Ear Anatomy
Can you believe how complex our ear anatomy is? Click the information icon in the Ear Anatomy or open the links at the bottom of this page to take a tour into the outer, middle, and inner ear. You might find how amazing our ears are.
How much do you know about ear problems?
Have you ever experience or heard of the following problems? Click for more information~
Itchy Ear
Itchy ear is an "Outer ear" problem. Someone gossiping behind you will certainly not cause it! It is caused by either overcleaning (dry itchiness) or over moisturizing (moist itchiness). Other outer ear problems are listed below:
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Cerumen:
It is the first line of defense of the ear. It prevents the foreign bodies from dropping into your ear and keeps the ear moist. Cerumen will come out by itself, so do not dig it out!
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Ear fungus:
It is not uncommon to see fungus in the outer ear or on the eardrums. The causes are humid climate, water activities, and weak immune system.
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Outer ear infection:
It is related to overcleaning. When the outer ear loses its protective layer, it could be easily infected by bacteria. The symptoms of infection are redness, heat, swelling, and pain.
Otitis media
Otitis media is a "Middle ear" problem. The bacterial or viral infections can cause symptoms including aural fullness, ear burning sensation, tinnitus, and fever. Treatments may include antibiotic therapy, and/or ventilation tube insertion. The incidence rate is extremely high among preschool children. It could cause hearing loss at the worst and affect learning at the least. Other middle ear problems are as follow:
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Aural fullness:
The block in the eustachian tube can cause aural fullness (climbing mountains, taking airplanes, diving, and catching a cold). It can be relieved through swallowing, chewing, and yawning. Otitis media effusion, infection, and inflammation can cause aural fullness as well.
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Eardrum perforation:
It is usually caused by external force or infection. The symptoms are redness, heat, swelling, and pain. Mild cases may be self repaired. Severe cases will require surgery.
Vertigo
Spinning dizziness and the vertigo accompanied by vomiting are related to "Inner ear" problems. The common causes are listed below:
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Meniere’s disease: It is related to endolymphatic hydrops. The common symptoms are episodes of vertigo, nausea and vomiting, low-frequency tinnitus, and hearing loss. The symptoms can be relieved through medication (diuretic), and adjustment of eating habits and lifestyle.
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Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, BPPV: The most common cause of BPPV is fallen or dislodged otoliths. It usually lasts for less than one minute. The treatment measure is otolith repositioning (e.g. Epley maneuver).
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Vestibular neuritis: It is usually caused by viral infection, such as herpes simplex virus. The acute onset can last from a few days to a couple of weeks.
Tinnitus
What does your tinnitus sound like?
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Patients with tinnitus might hear different kinds of noise, such as high-pitched chirping, ringing, buzzing, hissing, or low-pitched rumbling, whooshing, and twanging. The causes are varied. Lesions of external ear, middle ear, inner ear, auditory nerve, or even brain can all lead to tinnitus. A professional audiologist or otologist must be consulted for proper diagnosis.
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No cure has yet been found for tinnitus, but there are ways to improve the condition, including wearing hearing devices, receiving sound therapy, taking prescribed medication, receiving psychotherapy. Avoiding stimulants, such as pressure, loud noise, caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol also helps.