Ear discharge can be watery, white, yellow, green, black, clear or bloodstained. It can be odourless or foul - smelling. Ear discharge is indication of ear disease and should always be evaluated by a ENT specialist.
Ear
Ear are the warning system of our body which helps us in locating and detecting environmental sounds.
It also plays a major role in balance system, about sudden changes in environment preventing fall and injury.
A lot of diseases can affect your ear leading to(common ear symptoms we face)
what we need to know about ear discharge : Ear discharge can be watery, white, yellow, green, black, clear or bloodstained. It can be odourless or foul - smelling. Ear discharge is indication of ear disease and should always be evaluated by a ENT specialist.
Ear Discharge And Hole In Ear Drum
Hole in eardrum can be due to trauma or infection. It should be evaluated without fail. it can lead to hearing loss, recurrent ear discharge and deteoriation in quality of life.
We provide you with a proper and extensive evaluation. Examination of eardrum can be done using otoscope, endoscope or microscope. The amount of hearing loss could be assessed by hearing tests. A extensive microscopic evaluation of eardrum and its pathology is done and subsequently medical or surgical intervention is offered.
many conditions can be subsided by medical management especially traumatic perforation.
A lot of times it requires surgical intervention: MYRINGOPLASTY:
WHAT IS MYRINGOPLASTY??
surgical repair of eardrum leading to improvement of hearing and prevention of water and germs to enter the ear leading to discharge.
HOW IS SURGERY DONE??
Anesthesia : It can be done under local anesthesia, sedation or general anesthesia.
PROCEDURE :
A cut is made behind the ear or above the ear opening. The material used to patch the eardrum is taken from under the skin. This eardrum ‘graft’ is placed against the eardrum. Dressings are placed in the ear canal. You may have an external dressing and a head bandage for a few days.
The surgery has a very high success rate of 90% and above. The results are excellent.
AFTERCARE :
The bandage is taken off after one week and stitches in 1-2 weeks.
PRECAUTIONS :
to keep ear dry and prevent rigorous blowing of nose.
HEARING LOSS
About : decreased or impaired hearing can be a atrocity. Hearing loss could be of following types :
due to impaired ear structure like hole in eardrum, dysfunction in middle ear like fluid in middle ear, ossicular disruption In children the commonest type of hearing loss is conductive hearing loss. This is usually due to fluid being trapped behind the eardrum. This condition is called glue ear, or Otitis Media with Effusion (OME).
In children the commonest type of hearing loss is conductive hearing loss. This is usually due to fluid being trapped behind the eardrum. This condition is called glue ear, or Otitis Media with Effusion (OME).
Glue Ear Or Otitis Media With Effusion
Around 80% of the children keep having short periods of fluid in middle ear
What Causes Glue Ear??
- recurrent nasal allergy
- infection and enlargement of adenoids
- Eustachian tube dysfunction.
Most of the episodes clear by themselves and do not require treatment. In some cases fluid persists and the child start developing hearing loss and earache. In case it does not clear by itself child may require tympanotomy and grommet insertion.
Tympanotomy And Grommet Insertion:
It is a daycare procedure.
ANESTHESIA : Usually done under sedation
PROCEDURE : a stab is made in the eardrum and grommet( ear tube) are inserted to facilitate drainage of fluid from middle ear.
AFTERCARE : Most of the grommets drop out after 6 months or later.
Should watch out for earache, ear discharge or any other signs of infection.
Conductive hearing
Conductive hearing loss in adults could be due to ear canal obstruction like ear wax, middle ear dysfunction, infection of middle ear.
sensorineural hearing loss is due to loss of sound sensing cells in the cochlea (these are called hair cells) or damage to the nerves that take hearing signals to the brain. there are many causes of this type of hearing loss like age, medication, infection, noise exposure. some types of sensorineural hearing loss require urgent treatment. please seek medical advice immediately if :
- You lose your hearing suddenly i.e over just a few hours or days
- If your hearing loss is associated with ear discharge, dizziness or earache,
Investigations : a variety of hearing tests are done. Loss can be classified as mild, moderate, severe or profound, - Treatment : In many cases hearing aids will be advised. These come in different sizes and types to suit different users and hearing needs. The technology in hearing aids is always improving to make them more discreet and offer better sound quality.
