Ear

People of all ages experience gradual hearing loss, often due to the natural aging process or long exposure to loud noise. Other causes of hearing loss include viruses or bacteria, heart conditions or stroke, head injuries, tumours, and certain medications. The treatment for hearing loss will depend on your diagnosis.

ENT specialists in Sydney often see patients for trapped fluid and hearing problems. Eustachian tubes dysfunction is a common cause. The proper function of the Eustachian tubes is essential for draining fluid and ensuring that proper air pressure is maintained.

Some children develop temporary hearing loss due to trapped fluid (effusion or glue behind the drumhead). This may follow a cold or sometimes occurs for no obvious reason. If your child appears to have hearing loss for longer than a week, a hearing test should be organised and your child needs to go to the family Doctor or ENT Specialist.

Reduce the risk of infections by treating upper respiratory infections promptly. Some illnesses and medical conditions can affect your hearing – if you experience sudden hearing loss or persistent noise or ringing in your head, contact your local doctor who will arrange for you to see your ENT Specialist.

A hole or rupture in the drumhead is called a perforated drum. The medical term for the drumhead is tympanic membrane. The Eustachian tube, equalizes pressure and Eustachian tube dysfunction may be a factor leading to infection and perforation . A perforated drum is often accompanied by decreased hearing and occasional infection with discharge.

Hearing should be restored and pain relieved after grommet placement. While the grommets are in place it is hoped the natural passage -the Eustachian tube will open and naturally ventilate.

Otitis media means inflammation due to infection. The inflammation can occur in one or both sides. Otitis media is the most frequent diagnosis recorded for children who visit doctors for illness – it is also the most common cause of hearing loss in children.

Chronic otitis media – glue or fluid behind the drumhead. The other name is “otitis media with effusion.” Fluid can remain for weeks to many months after otitis media. Otitis media and glue cause the drum to stop working properly causing hearing problems. Grommet placement is often needed for chronic otitis media and will allow proper ventilation and restoration of Eustachian tube function.

Advice on how to use drops for infection and wax. A simple step by step guide on how to correctly use ear drops.

Information about surgery including surgery for drum perforation – tympanoplasty, surgery for chronic infection and infection in children – grommets and surgery for cholesteatoma – tymanomastoidectomy.

The Epley maneuver is also called the particle repositioning or canalith repositioning procedure – it was invented by Dr. John Epley. The Epley maneuver involves sequential movement of the head into four positions, staying in each position for around 30 seconds. The recurrence rate for BPPV after these maneuvers is about 30 percent at one year, and in some instances a second treatment may be necessary.

Facial palsy is a devastating condition for the patient and their family. Facial nerve palsy may occur spontaneously, may follow trauma or surgical procedures or may develop as a result of tumours. Paralysis that involves all divisions of the facial nerve is peripheral, while paralysis sparing the forehead is central.

The level of salt in the body is carefully controlled by the kidneys. Eating too much salt forces the kidneys to work harder and can increase blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, heart disease or your body is holding extra fluid, or you have an inner ear condition such as Meniere’s Disease, it is even more important to limit salt.

Menieres disease describes a set of episodic symptoms including; vertigo (attacks of a spinning sensation), hearing loss, tinnitus (a roaring, buzzing, or ringing sound in the head), a sensation of fullness in the affected side, nausea and vomiting.

People who have repeated infections often benefit from seeing a ENT Specialist who will perform an examination and treatment. See your local doctor and your hearing checked regularly by an audiologist.

A perforated drum or hole or rupture in the drum is a hole in the thin membrane that separates the outer and middle ear. This is called a perforated drumhead or ruptured drum.

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss or sudden deafness, is a rapid loss of hearing. Sudden deafness can happen to a person all at once or over a period of up to 3 days. Urgent treatment is needed to ensure the best outcome.

Otitis externa is a common condition that affects the outer ear – causing pain resulting from inflammation, irritation or infection. These symptoms are experienced when water gets trapped allowing bacteria to spread. This condition commonly affects swimmers.

The air in the middle ear is constantly being absorbed by its membranous lining and re-supplied through the Eustachian tube. In this way, air pressure on both sides of the drum stays about equal. If, and when, the air pressure is not equal blockage may develop. Any situation in which rapid altitude or pressure changes occur creates the problem.

Tinnitus is a condition, experienced as noises or ringing when no such external physical noise is present. Tinnitus is usually caused by a fault in the hearing system – it is a symptom, not a disease in itself.

Tinnitus treatment begins by first determining if there are any underlying conditions that can be treated. For instance, a procedure as simple as wax removal may decrease or eliminate symptoms. Tinnitus may also be a sign of hearing loss in which case a hearing aid may be helpful.

The TMJ or jaw joint is located in front of the ear and is attached to the canal. When the TMJ becomes inflamed, injured or stressed it can cause pain in the jaw or face. Discomfort is often an ache mixed with sudden sharp pains and can occur at any time.