In any case, if you think you have any of these conditions or pathologies, it's important to consult your doctor and/or an ENT specialist. If hearing loss accompanies it, it's also advisable to consult an audiologist.
The Outer Ear
The outer ear corresponds to the pinna, the part of the ear that's visible on the side of the head, and the external auditory canal, which is a channel running to the eardrum. Let's take a look together at some of the most common conditions and pathologies of the outer ear.
- Injuries to the Pinna
The pinna is covered in skin like the rest of our body. This skin is therefore also susceptible to injury and infection.
- External otitis
Otitis externa, also known as swimmer's ear, occurs when there's an infection in the external ear canal. The main symptoms are redness, pain and discharge from the ear. To learn more about otitis externa, click here.
- Earwax blockage (cerumen plug)
Everyone has wax in their ears, it's completely normal! Sometimes earwax builds up so badly that it completely blocks the external ear canal. This can lead to hearing loss, so have the plug removed by a trained professional. To learn more about ear wax, click here.
- Exostoses and osteomas
Exostoses and osteomas are bony growths in the external ear canal. Exostoses are normally found in both ears and are harmless. Osteoma is a tumor often found in only one ear and requires medical intervention.
The Middle Ear
The middle ear is a cavity in the head that includes the eardrum and the ossicles, three small bones that vibrate to transmit sound. This cavity and its components can also be affected by certain pathologies.
- Eardrum Perforation
Sometimes the eardrum is perforated due to an object entering the ear, acoustic trauma, a blow to the head or an injury. The perforation may or may not have an impact on hearing, depending on its size and location. To learn more about eardrum perforation, click here.
- Tympanosclerosis
Whitish spot on the eardrum that usually has no impact on hearing.
- Middle Ear Infection
Otitis media are infections of the middle ear, with an accumulation of fluid behind the eardrum, causing pain and fever. They are more common in children, whose ears are less well ventilated. To find out more about otitis media, click here.
- Cholesteatoma
Cyst in the middle ear that grows and "gnaws" at the walls of the middle ear. Cholesteatoma can erode the ossicles and cause hearing loss. It can be accompanied by a foul-smelling discharge out of the ear.
- Otosclerosis
Excessive and progressive reshaping of the bone around one of the ossicles, called the stirrup. This prevents it from moving properly and transmitting sound. This condition can gradually lead to hearing loss. To learn more about otosclerosis, click here.
- Dislocation of the ossicles
Sometimes, the joints between the ossicles, the small bones in the ear, become dislocated due to a birth defect, a blow to the head, surgery or because of infections. This can impair sound transmission.
- Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome
A muscle inside the ear, the tensor tympani, can make involuntary muscle contractions due, for example, to acoustic trauma. This can cause ear pain, dizziness, tinnitus and hypersensitivity to sound.
Eustachian Tubes
The Eustachian tubes are structures that connect the middle ear to the nasal cavity. Their role is to balance pressure in the middle ear and protect it from infection. When the eustachian tubes are dysfunctional, middle ear problems can result.
- Patulous Eustachian Tube
Normally, the Eustachian tubes are closed and open from time to time to rebalance the air pressure in the middle ear. When the Eustachian tubes remain abnormally open, we speak of tubal hollowness. To learn more about tubal hollowness, click here.
- Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
Tubal dysfunction occurs when the Eustachian tubes remain closed, when they should open, or when they are blocked. This prevents them from performing their function of balancing air pressure in the ear. Pour en apprendre plus, cliquez ici .
Inner Ear
The inner ear consists of the part used for hearing and the part used for balance. One or two of these structures may be affected by different pathologies.
- Ménière's Disease
Ménière's disease is characterized by episodes of vertigo usually lasting between 20 minutes and 24 hours, accompanied by fluctuating hearing loss and tinnitus. To find out more about it, click here .
- Labyrinthitis and vestibular neuronitis
Inflammation of the labyrinth (a structure forming part of the inner ear) caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Labyrinthitis can cause hearing loss mainly in one ear, dizziness, nausea and vomiting.
Vestibular neuronitis is inflammation of the vestibular nerve due to viral infection. The symptoms are similar to labyrinthitis (vertigo, nausea and vomiting), but without associated hearing loss.
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
Intense, short-lived sensation of vertigo associated with certain movements or changes in position. To learn more about the balance system and its impairments, click here.
- Viral infections of the inner ear
Some viral infections during pregnancy (e.g. rubella, cytomegalovirus) can cause hearing loss in the baby. Meningitis, an inflammation of the meninges, can also cause hearing loss. HIV, herpes and certain other viruses can also damage the inner ear.
- Autoimmune diseases affecting the inner ear
Some autoimmune diseases can attack the inner ear, causing hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo.
- Perilymphatic fistula and superior canal dehiscence
The inner ear is filled with a fluid important for the functioning of hearing and balance. Due to trauma, it's possible to create a leak of this fluid. This can cause hearing loss and dizziness.
- Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (ANSD)
Desynchronization of the nerve fibers that transmit auditory information from the ear to the brain.
- Vestibular Schwannoma / Acoustic Neuroma
Tumor on the vestibulo-ocular nerve, the nerve that transmits acoustic and vestibular information to the brain. The tumor can cause hearing loss and tinnitus in one ear only, as well as, dizziness.
Conclusion
In any case, if you think you may have any of the above conditions, consulting your doctor and/or an ENT specialist is important. An audiologist will also be able to assess your hearing if you feel you're hearing less well, have tinnitus or vertigo.
This article talks about pathologies that can affect the outer, middle and inner ear, but sometimes there's also hearing damage to blame:
- Aural nervous system abnormalities (ex.: Trouble du traitement auditif)
- Aging
- From noise exposure
- From acoustic trauma
- From barotrauma (trauma due to excessive air or water pressure)
- From taking medication that is toxic to the ear (ototoxic)
- Because of a head accident
- Because of genetics
