La La Center For Ears Nose Throat And Allergy

02/20/2015

02/19/2015

Earache Overview :-
Earache is very common medical problem for both children and adults. The pain of earache results from inflammation and swelling of the structures that make up the ear, including the external auditory canal, the tympanic membrane, and the middle ear.

Myringitis is an inflammation of the tympanic membrane or ear drum.
Otitis externa is a skin infection of the outer ear canal. It is the area where was forms and often occurs after swimming (commonly referred to as swimmer's ear).
Otitis media is an infection of the middle ear and eardrum commonly seen in infants and younger children. Otitis media also may affect older children and adults.

02/18/2015

Meniere's disease:-
Treatments and drugs:-

No cure exists for Meniere's disease, but a number of strategies may help you manage some symptoms. Research shows that most people with Meniere's disease respond to treatment, although long-term hearing loss is difficult to prevent.

Medications for vertigo

Your doctor may prescribe medications to be taken during an episode of vertigo to lessen the severity of an attack:

Motion sickness medications, such as meclizine (Antivert) or diazepam (Va**um), may reduce the spinning sensation of vertigo and help control nausea and vomiting.
Anti-nausea medications, such as promethazine, may control nausea and vomiting during an episode of vertigo.
Long-term medication use

Your doctor may prescribe a medication to reduce fluid retention (diuretic), such as the drug combination triamterene and hydrochlorothiazide (Dyazide, Maxzide). Reducing the amount of fluid your body retains may help regulate the fluid volume and pressure in your inner ear. For some people a diuretic helps control the severity and frequency of Meniere's disease symptoms.

Because diuretic medications cause you to urinate more frequently, your system may become depleted of certain minerals, such as potassium. If you take a diuretic, supplement your diet each week with three or four extra servings of potassium-rich foods, such as bananas, cantaloupe, oranges, spinach and sweet potatoes.

Noninvasive therapies and procedures

Some people with Meniere's may benefit from other noninvasive therapies and procedures, such as:

Rehabilitation. If you experience problems with your balance between episodes of vertigo, you may benefit from vestibular rehabilitation therapy. The goal of this therapy, which may include exercises and activities that you perform during therapy sessions and at home, is to help your body and brain regain the ability to process balance information correctly.
Hearing aid. A hearing aid in the ear affected by Meniere's disease may improve your hearing. Your doctor can refer you to an audiologist to discuss what hearing aid options would be best for you.
Meniett device. For vertigo that's hard to treat, this therapy involves the application of positive pressure to the middle ear to improve fluid exchange. A device called a Meniett pulse generator applies pulses of pressure to the ear canal through a ventilation tube. The treatment is performed at home, usually three times a day for five minutes at a time. Initial reports on the Meniett device show improvement in symptoms of vertigo, tinnitus and aural pressure, but its long-term effectiveness has not been determined.

02/17/2015

Meniere's disease:-
Causes:-
The cause of Meniere's disease isn't well understood. It appears to be the result of the abnormal volume or composition of fluid in the inner ear.

The inner ear is a cluster of connected passages and cavities called a labyrinth. The outside of the inner ear is made of bone (bony labyrinth). Inside is a soft structure of membrane (membranous labyrinth) that's a slightly smaller, similarly shaped version of the bony labyrinth. The membranous labyrinth contains a fluid (endolymph) and is lined with hair-like sensors that respond to movement of the fluid.

In order for all of the sensors in the inner ear to function properly, the fluid needs to retain a certain volume, pressure and chemical composition. Factors that alter the properties of inner ear fluid may help cause Meniere's disease. Scientists have proposed a number of potential causes or triggers, including:

Improper fluid drainage, perhaps because of a blockage or anatomic abnormality
Abnormal immune response
Allergies
Viral infection
Genetic predisposition
Head trauma
Migraines
Because no single cause has been identified, it's likely that Meniere's disease is caused by a combination of factors.

02/14/2015

Meniere's disease:-

Symptoms:-

The primary signs and symptoms of Meniere's disease are:

Recurring episodes of vertigo. Vertigo is similar to the sensation you experience if you spin around quickly several times and suddenly stop. You feel as if the room is still spinning, and you lose your balance. Episodes of vertigo occur without warning and usually last 20 minutes to two hours or more, up to 24 hours. Severe vertigo can cause nausea and vomiting.
Hearing loss. Hearing loss in Meniere's disease may fluctuate, particularly early in the course of the disease. Eventually, most people experience some degree of permanent hearing loss.
Ringing in the ear (tinnitus). Tinnitus is the perception of a ringing, buzzing, roaring, whistling or hissing sound in your ear.
Feeling of fullness in the ear. People with Meniere's disease often feel aural fullness or increased pressure in the ear.
A typical episode might start with a feeling of fullness in your ear, increasing tinnitus and decreasing hearing followed by severe vertigo, often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Such an episode might last 20 minutes to four hours, after which signs and symptoms improve. Episodes often occur in clusters, with long periods of mild or no symptoms (remission) between.

