Category ear health

Generality Otosclerosis is a disease of the bracket, a small bone located in the middle ear. This pathology leads to gradual hearing loss and, if left untreated, can degenerate into complete deafness. The precise cause of otosclerosis is not yet known; however, the sharing of genetic and environmental factors is suspected

Generality The otoliths are very small agglomerates of oxalate and calcium carbonate, incorporated in a gelatinous matrix located in the inner ear . These formations contribute to maintaining the balance and, in function of the displacement of the head, transmit the sense of acceleration to the otolithic organs of the vestibular system (ie utricle and saccule)

Diagnosis Given the importance of signs, the diagnosis of otosclerosis is based mainly on audiometry and tympanometry . The latter, in fact, provide more than reliable data and are considered the best tests to perform a precise diagnosis. The differential diagnosis is also useful, that is the diagnosis based on the exclusion of pathologies with symptoms similar to those of otosclerosis

Generality Presbycusis is the reduction or loss of hearing ability, related to aging. Most likely, presbycusis is one of the sensory deficits that occur most commonly in the elderly. Being a form of hearing loss, presbycusis is characterized by a reduced auditory sensitivity (more or less marked), by the slowing down of the central processing of the sound stimulus, by the difficulty in locating the sound sources and by the difficulty in understanding a conversation, especially in particularly noisy places

Generality Ménière's syndrome is an inner ear disease, responsible for temporary but repetitive episodes of vertigo, nausea and hearing loss. Over the years, the repetition of these manifestations causes a worsening of the patient's general state of health. For example, the lower hearing ability can be permanent, even reaching complete deafness.

Generality Cholesteatoma is a pathology of the middle ear, characterized by an unusual collection of epithelial cells near the eardrum or the three ossicles. Figure: a live cholesteatoma. From the site: www.ao.pr.it The accumulation of this mass of cellular debris is very often due to bacterial infections of the ear canal, but not only

Generality Hyperacusis is a particular medical condition, characterized by extreme aversion and hypersensitivity to sounds that - for most people - are completely normal. There are various forms of hyperacusis: some are very serious, so those who are affected find a wide variety of noises annoying; others are minor, so only certain noises are unbearable and only at a certain intensity

Generality Hearing loss consists in the partial or total impairment of hearing, which can be classified as mild, moderate, severe or profound hearing loss. Hearing impairment can be congenital or secondary to aging, infectious diseases, intake of ototoxic drugs, physical or acoustic trauma. The conditions that compromise the ear canal, the tympanic membrane or the middle ear structures determine conductive hearing loss, while the processes that involve the cochlea and the nerve pathways that transduce the auditory sensation cause sensorineural hearing loss

Generality Hearing loss consists of the inability, partially or totally, to perceive a sound in one or both ears. Some people are born with a hearing impairment (congenital hypoacusis), while others may develop it gradually with advancing age (presbycusis) or as a consequence of illness or physical trauma

Generality Misofonia is the term that indicates a form of acoustic intolerance , on the part of a person, against specific noises emitted by third parties. At the present time, misophonia is a much debated problem which, due to the doubts it raises, does not yet fully enter the list of acoustic disturbances (such as hyperacusis)