Ear Heaviness it can be due to eustachain tube dysfunction or fluid in ear. Requires a proper ent evaluation. Mostly can be managed by medical treatment
What is Tinnitus??
Tinnitus is a sensation or awareness of sound that is not caused by a real external sound source. It can be perceived in one or both ears.
What are The Different Kinds of Noises We Can Hear??
Although it is commonly assumed to be a ringing noise, tinnitus can take almost any form including hissing, whistling, humming and buzzing. Some people even hear musical sounds or sounds resembling indistinct speech. Some people hear a single sound whereas others hear multiple noises. For some, the sound is constant, for others it is constantly changing.
What are the different types of tinnitus
there are 2 types of tinnitus:
- subjective: only heard by the patient.
- Objective: heard by the patient and the doctor.
Different types of investigations we offer at ALVURA :
hearing tests(PTA), full evaluation of head , neck and jaw. Full examination of ear, nose and throat.
TREATMENT :
- tinnitus retraining therapy.
- sound therapy
- cognitive behavior therapy
- rehabilitation and relaxation therapy.
What Are Different Causes Ear pain??
- trauma to the ear.( poking object)
- ear infection, boil in ear canal ( furunculosis, otitis externa).
- ear wax
- infection in middle ear.
- Pharyngitis. Sinusitis , tonsillitis, jaw infection, carious tooth, neuralgias, etc.
Proper evaluation by a specialist. Most of them go away with medical treatment.
Vertigo and Causes
What Is Vertigo??
Dizziness is a sense of feeling lightheaded that is often accompanied by sensations of swaying, tilting, whirling, spinning, floating or moving that could also be described as vertigo.
What are the different causes :
The body to perceive itself in a state of balance, the brain needs to integrate optimal inputs from muscles, joints, eyes and inner ear. If any of these body parts get diseased or if that part of the brain that integrates and analyzes signals received from these parts is affected, dizziness can occur. Because of these complexities, diagnosing the root cause of dizziness becomes a tough and multi-specialty task requiring inputs from different specialists. Most Common causes of vertigo.
- Meniere's Disease : it is characterized by sudden episodes of vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss, aural fullness maybe associated with nausea, vomiting and loss of balance. related to fluid imbalance. it can be successfully treated with medical management. in extreme cases require surgical intervention.
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo : BPPV can result from imbalance and dysfunction of middle ear.The symptoms show up as sensations of spinning, dizziness, imbalance, and lightheadedness which are felt when the patient changes his head and body position, for example, at the time of turning over in the bed or bending the head backwards. These sensations usually last no more than a few moments and may range anywhere between mild to moderate to severe. The patient can get complete relief by learning a few simple head and body repositioning maneuvers that can be done anywhere*picture of epley maneuver
- Vestibular Neuritis : This is due to inflammation of balance-controlling inner ear nerve cells that is usually caused by an upper respiratory tract viral infection such as influenza. The patient suffers from sudden vertigo spells lasting anywhere between 1-7 days. This condition is eminently treatable with full chances of a complete recovery without requiring any surgery. Your doctor will most likely prescribe medications for symptomatic relief from dizziness and nausea and will recommend a 6-8 weeks’ balance rehabilitation program.
- dizziness can also result from medications such as those prescribed for seizure disorders (e.g, carbamazepine, phenytoin) , sedatives ,antidepressant drugs, gentamycin streptomycin, alcohol.
what is the function of ear wax
it is a lubricating,water repellent, antimicrobial agent in our ear canal. It is the natural defence mechanism of the ear. The ear canal natural conveyor belt mechanism propels ear wax out and it does not need to be mechanically cleaned.
Sometimes ear wax get accumulated inside and get impacted.
Predisposing Factors :
Recurrent cleaning of ear with earbuds, pins and molds , aging, people with hearing aids , people with unusual angulation of ear canal.
Symptoms of impacted wax: ear heaviness ,ear pain, hearing loss, brownish discharge, foul odour. Treatment: should never be removed by own, proper evaluation by ENT specialist.
Use of cerumenolytic agent and cleaning with specialized instruments.
Why Choose Alvura??
Alvura which is renowned for its state-of-the-art acclaimed services, offers you affordable and latest otoscopic(ear) ailments. We provide you the best and most recent surgical technology. We individualize each and every patient’s need and treat them accordingly. We want you to be comfortable and reassured about every before and after facts. Request a consultation right: Book an appointment