3 Types of Ear Disorders That Most Often Occur

Medical Video: What is Sensorineural Hearing Loss? - Ear Problems

As one of the five main senses in our body, the ear is sometimes often forgotten to be cared for and maintained in its health. In fact, the ears are the five senses that are prone to health problems due to the easy exposure of the ears to various contaminants from the outside. Nerves that have lots of ears can also experience health problems if they are not properly maintained or dealt with as soon as possible when nerve damage occurs. Some examples of common ear disorders include:

1. A buildup of earwax

Also known as earwax, this component that is actually naturally produced by the ear cannot actually be called 'dirt'. Produced by glands in the ear canal, earwax has its own function and role in maintaining ear health. Earwax can catch dust and other foreign particles that enter the ear canal, preventing the foreign component from entering the inner ear and causing damage or infection to the eardrum.

Normally, earwax will dry out and come out of the ear by itself along with dust and particles trapped in it. Everyone produces numbers and types earwax different, depending on genetics. But usually the ear canal is too small or if the shape is not normal it will facilitate the buildup earwax so that it actually causes blockage of the ear canal.

This ear disorder is usually caused by the habit of digging ears using a cotton bud. Inserting a cotton bud into the ear risks pushing earwax to the ear that is deeper so that it allows the buildup of the ear canal to even injure and damage the eardrum. Those who use hearing aids everyday or often use earplugs (earplug) more potential to experience ear canal blockage.

Ear canal blockage due earwax is a complaint that most often causes a person to go to ENT. Symptoms of ear disorders caused by buildup earwax is:

Decreased listening ability
Dizzy or dizzy
Pain in the ear
Feel the ears are full or blocked
Ears ringing
Itching or the appearance of fluid coming out of the ear hole

2. Middle ear canal infection (internal otitis)

Also called acute otitis media, middle ear canal infections usually occur due to bacteria or viral infections that attack the middle ear canal. The middle part is an air-filled space located behind the eardrum. This part also has a small bone that will vibrate when receiving sound. Middle ear canal infection can be very painful because of the buildup of fluid and inflammation in the infected part. These ear disorders can be experienced by children and adults, but are usually more common in children. This middle ear infection can also be caused by other diseases such as flu or allergies, and other diseases that cause blockages and swelling of the respiratory tract, throat, and eustachia.

In children, these ear disorders usually have symptoms of ear pain (especially when lying down), difficulty sleeping, a more fussy child, fever above 38 degrees Celsius, headache, and loss of appetite. While in adults the symptoms can be in the form of pain in the ear, discharge from the ear, to a reduced ability to hear. You should immediately see a doctor if the symptoms of the infection appear more than one day, the pain in the ear is unbearable, the appearance of blood or pus from the ear, or if the symptoms appear in infants under the age of six months.

3. Outer ear canal infection (otitis externa)

These ear disorders usually cause inflammation, swelling, and redness in the outer ear canal, which is the part that connects the outer ear and eardrum. The cause of this ear disorder is usually a bacterial infection, but irritation, fungi, and allergies may also cause this ear disorder. Your risk of developing an external ear infection is also increasing if you pry too often because it can damage the skin inside the ear.

In addition, the ear that often enters water is also susceptible to infection. That is because if the ear is put in water, you are more likely to scratch or scrape your ears, and a condition that is too moist in the ear canal makes it easier for bacteria to multiply. This is why outer ear canal infections are often referred to as swimmer's ear.

The symptoms of this ear disorder are:

Pain in the ear that usually tends to be severe
Itching in the ear canal
The discharge (both clear and pus) from the inside of the ear
The outside of the ear and ear canal looks reddish and swollen
The skin around the ear canal dries, scales, and can peel off
In more severe cases it can cause hearing loss
Usually only one ear is infected

If treated immediately, these ear disorders will heal within a few days. But if not, this condition is called chronic otitis externa which can last for months or even years.

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