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Our ears are made up of three parts: the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. And just like your eyes, ears are also very sensitive sense organs. And sometimes, the effect of certain health conditions can be seen in the ears. To know more about this, the OnlyMyHealth editorial team talked to Dr Sanjay Bhatia, ENT Surgeon, Fortis Hospital, Mulund,
What Your Outer Ear Can Tell?
When your ears are itchy, the doctor can tell whether you are suffering from any skin condition. Dr Bhatia explains that the skin of the outer ear runs continuously into the eardrum. Fungal infections, bacterial infections, and skin lesions can affect your ears. On top of this, if one uses earbuds for ear cleaning, then they are more likely to injure their ears, which makes ears susceptible to ear infections.
“In cases of skin lesions, like eczema and psoriasis, we examine the patients and refer them to skin specialists (dermatologists) for specific treatment. In case of bacterial and fungal infections, antibiotics and antifungal ear drops are given,” highlighted Dr Bhatia. He suggested one should not let the water go inside the ears and not use earbuds to clean them.
Also read: What Is Serous Otitis Media? How It Is Different From Ear Infection, Know Symptoms And Risk Factors
What Your Eardrum And Middle Ear Space Can Tell?
It might seem surprising, but your eardrums can suffer injury due to a cold as well. People who suffer from prolonged symptoms of cold can affect their eardrums. If they blow their nose hard, then there are chances that the mucus can go into the middle ear space, rupturing or perforating the eardrum. “Even when someone hits the ear hard, it can cause perforation or rupture of the eardrum,” said Dr Bhatia.
Your eardrum can also suffer if you have unsafe or bone-destroying diseases of the ears. Along with discharge, a person’s hearing ability is impacted in this condition. This happens because the vibrations of the eardrum do not reach the inner ear.
“In cases when patients come to us at an early stage of the middle ear infections, we help patients by giving them antibiotics, ear drops, and controlling the symptoms of a cold. On the other hand, when the infection gets chronic, they become surgical cases, in which the eardrum is grafted, or a new eardrum is placed,” added Dr Bhatia.
The aim is to achieve dry ears, improve hearing, and not let bone-destroying diseases further affect the brain and other elements of the ears.
One-Sided Deafness
In cases of deafness only in one ear, a detailed examination is done to check if the hearing organ has any lesion or tumor in the brain.
Also read: Ear Infection Increases In Winter, Here’s How You Can Prevent It
Tinnitus
If you experience a ringing or hissing sound, you might have tinnitus, which can be caused due to decreased hearing, tumors, and dental causes like jaw clenching or tightening. “There is no cure for this condition, and if the hearing nerves are weak, then hearing aids are given, but when this condition is due to infection, eardrum perforation, or cholesteatoma, then surgeries can be performed, which may or may not relieve tinnitus.”
Problems Due To Aging
At times, everything in your ears seems right, but still, you experience deafness. This can be due to the weakening of the ear nerves, which can be due to ageing.
Image Credits: freepik
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