It’s hard to imagine life without sounds!! Hearing is one of the most important senses that add pleasure to the otherwise mundane life. Loss of the sense of hearing is the biggest set back in one’s life. More often, loss of hearing is an age-related disease which can be set right to an extent with hearing devices thanks to the technological advancements. There are however, a number of ear-disorders that are ignored, not only by the sufferers but also those who treat them.
With the increasing use of ipods and mobile phones, stress and depression, ear disorders will be on rise by leaps and bounds in the coming years. Here are some of the ear disorders that could put a patient’s life to virtual standstill.
Tinnitus: If you are hearing ringing, buzzing or humming sounds in the ear when no else can hear them, then you are suffering from Tinnitus. This symptom is often worse in the evenings and prevents people from leading a normal life. Tinnitus could be a side effect of medications such as anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, sedatives, antidepressants you may be taking for a while. Stress, depression, high blood pressure can also affect your ears.
Treatment: Unfortunately, there is no treatment for Tinnitus as most of the causes cannot be identified in spite of the extensive tests. You need to relax and learn to handle stress better. There are some Tinnitus maskers that can be combined within hearing aids. They emit a competitive but pleasant sound that can distract you from head noise but is not know to be effective for every one.
Meniere’s Disease: Meniere’s disease is one of the most common causes of dizziness originating in the inner ear and it probably results from an abnormality in the fluids of the inner ear.. Again, the cause is not known, The symptoms however are sudden attacks of spinning (vertigo), persisting buzzing in the ears and fluctuating hearing loss. The vertigo attacks are often sudden and can last for twenty minutes to two hours or more stopping the patients from performing their normal chores.
Treatment: Diuretics can help prevent vertigo attacks by reducing the risk of pressure building up in the fluid in the inner ear. A low salt diet and regular exercise is recommended for those who are prone to these attacks. It’s also important for patients to relax and avoid stress. In the worst case scenario, the patients may have to undergo corrective surgical procedures.
Please do not ignore these symptoms and see a specialist quickly.
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