Still, the severity, frequency and duration of each of these sensory perception problems vary, especially early in the disease. For example, you could have frequent episodes with severe vertigo and only mild disturbances in other sensations. Or you may experience mild vertigo and hearing loss infrequently but have frequent tinnitus that disturbs your sleep.

02/13/2015

Meniere's disease:-
Definition:-

Meniere's disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes spontaneous episodes of vertigo — a sensation of a spinning motion — along with fluctuating hearing loss, ringing in the ear (tinnitus), and sometimes a feeling of fullness or pressure in your ear. In many cases, Meniere's disease affects only one ear.

People in their 40s and 50s are more likely than people in other age groups to develop Meniere's disease, but it can occur in anyone, even children.

Although Meniere's disease is considered a chronic condition, various treatment strategies can help relieve symptoms and minimize the disease's long-term impact on your life.

02/12/2015

Earaches and Ear Infections:-
Earache is very common medical problem for both children and adults. The pain of earache results from inflammation and swelling of the structures that make up the ear, including the external auditory canal, the tympanic membrane, and the middle ear.

Myringitis is an inflammation of the tympanic membrane or ear drum.
Otitis externa is a skin infection of the outer ear canal. It is the area where was forms and often occurs after swimming (commonly referred to as swimmer's ear).
Otitis media is an infection of the middle ear and eardrum commonly seen in infants and younger children. Otitis media also may affect older children and adults.

02/10/2015

Ear tubes:-
Risks:-

Ear tube placement is a relatively safe procedure with a low risk of serious complications. Possible risks include:

Bleeding and infection
Persistent drainage of fluid
Blocked tubes from blood, mucus or other secretions
Scarring or weakening of the eardrum
Tubes falling out too early or staying in too long
Failure of eardrum to close after the tube falls out or is removed
Anesthesia

Surgery for ear tube placement usually requires general anesthesia, which carries some risks as well. Although the risks of anesthesia are very low in otherwise healthy children, possible problems include:

Allergic reaction
Breathing difficulties
Heart irregularities
Nausea or vomiting after the procedure

02/07/2015

Ear tubes:-
Definition:-
Ear tubes (tympanostomy tubes, ventilation tubes, pressure equalization tubes) are tiny cylinders, usually made of plastic or metal, that are surgically inserted into the eardrum. An ear tube creates an airway that ventilates the middle ear and prevents the accumulation of fluids behind the eardrum.

Ear tubes are often recommended for children who have persistent fluid buildup behind the eardrum, especially if the condition causes hearing loss and affects speech development. Your child's doctor may also recommend ear tubes if your child gets frequent ear infections.

Most ear tubes fall out within six to 12 months, and the holes heal shut on their own. Some tubes need to be removed, and some holes may need to be closed surgically.

02/06/2015

Swimmer's ear:-

Treatments and drugs:-

The goal of treatment is to stop the infection and allow your ear canal to heal.

Cleaning

Cleaning your outer ear canal is necessary to help eardrops flow to all infected areas. Your doctor will use a suction device or ear curette to clean away any discharge, clumps of earwax, flaky skin and other debris.

Medications for infection

For most cases of swimmer's ear, your doctor will prescribe eardrops that have some combination of the following ingredients, depending on the type and seriousness of your infection:

Acidic solution to help restore your ear's normal antibacterial environment
Steroid to reduce inflammation
Antibiotic to fight bacteria
Antifungal medication to fight an infection caused by a fungus
Ask your doctor about the best method for taking your eardrops. Some ideas that may help you use eardrops include the following:

Reduce the discomfort of cool drops by holding the bottle in your hand for a few minutes to bring the temperature closer to body temperature.
Lie on your side with your infected ear up to help medication travel through the full length of your ear canal.
If possible, have someone help you put the drops in your ear.
If your ear canal is completely blocked by swelling, inflammation or excess discharge, your doctor may insert a wick made of cotton or gauze to promote drainage and help draw medication into your ear canal.

If your infection is more advanced or doesn't respond to treatment with eardrops, your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics.

Medications for pain

Your doctor may recommend easing the discomfort of swimmer's ear with over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Aleve, others), or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).

If your pain is severe or your swimmer's ear is at a more advanced stage, your doctor may prescribe a stronger medication for pain relief.

02/05/2015

Swimmer's ear:-

Risk factors:-

Factors that may increase your risk of swimmer's ear include:

Swimming
Swimming in water with elevated bacteria levels, such as a lake rather than a well-maintained pool
A narrow ear canal — for example, in a child — that can more easily trap water
Aggressive cleaning of the ear canal with cotton swabs or other objects
Use of certain devices, such as headphones or a hearing aid
Skin allergies or irritation from jewelry, hair spray or hair dyes