5 aspects of otosclerosis
Written by:Hearing loss is a problem that nobody wants to experience. Otosclerosis is one of the ear diseases that can cause it. Dr. Muñoz Cariñanos, an expert in Otorhinolaryngology , tells us in this article about the causes of this disease and how to treat it.
Otosclerosis is a disease that affects the three small bones (hammer, anvil and stirrup) located in the middle ear, whose function is to amplify the vibrations of sound to send them to the brain.
Causes of otosclerosis
In most cases of otosclerosis, the main cause of this disease is the fixation of the stirrup, that is, the loss of movement and its functionality. Another possible cause of this disease is an injury to the inner ear or cochlea.
Symptoms of otosclerosis
The main symptom of otosclerosis is hearing loss , but the patient is not able to perceive it when it is at an early stage. However, as the disease progresses, tinnitus, which involves ringing in the ears, begins to appear.
There is also a small possibility that the patient may experience dizziness that can lead to dizziness accompanied by nausea and vomiting. It should be noted that, most commonly, otosclerosis first affects one ear and then the other.
Profile of the patient with otosclerosis
This disease is usually of a genetic nature and mostly affects women. The most common is that otosclerosis appears during pregnancy. Despite this predisposition, men may also have this disease.
Diagnosis of otosclerosis
When a patient goes to otorhinolaryngolus for suspicion of otosclerosis , the first thing to do is to rule out any other disease that may have the same symptoms as those that suffer the patient.
To diagnose the disease, an audiometry is performed to assess the hearing and functioning of the ear and a tympanogram to check if the ear vibrates correctly. If necessary, radiological tests such as computed tomography (CT) may also be performed.
Treatment of otosclerosis
There is currently no pharmacological treatment for otosclerosis, although there are two other options:
- Surgery : involves implanting a Teflon prosthesis to replace the stirrup. This intervention has a high success rate.
- Hearing aid: it is a sound amplification device that helps the patient hear correctly, although it should be noted that this disease is progressive.
