The ear is the organ that conducts hearing and controls balance. There are 3 major parts of the ear: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The outer ear is the portion of the ear that you can see on the side of the head and the ear canal that leads to the eardrum. The middle ear is the eardrum and the ossicles, (the middle ear bones). The Eustachian tube is in the middle ear and that controls ear pressure. The inner ear is the portion that contains the nerves for the organs of hearing and balance. The inner ear sends vibrations to the brain which is interpreted as sound. The relationship between the ears and the brain is what allows us to perceive sound and sense balance.
Ear Surgery
Ear surgery is performed to treat diseases, injuries and deformations of the ear. There are many types of ear surgeries because there are many problems that can affect the ear. Common ear surgeries include stapedotomy to treat hearing loss, myringoplasty or tympanoplasty to reconstruct damaged eardrums, mastoidectomy to eliminate disease or infection, ear tube surgery.
Ear Tubes
Ear tubes are a common treatment for chronic or recurrent ear infections, which are most prevalent in young children, but also occur in teens and adults. Ear tubes are small cylinders that are surgically implanted within the eardrums to allow air and fluid to flow to and from the middle ear. Ear tubes can either be a short term treatment (six months to a year) that fall out on their own or a long-term treatment that requires removal at the doctor’s discretion.
Perforated Eardrum
A perforated eardrum, sometimes called a ruptured eardrum, may happen when the thin membrane between the ear canal and the middle ear is punctured by a foreign object or blown out by a loud noise. It can also be caused by infection or head trauma. A perforated eardrum can be very painful and may cause hearing loss. If the perforation is very small, it can heal on its own over time. However, a patch or even surgery may be required to reclose a severely perforated eardrum.
Dizziness and Vertigo
Many people complain of balance problems. Malfunction of the inner ear can cause balance problems or vertigo. The balance system is maintained by a complex interaction between the inner ear, the eyes, skin pressure receptors, muscle and joint sensory receptors and the central nervous system.
The inner ear has a mechanism called the vestibular system that controls balance. Inside the system are semicircular canals with ducts, tiny hairs cells (stereocilia), and a thick gel structure called the cupula. When you turn your head, stand up or sit down, the gel moves against the stereocilia and receptors tell the brain that your body has changed orientation.
When the inner ear malfunctions, you can experience dizziness, vertigo and other balance issues. For some people, balance and inner ear disorders are hereditary and lifelong.
Symptoms of vertigo go beyond simply dizziness; they include feeling disoriented, nauseous and weak as well as producing erratic eye movements. Vertigo is sometimes associated with an illusion of movement – feeling like you are swaying or falling even if you are perfectly still. Since vertigo may be connected with inner ear problems, someone experiencing vertigo may also have hearing loss and ringing or discomfort in the ears.
Common tests for inner ear-related vertigo or balance issues include electronystagmogram (ENG) and videonystagmogram (VNG) procedures wherein warm or cool air is softly blown into the ear canal, and then eye movements are measured. The purpose of this is to test the strength of the inner ear as well as eye movement coordination.
There are medical diseases that may cause balance problems. Your physician will try to target the underlying condition in order to reduce or eliminate the symptoms. Some options include medications (antihistamines, sedatives, antibiotics, steroids), physical or occupational therapy, surgery, repositioning exercises, vestibular retraining programs and lifestyle modifications.
Head trauma or viral infections can also cause dizziness.Treatment for dizziness takes many forms depending on the cause. Your physician will try to target the underlying condition in order to reduce or eliminate the symptoms. Some options include medications (antihistamines, sedatives, antibiotics, steroids), physical or occupational therapy, surgery, repositioning exercises, vestibular retraining programs and lifestyle modifications.
Hearing Loss
More than 48 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss. There are three major types of hearing loss, but every individual’s experience is affected by different factors, such as genetics, age and exposure to noise.
The three types of hearing loss are conductive, sensorineural and mixed. Conductive hearing loss is maybe due to problems with the ear canal, eardrum or middle ear that prevent sound from passing through the ear. Sensorineural hearing loss is maybe caused by problems with the inner ear (the cochlea) or the nerves coming from the cochlea, which senses sound waves and sends them to the brain for processing. Mixed hearing loss is a combination of both conductive and sensorineural. Our clinicians will determine what type of hearing loss you are experiencing and develop an effective and specialized treatment plan for your unique hearing needs.
Symptoms of hearing loss can go unnoticed if you don’t know what to look for. A very common symptom is difficulty hearing in noisy settings such as at a restaurant or party. Other symptoms include frequently asking people to repeat themselves, ringing in the ears, turning up the TV or radio volume louder than others need it and withdrawing from conversations. In children, symptoms of hearing loss may include not responding to noises, speaking unclearly and not following simple commands.
If you experience sudden deafness due to a loud noise or any other reason, you should seek immediate medical attention. While most hearing loss is gradual, one can have a sudden hearing loss. This can be an emergency. Please contact us at (501) 975-7550 to schedule an appointment if you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of hearing loss.
