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Renowned local ENT surgeon who operates Guildford ENT has reached out today to discuss ear problems, the most common ones and provided a little more insight into them and when it’s best to see an ENT specialist.
Hearing loss may be caused by several factors. There are two general categories of causes: conductive and sensory. It is possible for both to be present at one time. Conductive issues can be managed quite simply (for example through the removal of earwax), or through more complex procedures (For example, removing a perforated eardrum or cholesteatoma).
Sensorineural hearing loss may result from a number of factors, like viral infection, noise injury, or sometimes small growths that compress the nerves can cause hearing loss, tinnitus, or balance issues.
In general, a thorough examination, history-taking, and various hearing tests are usually enough to determine the diagnosis of hearing loss. Sometimes, a special type of scan is required called an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).
In the case of ear problems, perforated eardrums are also a concern. When an eardrum gets infected, traumatized, or infected with drugs, diseases such as cholesteatoma can cause it to rupture.
A perforation might not cause any problems by itself, but they can leak fluid (discharge) from the middle ear, and they may contribute to hearing loss (depending on their size and position). Swimmers may experience problems with these sores since the water may irritate the middle ear lining.
Many patients are in need of eardrum repair because of these reasons. Myringoplasty involves the closure of the eardrum. If the hole is small, a piece of fat from the persons earlobe is used, if it is larger, a piece of muscle lining from the persons temple is used.
To find out more about ear problems or to see other services offered by Guildford ENT, see the following URL: https://guildfordent.co.uk
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