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Home :: Family Health :: Otosclerosis Otosclerosis - Otosclerosis symptom, treatment, causes
Otosclerosis is a disorder of the tiny bones in the middle ear that leads to immobilisation of the stapes, the innermost of the three bones that conduct sound waves from the eardrum to the inner ear, tosclerosis leads to progressive deafness resulting from damage to the vibration, conduction system. About I in 100 people loses hearing from otosclerosis, with women affected more than men
The cause is unknown, but the condition tends to run in families. Hearing loss usually begins around the age of 20 and takes 10 to IS years to develop. Sometimes ringing in the ears occurs over this period. and some nerve-damage deafness can develop if the disease extends to the inner ear. Its progress may be accelerated during pregnancy. Otosclerosis is diagnosed from the results of hearing tests. Hearing can usually be restored by microsurgical techniques to remove the stapes and replace it with an artificial bone. A hearing aid may be an alternative to surger
Otoscleros is is a progressive degenerative condition of the temporal bone which can result in hearing loss. It can be an inherited disorder, resulting in abnormal hardening of bone in the middle ear and sometimes inner ear. In the middle ear, otosclerosis prevents the stapes, one of the bones in the middle ear, from vibrating correctly in response to sound waves. Otosclerosis is characterised by the abnormal formation of bone within the middle ear that stops these tiny bones from vibrating. This new bone contains many blood vessels and is rather less hard than normal bone. Gradually the new bone matures and becomes hard (sclerotic). Less than 1% of the population is affected by this condition. Deafness is the main symptom and is usually present in both ears. Most patients notice the deafness before the age of 50. Noises in the ear ( tinnitus ) are present in most cases. A few patients may have some slight unsteadiness but this is rarely severe. Pain and discharge from the ears are not features of otosclerosis.
Causes of Otosclerosis
The common Causes of Otosclerosis :
- The exact cause of otosclerosis is unknown.
- However, otosclerosis tends to run in families, and may be hereditary.
- Otosclerosis has also been linked to hormonal changes and viral infections.
Symptoms of Otosclerosis
Some common Symptoms of Otosclerosis :
- Hearing loss.
- Dizziness.
- Balance problems.
- Tinnitus .
Treatment of Otosclerosis
- Hearing aids may be effective for conductive hearing loss.
- In certain cases, a procedure called a stapedectomy may improve hearing. The purpose of this operation is to replace the diseased bone with an artificial device that can transmit sound waves to the inner ear.
- Medications such as oral fluoride, calcium, or vitamin D may help to control the hearing loss, but the benefits have not yet been proven.
- Fluoride tablets are sometimes prescribed to stabilize the condition and prevent further sensorineural hearing loss. This treatment remains controversial and unproven, however.
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