causes mild hearing loss, which disappears once the fluid is cleared.
There are three kinds of otitis media—serous, acute, and chronic otitis media. All these types are characterized by fluid congestion in the middle ear, but acute and chronic otitis media are accompanied by pus buildup. Serous otitis media is characterized by mild symptoms without eardrum inflammation. There is minimal ear pain, and fever is usually absent. Acute otitis media is accompanied by eardrum inflammation and foul smelling secretions. Chronic otitis media shares common symptoms with the acute otitis media, but it lasts for months or even years.
Treatment of middle ear infection involves antibiotics, but you should consult your doctor before taking any.
Otosclerosis
An abnormal growth of bone in the middle ear, which causes hearing loss, is called otosclerosis. The presence of the abnormal bone growth prevents normal transmission of sound to the inner ear. Unlike common types of hearing loss, the one associated with otosclerosis begins with the gradual loss of low frequency sound perception. High frequency hearing loss can occur later.
It has been revealed by statistics that about 0.5% of the population may be suffering from this condition. Many people with the problem do not suffer from obvious symptoms. The cause of otosclerosis cannot be pinned down, although there is some evidence indicating that it could run in families. Otosclerosis affects both ears and usually progresses. There is no definite treatment, but patients can wear hearing aids to amplify their hearing. A surgery called stapedectomy can be done to remove the stapes, and a prosthesis is placed to correct hearing loss. However, this surgery often has many complications including vertigo and complete deafness.
Meniere’s Disease
There are a number of inner ear problems, but Menieres Disease is a commonly mentioned illness in the literature of ear diseases. This is another troublesome disease that has no cure. Its cause is also unknown, although specialists point out that it is associated with excessive fluid pressure in the inner ears. Symptoms of Meniere’s disease are vertigo, feeling of pressure in the ears, fluctuating hearing loss, and ringing in the ears. Such symptoms occur without warning and last for a few hours to several days, leaving the patient debilitated. A period of remission follows an attack, and it lasts for an indefinite period of time. Meniere’s disease can be managed by treating the symptoms during an attack. There are available vertigo medications that helps reduce dizziness or spinning sensations. Hearing usually improves after the attack, and tinnitus will recede.
Tinnitus
Ringing in the ears or tinnitus is often misunderstood because it cannot be classified into one of the ear disorders. It may be a symptom of a disease or a plain condition or a product of hearing loss. In many cases, it exists alone without a causative disorder. It troubles hundreds of millions of people in the world, and many of them do not know they have tinnitus—they probably hear their ears whistling but don’t actually know what that whistling sound is.
Tinnitus can be due to hearing loss, damaged nerve endings in the inner ears, a tumor on the vestibulocohclear nerve, or other abnormalities in the ears. This condition is difficult to treat completely, but it’s a benign condition.
Steps in Treating Ringing in Ears Allergies
Tinnitus or ringing of the ears can be caused by several conditions, and one of them is allergy. Sinus allergies are the common allergies that lead to ringing in ears. Allergies can be treated using antihistamines, but sometimes the symptoms can be unrelenting. Sinus allergies have symptoms that resemble common cold and other upper respiratory tract infection. However, the symptoms in an allergy can develop rapidly that they are hard to ignore. On the other hand, other types of allergies linger for a long time, and such chronic allergies can cause much discomfort.
Without appropriate diagnosis, allergies can go on and complicate into other conditions. What should you do?
1. Identify symptoms of nasal allergies before they complicate into more serious respiratory conditions. Runny nose, sneezing, coughing, congestion, and difficulty breathing should be reported to the doctor.
2. Don’t take antihistamines on your own. Just because a friend told you that a particular anti-allergy medication worked for them does not mean that you, too, should have the same medication.
3. Note that a number of antihistamines have ototoxic properties. Meaning, they can cause tinnitus. In fact, some people got their tinnitus after taking antihistamines.
4. Tell your doctor to give safer alternatives to tinnitus-inducing anti-allergy drugs.
5. Do not self-diagnose and self-medicate!
6. Inform your doctor if your allergy and constant ear ringing get worse.
Getting To Know Menieres Disease
When it comes to taking care of our body, we should always make it a point to put importance into our ears. Otherwise, we won’t be able to hear and interpret sound the way it normally should be. Keeping our ears healthy is also the same as preserving our sense of hearing and maintaining the body’s equilibrium to efficiently function as a whole. Just like our other body parts, our ears are also vulnerable to different diseases that may put our sense of hearing at a greater risk. These diseases are usually not life threatening though they still bring symptoms that can greatly affect your day to day life. Tinnitus is one condition wherein our ears continuously receive phantom sounds that usually depict an underlying problem. But aside from Tinnitus, there is another disease that brings far severe consequences to the sufferer. The medical condition is called “Menieres Disease” and is considered a primary culprit for many hearing loss cases.
