Vestibular schwannoma is a benign (non-cancerous) tumor that grows on the eighth cranial nerve, which is responsible for hearing and balance. The tumors are rare, accounting for only five to seven percent of all brain tumors. However, for the part...
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Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS), also known as herpes zoster oticus, is a rare yet severe condition that causes facial weakness or paralysis and a rash on the outer ear. The same virus that causes chickenpox and shingles, the varicella zoster...
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Otosclerosis describes a condition of abnormal bone growth around one of the three small bones in the middle ear space called the stapes. When bone around the stapes hardens, the bone cannot move freely, which limits the ability to properly...
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Ménière’s disease (also called idiopathic endolymphatic hydrops) is one of the most common causes of dizziness originating in the inner ear. In most cases only one ear (unilateral) is involved, but both ears (bilateral) may be affected. Ménière’s disease typically...
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Hyperacusis, or sensitive hearing, describes a problem in the way the brain’s central auditory processing center perceives noise, often leading to pain and discomfort. People with hyperacusis have a hard time tolerating sounds that are typically not loud to others,...
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Cholesteatoma is an abnormal skin growth or skin cyst trapped behind the eardrum, or the bone behind the ear. Cholesteatomas begin as a build-up of ear wax and skin, which causes either a lump on the eardrum or an eardrum...
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Do you get a spinning vertigo or dizziness sensation in certain head positions? For example, turning to a particular side when you’re lying in bed, or lying flat on your back without any pillows to support you, or tilting your...
Read More Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
The facial nerve controls the muscles of your face, ears, the saliva glands in your mouth, as well as the tears in your eyes, and provides some of the sense of taste on your tongue. Bell’s palsy occurs when the...
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Over 50 million Americans have experienced tinnitus, or ringing in ears, which is the perception of sound without an external source being present. About one in five people with tinnitus have bothersome tinnitus, which negatively affects their quality of life...
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Swimmer’s ear (also called acute otitis externa) is a painful condition that affects the outer ear and ear canal that is caused by infection, inflammation, or irritation. These symptoms often occur after water gets trapped in your ear, especially if...
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Hearing loss can be broadly separated into two categories: conductive (problems in delivering sound to the inner ear) and sensorineural (problems of the inner ear, or cochlea, and/or the auditory nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain). Sensorineural...
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Earwax, called cerumen, is produced by special wax-forming glands located in the skin of the outer one-third of the ear canal. It is normal to have cerumen in ear canal as this waxy substance serves as a self-cleaning agent with...
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Ear problems are one of the most common medical complaints of airplane travelers and divers. While they are usually minor annoyances, sometimes they can cause significant symptoms. When the eustachian tube in your middle ear is blocked due to altitude...
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Earaches, or pain in the ear, is common and can occur in both children and adults. It can be due to a problem with the ear or structures close to the ear. The pain may be dull, sharp, or burning...
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Hearing loss can be broadly separated into two categories: conductive and sensorineural (damage to tiny hair cells in the inner ear). Conductive hearing loss results when there is any problem in delivering sound energy to your cochlea, the hearing part...
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The human body has three organs that assist in locating your location in space: Your eyes see the horizon, Your feet feel the effects of gravity on your body, and Your inner ear organs can detect your location in three-dimensions...
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Swimmer’s ear, or otitis externa, is a fairly common infection that usually manifests itself with the symptoms of ear pain and possible drainage from the ear as well. It can sometimes be associated with swelling and redness around the ear...
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Labyrinthitis is a disorder associated with inflammation of the inner ear. The labyrinth is a fluid-filled compartment that consists of the cochlea and the vestibular organs. The cochlea is the hearing organ and the vestibular organs are responsible for balance...
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A cochlear implant is an electronic device that restores partial hearing to the deaf. It is surgically implanted in the inner ear and activated by a device worn outside the ear. Unlike a hearing aid, it does not make sound...
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The Epley maneuver can be done at home. We often recommend the home Epley to our patients who have a clear diagnosis. This procedure seems to be even more effective than the in-office procedure, perhaps because it is repeated every...
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Autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED) is an inflammatory condition caused by an uncontrolled immune system response that attacks the inner ear causing progressive sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) that usually starts in one ear and then affects the other ear. The...
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