Age-Associated Hearing Loss
Roughly one in three people between ages 65 and 74 in the United States has hearing loss. This number is even greater for those over 75 – nearly one in two. Age-associated hearing loss, also called presbycusis, is one of the most common conditions in aging seniors.
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most common causes of hearing loss. It is the permanent hearing impairment that results from prolonged exposure to loud noises or a single exposure to an especially loud noise such as an explosion. Those who are most likely to suffer from noise-induced hearing loss are people who work in noisy environments such as construction sites, airports, concert venues or military bases.
Sudden Hearing Loss
Sudden hearing loss is considered a medical emergency – those who experience this phenomenon should contact their doctors immediately. It usually occurs just in one ear either at once or over several days. Causes may include infection, trauma, ototoxic drugs, a tumor or blood circulation problems. Sudden hearing loss is diagnosed by an audiogram (hearing test.)
Types of Ear Infections
Otitis media:
Ottis media (or middle ear) infections are ear infections that can occur in one or both ears. They occur when fluid gets trapped in the middle ear. They can be chronic or acute. Acute infections are usually short lived but painful. Chronic ear infections can be recurring infections or one infection that does not improve. It is important to treat chronic infections as they can cause permanent damage to the ear. Otitis media more commonly affects young children, however it also can affect adults. It usually appears during winter months or early spring.
Otitis media is usually caused by blockage of the Eustachian tube during a cold, allergy or upper respiratory infection. In an acute infection the fluid has bacteria that causes pressure and pain. The eardrum does not move properly and it may cause hearing loss. The fluid may build up enough pressure that the eardrum ruptures and pus drains out of the ear. Most often, however, the fluid remains in the middle ear and is called serous otitis media. This fluid can last for weeks, months and possibly years. It may have to be drained. While the fluid is present the child/adult may have hearing loss.
Some symptoms of ear infections may include pain and swelling in the ear, ear pressure (similar to what one feels under several feet of water or on an airplane), ear drainage and hearing loss. In infants and toddlers symptoms may include pulling or scratching at the ear with crying irritability possibly fever or ear drainage.
To diagnose an ear infection, your doctor will examine your or your child’s ears with an otoscope, which has a light and a magnifying lens. They will look for redness, fluid buildup or a swollen or perforated eardrum. These are all signs of an ear infection.
The doctor will determine which treatment method is best based on the severity of the infection.
Otitis Externa:
Otitis Externa or “Swimmer’s Ear” is an infection of the external ear canal. This type of ear infection usually happens during summer months secondary to moisture in the ear canal. Typically the ear canal is swollen and painful. Fungus or bacteria may cause the infection. The ear canal may be so swollen that it is necessary to place a “wick” in the ear canal so that the topical medication can get into the ear. The wick is usually placed in the doctor’s office.
Ear Drainage
Ear drainage may be a problem in itself, or it can be a symptom of a bigger issue. Ear drainage can be caused by something as benign as earwax buildup, but it can also indicate trauma, an infection or a perforated eardrum. Waxy drainage is usually normal and nothing to worry about; however, bloody or foul-smelling drainage could indicate a serious issue. Contact your doctor right away if you notice unusual drainage from the ear.
Other Ear Conditions
Earwax Removal
Earwax, also called cerumen, is produced by glands in the ears to clean, lubricate and protect the ears from bacteria. It is important that the ear produces earwax, but sometimes it produces too much. When this happens, people sometimes stick foreign objects like cotton swabs or bobby pins into the ear canal to clean it out, but this is actually a common cause for blockage. Sticking foreign objects into the ears can pack earwax even further into the ear canal, and when earwax becomes impacted, it may require removal from a doctor.
TMJ Treatment
Temporomandibular muscle and joint (TMJ) disorders are classified as pain and muscle dysfunction in the jaw joint but are a very common cause of ear pain. Symptoms include pain or tenderness in the jaw or temporomandibular joints, aching in or around the ear, difficulty or pain while chewing and locking of the jaw joint. In some cases, symptoms of TMJ may go away on their own. If symptoms persist and/or affect your quality of life, contact your doctor.
Tinnitus
Tinnitus is described as an irritating buzzing, humming or ringing in the ears. What many don’t realize is that it is maybe a symptom of a greater problem. The first step to treating tinnitus is to diagnose the underlying issue. Some common causes of tinnitus include hearing loss, an infection, middle ear or nerve tumors, circulation disorders, noise-induced hearing loss of the inner ear, migraines and medications. It is important to see a doctor to identify tinnitus and prevent hearing loss.
Cholesteatoma
Cholesteatoma is a growth that occurs in the middle ear. It is not cancerous; however, it can still be dangerous because it may become infected and/or cause permanent hearing loss. Cholesteatoma can erode the bones of the ear, the balance canals and the bone under the brain as the cholesteatoma expands. Common symptoms include ear discharge and hearing loss. Cholesteatoma removal requires minor surgery.