The Background
The Menieres Disease was first discovered in the year 1861 by a French physician named Prosper Ménière. In an article he published during that year, he first mentioned that the medical condition termed “vertigo” was primarily caused by problems of the inner ear. The disease is generally recognized by the occurrence of both vertigo and tinnitus. The sufferer will also encounter progressive hearing loss in one ear but may also occur in both ears. In addition to hearing loss, the sufferer may also hear various sounds in a distorted and abnormal manner. It is helpful to know that this disorder affects people differently depending on the severity of the symptoms. One may develop mild or partial hearing problems while others can suffer from permanent hearing impairment. Regardless of your case, it is important to find solution in the least time possible.
The Symptoms
Because there are quite a number of symptoms that are directly associated with the sickness, a person’s case may be different from the other. The most common symptoms associated with the disease are periodic headaches, nausea, and dizziness, a fullness sensation in one of the ears, continuous ringing inside the ears and various hearing problems. One of the most destructive consequences of having to suffer the disease is the occurrence of vertigo. It is characterized by a form of dizziness wherein a person who is in a stationary position is feeling constant motion. It is as if their surroundings are continuously spinning even if they are not moving. As an effect, the sufferer will experience difficulties in standing or walking and may ultimately result to severe motion sickness. The sufferer may also develop another abnormal medical condition called “nystagmus” wherein the eyes rapidly point to one side and then go back to their original position after.
The Causes
Although the disease has existed for several centuries and has already infected countless individuals all throughout the world, it still remains a complex puzzle for the medical community to ultimately solve. Just as its symptoms, the disease has also numerous probable causes that make it hard for doctors to consider a general diagnosis. A lot of medical practitioners accept the idea that certain abnormalities in the flow of fluids inside the inner ear are the main cause of the disease. When a certain enzyme is lacking from a particular ear due to an illness or disease, certain abnormalities will suddenly surface triggering a new disease. But aside from that, they also do not discount the possibility of various viral and respiratory illnesses as the culprit for such an abnormal condition. The usage of non-prescription drugs is also seen as a culprit.
The Cure
One of the most effective ways in treating the disease is by regulating the different fluids within the body. This is done by implementing dietary changes to the patient. A salt-free diet may help in reducing unnecessary fluids from entering the body. Depending on circumstances, medicine and supplements may also help in reducing the effects of the symptoms. Protein supplements can empower the body to fight off the disease and speed up recovery. If a patient suffers from continuous vomiting, rehydration methods should be administered immediately. In recent time, homeopathic remedies are also seen as an effective cure to the disease. Unlike modern medicine which are backed by scientific findings, homeopathic medicines are only composed of natural ingredients such as herbs and are based on local medical beliefs that are handed down from generation to generation.
Menieres Disease is considered a chronic disease and its effects can last a lifetime. If you continue to ignore its symptoms today, it might just be little time before you completely lose your sense of hearing. Worst, you might also develop more severe problems that will put your whole life at risk. Reducing the destructive effects of the disease involves lifestyle changes and dietary regulation. In the event of an attack, there are various exercises that can be done to minimize its effects. But above all, the best way to fight the disease is to consult with your doctor and seek for effective remedies.
Otolaryngology and Its Functions
Did you know that your ears, nose, throat, head and neck are all interconnected with each other? As a matter of fact, any disease or abnormalities that are contracted by any of the mentioned organs will immediately bring harmful effects to the other. The problem will get worse if it is continuously ignored by the sufferer. It may come to a point where the disease or the disorder is not anymore curable and can even result to death. And while medicinal drugs have already proven their worth over time, there are still some medical conditions that require drastic measures such as surgery or reconstruction. In these serious circumstances, you need to immediately seek the help of a medical practitioner who specializes in this particular field. What you need is an ENT specialist or a person who is substantially knowledgeable in the science of Otolaryngology.
Otolaryngology is a specialized field in medicine that deals with the treatment of various disorders suffered by the ear, nose, throat, head and neck. When it comes to this part of the body, an ENT specialist can easily determine the cause of the disorder and provide you with insights on how to treat them. Some of the most common disorders that they treat are chronic tonsillitis, sinusitis, thyroid disease, cosmetic defects, tinnitus and ear infections. It is also good to know that they are also able to handle cancer cases such as head and neck cancer. An otolaryngologist is also one of only a few groups of doctors who are fully capable to perform basic to advanced surgery. Because surgery is such a risky and intricate procedure, otolaryngologists undergo at least five years of surgical residency training before getting a certification.
