Inner Ear Health

Ear is a highly responsive organ of the human body. Most people ignore the simple fact and that is the root of many ear ailments. Stuffing things is a disease that affects more than half the population. The result is pain and damage of the ear. The most common problem with the ears is blocked hearing. This is most often the consequence of our ear cleaning efforts. The ear has natural cleaning mechanisms and needs no outside meddling. The wax in the ear is a mix of beneficial ear secretions and dust particles. The ear pushes it out naturally without harm. However, the wax is pushed back into the year every time we try to clean it resulting in blocked ear or tinnitus which causes a ringing sound in the ear.

These sounds widely vary from humming, buzzing, and clicking to roaring. Tinnitus is diagnosed as a symptom of underlying disorders, such as cardiovascular, neurological, brain tumors. In the younger years, loud noise can be a cause of the ailment. Millions of people around the world suffer from this problem. Loud noise as well as stress and exhaustion can exaggerate tinnitus.

Another common ear ailment is itchy ears. Eczema or psoriasis can be among the obvious reasons. When external objects are shoved into the ear for relief, the internal lining of the ear can be damaged causing otitis externa. It can also be caused by water logging in the canals of the year. That is why the ailment is also known as Swimmer's ear. Temporary hearing loss can be one of the effects of the ailment.

Another ear condition, otitis media, is diagnosed as one of the most common causes of hearing loss in children. In simple words this means inflammation of the middle ear. Left unattended, the condition can very well develop into permanent hearing loss.

Autoimmune inner ear disease is a condition of the inner ear that causes inflammation and pain. This ailment has a strange cause. It is caused when the body's immune system attacks the cells in the inner ear having mistaken them for virus or bacteria. This situation requires immediate medical attention and prompt treatment.

Infection of the inner ear is usually due to a virus and may accompany illnesses such as influenza, measles and mumps. Symptoms include severe dizziness, nausea, vomiting, noises in the ear and loss of hearing. It is usually diagnosed on the basis of the symptoms and examination. The viral infection usually improves on its own, but anti-nausea tablets or injections are essential to control the unpleasant symptoms. Recurrent symptoms can be a sign of Meniere's disease, a disorder affecting the inner ear, whose symptoms can include vertigo, tinnitus and reduced hearing. It occurs when excess fluid builds up in the balance organ of the inner ear and is most common in people over the age of 50.

Apart from these ailments, the ear also needs to be protected against careless piercing which can cause infections and spread into the ear. Most of the sunbathers forget to protect the ear against harmful UV rays which can result in skin cancer. The ear and the ear lobes are highly sensitive and need protection from all sorts of unwanted effects.

• Emma Bullock
• 10/04/2009, 4:59 PM
• 0 Comments