Ear diseases and disorders

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Vertigo

By Dr. Ahmed Hafez

Key facts Vertigo is a type of dizziness where you feel that the room is spinning or you are unbalanced. Vertigo can be distressing but it is not usually caused by a serious medical problem. The most common cause of vertigo is benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (BPPV). This is caused by crystals in the balance centre of your inner ear moving out of place. Vertigo often gets better without treatment. Your doctor may recommend exercises or medicines that can help. What is vertigo? Vertigo is a specific type of dizziness. If you have vertigo, you may feel like the world

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Tinnitus

By Dr. Ahmed Hafez

Key facts People with tinnitus hear ringing and other sounds in their ears. Some people with tinnitus also have symptoms of hearing loss or vertigo. Tinnitus is more common in older adults. Treatment depends on the cause of your tinnitus and how much it is bothering you. What is tinnitus? If you have ringing or other strange noises in your ears, you might have tinnitus. People with tinnitus hear sounds that aren’t actually being made around them. There are 2 main types of tinnitus: Subjective tinnitus — which only you can hear. This is the most common type. Objective tinnitus

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Otosclerosis

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Otosclerosis is one of the most common causes of hearing loss. If you have otosclerosis, the bones in your middle ear become stuck and can’t pass on sound vibrations — this can limit your ability to hear. You may also have dizziness, or tinnitus (ringing in your ears). If you notice symptoms of otosclerosis, speak to your doctor for diagnosis and a treatment plan. What is otosclerosis? Otosclerosis is a health condition that affects the middle ear and causes hearing loss in one or both ears. Hearing loss slowly gets worse over time, as spongy bone forms in the middle ear. These tiny

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Otitis media

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Otitis media (middle ear infection) is common, especially in children. It often starts with a cold, and will usually go away by itself without antibiotics. It can cause ear pain, reduced hearing and fever. You may see fluid leaking if the ear drum bursts. If your baby has otitis media, they may be very unsettled, pull on their ears or vomit. You can try to prevent your child getting otitis media by breastfeeding, keeping them away from cigarette smoke, practising good hygiene and limiting dummy use.­­ What is otitis media? Otitis media is an infection of the middle

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Otitis externa

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the outer ear canal — it is also known as otitis externa. It causes itchy, painful ears and can cause discharge in the ear. It is usually treated with ear drops. To prevent swimmer’s ear, you can use ear drops, avoid things that irritate the skin of the ear canal and ensure your ears remain as dry as possible. Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa) What is swimmer’s ear? Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the skin of the outer ear canal, and is also known as otitis externa. This type of infection is

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Meniere’s disease

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Meniere’s disease is an inner ear problem that causes hearing and balance problems. It causes attacks of vertigo, as well as hearing loss that gets worse over time. Attacks can happen suddenly and may be frequent or infrequent. There is no cure, but there are medicines and treatments that can improve your symptoms. What is Meniere’s disease? Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes hearing and balance problems. There is no cure, but the symptoms can be managed. People with Meniere’s disease experience attacks vertigo that usually lasts between 2 and 4 hours. Some people have several attacks

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Labyrinthitis

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Labyrinthitis is an inflammatory condition of your inner ear. Most people with labyrinthitis feel a false sense of movement. The most common cause of labyrinthitis is a viral infection. What is labyrinthitis? Labyrinthitis is an inflammatory condition of your inner ear. An infection causes the labyrinth (a delicate structure deep inside your ear) to become inflamed. This can affect your hearing and balance. What are the symptoms of labyrinthitis? Most people with labyrinthitis feel that the room is spinning. This is also known as vertigo. It can be mild, or it can be so bad it is hard to

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Hearing loss

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Hearing loss is usually permanent. Treatment involves improving the hearing you have. Exposure to loud noise can cause hearing loss. Most people experience some degree of hearing loss as they get older. Protecting your hearing is vital to prevent any hearing loss from getting worse. If you are concerned about your hearing, see an audiologist for a hearing test. What is hearing loss? Hearing loss makes it difficult or impossible to hear speech and other sounds. There are different types of hearing loss, and they can range from mild, moderate, severe, or profound. Some types of hearing loss

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Glue ear

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Glue ear (also known as ‘otitis media with effusion’) is a condition where fluid builds up inside your middle ear and becomes thick and sticky. It is common in young children and often occurs after a cold or an ear infection. Glue ear can cause hearing loss, which may cause some children to be irritable and can delay speech and language development. The fluid may clear up by itself without treatment — this can take up to 3 months. If the fluid doesn’t clear up, it can be treated with tiny tubes called grommets that help the fluid

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Fluid from the ear

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Fluid or discharge from your ear could be ear wax, but sometimes it can be a sign of an ear problem or injury. Fluid from the ear may be caused by middle or outer ear infections, damage to the ear drum, a foreign body in the ear or a more serious infection or injury. See your doctor if you notice any fluid leaking from your ear, especially if you have a fever, hearing loss or dizziness or if your ear is red and swollen. You may be advised to keep your ears dry. Don’t clean your ears with

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Earache

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Ear pain can come from a problem in your ear, or as referred pain from another part of your body. Pain from a middle ear infection is likely to get better on its own within 7 days and usually won’t need antibiotics. Use pain relief medicines like paracetamol or ibuprofen for short-term relief. Sometimes a sore ear is caused by a more serious problem and will need medical attention. Check your symptoms with the healthdirect online Symptom Checker for advice on when to seek medical attention.   What is earache? Earache (sore ear) is a common complaint, especially

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Ear wax

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Ear wax is normal, and most people have it, but it can cause discomfort when it builds up in your ear. Symptoms of ear wax build-up include earache, ringing noises and hearing problems. Ear wax is made by ear canal glands to protect you from water or infection. Doctors can see if you have ear wax build-up by simply checking your ear canal. Do not stick anything into your ear, see a doctor if your ears are hurting. What is ear wax? Ear wax is quite normal and has a very important role to play in keeping the

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Ear infection

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts Ear infections are common, especially in children. Middle ear infections (otitis media) usually go away by themselves without antibiotics. Outer ear infections (otitis externa) are treated with antibiotic drops. See your doctor if you or your child has ear pain or discharge, reduced hearing, fever or vomiting. Go to your nearest emergency department if there is pain, swelling or redness of the bone behind the ear. Ear infections are common, especially in children. Most children have at least one ear infection before they reach school age. Children usually get fewer ear infections as they get older. What is an

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Deafness

By Sama Mohamed

What is deafness? Deafness is the complete loss of hearing. What some people call partial deafness is now better known as being hard of hearing. For more information, see our page on hearing loss. If you are deaf, you cannot hear well enough to hold a conversation through sound alone, although some people who are deaf hear noises in their ears like ringing, humming, hissing, whistling, clicking, roaring, whooshing or buzzing. This is known as tinnitus. Children who have hearing problems might not respond to your voice or loud noises. They might also search for your voice, or be doing poorly at

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Acoustic neuroma

By Sama Mohamed

Key facts An acoustic neuroma is a benign (non-cancerous) tumour that grows in the acoustic nerve, the eighth cranial nerve in the brain. An acoustic neuroma can affect your hearing and balance and may cause tinnitus (ringing in the ears). If your doctor suspects you have acoustic neuroma, they might send you for tests such as hearing tests or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy (also known as stereotactic treatment) and careful monitoring. What is acoustic neuroma? An acoustic neuroma is a benign (non-cancerous) tumour that can affect hearing and balance. What are the symptoms of acoustic neuroma?

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