Here are some of the common medical procedures that an ENT doctor can perform:
Otology and Hearing Loss Treatment
There are quite a number of factors that contribute to hearing loss. A person may accidentally suffer an injury to their ears while others might lose their sense of hearing due to aging. Ear infections which are usually caused by fungal infection are also a common cause of hearing problems. Regardless of the reason, an ENT doctor can immediately diagnose a patient and recommend an effective solution. In cases where the nerve endings of the inner ear are badly damaged or have already died, the doctor may call for surgery to repair or remove the damaged tissue.
Tonsillectomy
Tonsillectomy is a medical procedure that involves surgically removing the problematic tonsils of the throat. A patient who frequently suffers from acute tonsillitis and sleep apnea is highly advised to undergo Tonsillectomy. After the operation, the patient is expected to suffer a sore throat for at least a week and can go as long as two to three weeks. Because of this, most patients will most likely opt to stay at the hospital until the pain goes away. Cold drinks can help in temporarily removing the pain brought by the swelling. For faster recovery, drinking more fluids is highly advisable.
Tracheotomy
Most of the time, we utilize our nose and mouth to breathe. In rare cases, a person may develop serious life-threatening diseases such as neck tumors which may prevent him/her from breathing properly. As a solution, ENT doctors will perform a surgical procedure called Tracheotomy. This procedure works by creating an incision on the anterior of the neck and open up a direct air passage through the trachea. A tube is then inserted to enable the patient to breathe without using his/her mouth and nose. It is important to know that the younger the patient is, the harder it is to perform the procedure flawlessly.
Rhinoplasty
Did you know that aside from repairing the nose, ENT doctors are also able to enhance and improve the aesthetic aspect of the nose? Aside from restoring its various functions, Rhinoplasty is also used to reconstruct the form of the nose and make it look more appealing. Bone fragments and cartilage are taken from other parts of the body and are then directly transplanted to the nose to improve its bone structure. The procedure is also quite brief as it only takes about one to four hours to complete. The patient may suffer some degree of swelling after the operation but can be eliminated through some medication.
In various circumstances where you doctor tells you to undergo surgery, try to get a second opinion from other doctors. This is to make sure that everyone in the medical community recommends the same proven solution. In looking for an ENT surgeon who can help you with your problem, make it a point to verify their qualifications and certifications. Otolaryngology specialists have spent a huge chunk of their lives mastering their field of expertise. You will feel more confident that the one handling your medical case is an experienced professional who really knows what he/she is doing.
How to Stop Tinnitus – Celexa Connection
There are many medications that trigger or cause tinnitus. Celexa is one of them. It is an antidepressant, and many antidepressants are ototoxic. They cause awful symptoms of tinnitus and hearing loss in the long run. But not everyone who takes Celexa or any antidepressant suffers from ringing in the ears. However, it increases the likelihood of worse episodes of tinnitus in people who already have it. There are different ways to deal with depression without using Celexa. Treatment for depression does not have to mean you would suffer from tinnitus later on.
1. Get enough sleep. Depression can set in if you don’t have enough sleep. So, get 8 hours of sleep, and hit the sack before 11pm. Experts say that the body’s healing mechanism is activated between 11pm and 4am. You must be asleep during these hours. Even healthy people can be in depressed mood when they haven’t slept well.
2. Go out! Going out allows you to socialize with people and make friends. Being with people is a good thing if you suffer from depression. On the other hand, going outdoors lets you have the advantage of sunlight, which activates chemicals in the body that raise your mood.
3. Manage stress well. Elevated level of stress can harm your body and mind. Overworking, chronic fatigue, and being in tough relationships can lead to a buildup of unhealthy stress. Stress can trigger and worsen ears ringing. Celexa does the same, too, even though it’s used to treat depression. You can manage depression by lowering stress levels.
4. Relaxation therapy works. Such technique can help alleviate many common health problems. Deep breathing and meditative exercises can reduce stress and enhance the mood. You can manage both stress and depression through relaxation therapy. When you relax, you free your body and mind from too much load to allow both to be in sync. People with tinnitus may also benefit from relaxation.
5. Move it! Exercise can improve blood circulation and release mood enhancing chemicals. People with active lifestyle usually don’t suffer from depression and health problems. Scientists don’t yet fully understand how exercise benefits those with depression. What is understood through evidence is that regular exercise improves levels of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters in the brain. Even a short brisk walk can give you benefits in the long run.
6. Change your diet and lifestyle. There are foods and eating habits that can lead to mood disorders. Eating your breakfast gives you energy to get by during daytime. It’s easy to understand why you’re not in the right mood if you skipped breakfast. You should eat foods rich in Vitamin B-complex and minimize high-carb stuff. A healthy diet may also alleviate both depression and constant ear ringing. Celexa, on the other hand, may not be too necessary if you can deal with depression in simple ways.
