Diseases of the inner ear are considered one of the most dangerous pathologies in the field of otolaryngology. The symptoms of all ailments of this group are similar, but the causes of their appearance and the characteristics of the course may differ. It is important to pay enough attention to preventive measures. In the case of congenital ear pathologies, it is impossible to talk about prevention, but many forms of diseases are treatable.
Let's look at the most common diseases of the inner ear.
Labyrinthite
It is an inflammatory process and is also called otitis media. A diffuse and limited labyrinthite is distinguished. In the latter case, the ear is partially affected and the disease does not spread further.
Spilled labyrinthitis affects the entire ear cavity and can cause deafness, including the bilateral version. In addition, inflammation of the purulent and serousa type that is characterized by the accumulation of fluid and does not have negative consequences.
Purulent labyrinthitis leads to active multiplication of bacteria in the ear cavity, the destruction of receptors and suppuration of the cochlea begins. Often leads to deafness.
Underdevelopment of the internal structure of the ear and neoplasms
This is a congenital pathology, accompanied by a violation of auditory perception. Sometimes it is possible to restore hearing through surgery. However, if there is no cochlea or organ of Corti in the ear, the problem is not solved at the moment.
Tumours, cysts, outgrowths of epithelial tissues and malignant neoplasms can be localized in one of the areas of the inner ear.
Cochlear neuritis
This type of hearing loss occurs as a complication after suffering a primary disease of the inner ear. Important receptors of the hearing organs, including nerve endings, are affected. As a result, a functional disturbance occurs in the conductive analyzer, when sound signals are no longer processed and transformed into a nerve impulse transmitted to the brain.
Otosclerotic changes
In this case, we are talking about the growth of bone tissue in the cavity of the labyrinth, which causes blockage of the ear and its work, and later becomes the cause of deafness. What other diseases of the middle and inner ear are there?
Pathological processes in the vestibular apparatus
When infectiouspathogens penetrate the vestibular apparatus, there are violations of coordination. In addition, there are pathologies accompanied by positional dizziness. This is due to a violation of the functioning of the semicircular canals and their injury. Meniere's disease is one of the most common diseases of this group. This syndrome is caused by an increased content of endolymph in the inner ear.
The most serious consequence of these diseases of the inner ear is hearing loss at the level of neural connections. The hair receptors of the ear are destroyed and do not have the ability to recover. When a serous-type inflammatory process occurs, the receptor islands can be preserved and even provide the patient with hearing.
Diseases of the inner ear of a purulent nature are the most dangerous, since tissue necrosis and their decomposition occur against their background. The cochlea and the organ of Corti are affected. Sensory hairs die and permanent deafness sets in.
Causes and symptoms
Against the background of the inflammatory process, the patient has the following symptoms of the disease of the inner ear:
- Pain directly in the ear itself and the temporal bone, radiating to the back of the head or the entire half of the head.
- Weakness and general malaise.
- Incoordination and dizziness. In diseases of the inner ear, this is a fairly common symptom.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Increased body temperature.
- Tinnitus.
- Tachycardia.
- Reduced auditory perception.
After damage to the inner ear, a pronounced pain syndrome occurs, hearing deteriorates significantly, and disorientation and intoxication of the body occur.
Inner ear dysfunction can occur for a variety of reasons, including:
- Anomalies in the development of an innate character. Bad habits of the mother, underdevelopment of the fetus, genetic factor, exposure to toxins and infectious agents can lead to impaired intrauterine development.
- Injuries during delivery due to forceps, obstructed labor and skull deformity when passing through the mother's birth canal.
- Craniocerebral injuries. This can be a blow or fall from a height, a skull fracture, a gunshot wound, etc.
- Injury to the ear from the inside. This can occur as a result of foreign objects entering the ear cavity during surgery or barotrauma.
- Inflammatory process of an infectious or viral nature, including mastoiditis, otitis media, meningitis, tuberculosis, typhoid, etc.
- The impact of the acoustic plan. Under the long-term influence of noise and harsh sounds, the receptors are gradually worn out.
- Intoxication. Under the influence of alcohol, bacterial pathogens, drugs, various drugs and other toxins, the body is poisoned. The environmental situation also plays an important role in this process.
ExceptIn addition, an important place is occupied by various systemic lesions of the body, for example, stress, cervical osteochondrosis, neurological and vascular pathologies.
Diagnosis
There are several main ways that the inner ear can become infected, including:
- Otogenic, occurring through the middle ear.
- Meningogenic, which is the result of damage to the brain and intracranial space.
- Hematogenous, occurring through the bloodstream.
Localization of the pathology, as well as the stage of development and the cause of its occurrence is carried out through special diagnostic methods. The disease detection process involves the following activities:
- Otoscopy.
- Blood and urine tests.
- Audiometry.
- Tested with tuning forks.
- CT and MRI.
- X-ray examination.
If fluids begin to leak from the ear, samples are taken for laboratory testing for the presence of pathogenic bacteria that provoke inflammation. Such a test allows you to determine the sensitivity of harmful microflora to certain drugs and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
We have looked in detail at the symptoms and causes of inner ear diseases. Prevention and treatment are described below.
Treatment
Not all pathological processes occurring in the inner ear can be treated. If receptor death or scarring of the organ of Corti occurs, restore auditoryquality is almost impossible. In certain cases, cochlear hearing aids can help.
In other cases, the treatment of inner ear pathologies includes the following treatment options:
- Taking drugs. To stop the inflammatory process, as well as eliminate signs of intoxication, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Ketorol, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac) are prescribed. In addition, medications are used to stimulate the vascular system (Asparkam, Ascorutin, Cardiohe alth) and neurological processes. Sometimes the patient may be prescribed diuretics. The latter are especially relevant in the case when inflammation is associated with the accumulation of fluid in the ear.
- Surgical treatment. Sometimes it is possible to remove the purulent contents only by opening the labyrinth and cleansing it. In some cases, implantation and restorative procedures are performed.
- Physiotherapy methods. Some procedures promote tissue repair and stimulate the auditory organs.
If we talk about medications, then Diakarb occupies a special place among them. With a disease of the inner ear, it is an effective drug of synthetic origin, which is able to remove excess fluid from the body, that is, it has the properties of diuretics. The appointment of such drugs in the treatment of otitis media is not obvious and in some cases causesbewilderment, however, according to reviews, it is not worth neglecting "Diakarb" for diseases of the inner ear, since in combination with other drugs it allows you to speed up the healing process.
Prevention
As for prevention, you should devote a lot of time to a he althy lifestyle, as well as a balanced diet, avoid stress and strengthen the immune system with vitamin complexes. Experts recommend using special breathing practices and therapeutic exercises to restore hearing.
In addition, an important point of prevention is ear hygiene. Harsh sounds and prolonged exposure to noise, as well as injury to the ear, should be avoided. You also need to consult a doctor in a timely manner with otitis media, as an untreated disease can affect hearing and lead to relapses in a more severe form.
The article discusses the symptoms and causes of diseases of the inner ear.
