Otosclerosis
What is it?
I wanted to research Otosclerosis because I had no idea as to what it was. I didn’t realize how many individuals were affected by Otosclerosis. Otosclerosis is an abnormal growth of the bone in the middle ear which causes hearing loss in people. I always assumed individuals had loss of hearing because of loud noises but there are several reasons which affect hearing loss. The cause of Otosclerosis is unknown, but is thought to be passed down in families. The most common cause of middle ear hearing loss in young adults is Otosclerosis. It normally begins in early adulthood and affects both ears. Often times, women are affected by Otosclerosis more commonly than men.
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| squidoo.com |
Symptoms/ Tests
Some different symptoms and tests can help diagnose a patient with Otosclerosis. According to Pub Med Health, some symptoms are:
· “Hearing loss may occur slowly at first but continue to get worse.”
· “You may hear better in noisy environments that quiet ones.”
· “Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) may also occur.”
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002031/)
The main tests used to diagnose Otosclerosis are a hearing test and a CT of the temporal bone.
Possible Treatments
Treatments vary with Otosclerosis. Some patients can take medications such as calcium or vitamin D to prevent or slow their hearing loss. A hearing aid can help in hearing loss but will not cure Otosclerosis. Surgery is another option that can cure or prevent hearing loss from getting worse. A total replacement of the stapes with prosthesis is stapedectomy. If surgery is unsuccessful then the patient may have to learn to cope with deafness. Complications include complete deafness, infection, dizziness, pain, or nerve damage.
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| audiologyonline.com |
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| imaging.consult.com |
If you want to learn more about Otosclerosis, here is a link:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002031/
Ashli
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