Our body needs time-to-time care, including the ears. It is a good habit to clean ears with earbuds regularly and ensure they are not causing discomfort in the daily routine, but sometimes a professional cleaning becomes a must.
This blog will help you understand the 4 most common ear issues so that you can report to your ENT specialist on time before the complications worsen.
4 Most Common Ear Problems
Let us see what issues are the most common:
- Tinnitus
It is characterised by buzzing or hissing in the ear. These sounds can be perceived in one ear or both. These buzzes may be heard continuously. The tinnitus may be deafening when there are no other sounds around to focus on. There are two main types of tinnitus: subjective tinnitus and objective tinnitus.
Subjective tinnitus can be heard by the patient. Objective tinnitus is perceived by the specialist. Some therapies can relieve the discomfort caused, and it is essential that you consult a professional as soon as you notice it. Common causes include:
- Age-related or noise-induced damage to inner ear hair cells is a primary cause, affecting about 90% of tinnitus cases.
- Excessive earwax or fluid from an ear infection can cause temporary tinnitus.
- Trauma can damage inner ear structures, auditory nerves, or brain areas processing sound, often causing one-sided tinnitus.
Now, let us move ahead to the other ones.
- Presbycusis
It is often referred to as age-related hearing loss and is a gradual and common condition that affects many as they grow older. It typically occurs over time and is primarily caused by changes in the ear as we age. It does affect the ability to hear higher frequencies and understand speech clearly.
This type of hearing loss can make it challenging to follow conversations, especially in noisy environments and does lead to feelings of isolation or frustration in many individuals.
Symptoms include difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds such as doorbells or phone rings, as well as needing to increase the volume on television or rado. While it is a natural part of ageing, it can be exacerbated by factors like prolonged exposure to loud noise, certain medications or underlying health conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure.
Managing this condition typically involves hearing aids to amplify sound and improve clarity. Regular hearing evaluations with an audiologist are recommended to monitor changes in hearing and adjust treatment as needed.
Addressing the condition early can significantly improve quality of life by maintaining communication abilities and reducing the impact of hearing loss on daily activities.
- Meniere Disease
It affects the inner ear and is often accompanied by dizziness, tinnitus or hearing loss. The causes of the disease remain unknown. It is treated with medication. If complications arise, then a procedure needs to be done. Many factors, including trauma, infection, ischemia, autoimmunity and heredity, can cause Meniere’s disease.
It is caused by excess fluid buildup in the inner ear, disrupting balance and hearing signals, though the exact reason for this buildup isn’t known and likely involves multiple factors like genetics, autoimmune issues, head injuries, allergies, or viral infections, leading to symptoms like vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss.
Its symptoms centre on severe, sudden vertigo attacks, often with ringing in the ear, fluctuating hearing loss, especially low pitches, and a feeling of fullness or pressure in the affected ear, usually occurring in only one ear but sometimes both.
- Chronic Ear Infections
Otitis media is commonly known as a middle ear infection and arises primarily from bacterial or viral infections affecting the middle ear. These infections often develop when the Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the back of the throat, becomes blocked or inflamed. The blockage leads to the accumulation of fluid behind the eardrum, creating an environment where bacteria or viruses can thrive and cause infection.
Chronic ear infection symptoms often include persistent or recurrent ear pain, fluid drainage, hearing loss, a feeling of fullness, and sometimes fever, but long-term cases, especially in kids, might show as speech delays, poor balance, and trouble focusing, even without acute pain, due to ongoing fluid or eardrum damage.
Key signs are hearing issues, ear discharge, constant ear pressure, itching, and, in children, irritability, crying, and pulling at the ear.
Do consult with an experienced ENT and do look for “Ear Suction Near me” if you experience blockage or discomfort in the ear.