Table of contents:
- Some of the most common ear problems
- 1. Otitis media
- 2. Tinnitus
- 3. Swimmer's ear (swimmer's ear)
- 4. Earwax buildup
- When should you see your doctor for your ear?
The ear is one of the human senses that functions to hear. Therefore, ear health is very important to be maintained. But not infrequently, ear health escapes your attention. If the health of the ears is not maintained, both in terms of cleanliness and in hearing sounds, then one of the ear problems below could just happen to you. Here are some common ear problems.
Some of the most common ear problems
Some of the medical conditions below can affect the health of your hearing. Your hearing ability may decrease to the point of loss or deafness due to this ear problem.
1. Otitis media
Otitis media is an infection or inflammation of the middle ear that can occur in children and adults. These ear problems can occur when the mucosa (the part of the upper respiratory that secretes mucus) becomes swollen due to a cold, respiratory infection, or allergies. Eventually, the Eustachian tube becomes clogged by a buildup of fluid.
Adults have a larger Eustachian tube than children, so they experience this ear infection less frequently. Children are more likely to get this infection in one or both ears.
If ear infections are not treated promptly, they can become more serious. Otitis media can cause infection of the mastoid bone behind the ear, rupture of the eardrum, and can lead to permanent hearing loss.
2. Tinnitus
Do you like hearing ringing in your ears? Be alert, maybe you have tinnitus. Tinnitus occurs when you hear sounds in your ears, such as loud roaring, knocking, murmuring, to buzzing. This sound can be heard intermittent or continuous.
Usually tinnitus occurs due to damage to the microscopic endings of the auditory nerve in the inner ear. One of the causes of this damage is due to prolonged exposure to very loud sounds. Usually, hearing nerve damage and tinnitus often occur together as you get older. To prevent this ear problem, it is recommended that you always maintain ear health, including protecting your ears from exposure to loud noises.
3. Swimmer's ear (swimmer's ear)
Swimmer's ear, also known as otitis externa, is an infection of the outer ear caused by water trapped in the ear canal, trapping bacteria there. The water in the ear canal keeps the ear's environment moist, where bacteria can breed. In severe conditions, the inner layer of skin can swell, causing irritation and infection. Apart from usually occurring in swimmers, otitis externa can also occur due to water entering the ears while bathing.
4. Earwax buildup
Earwax (earwax) or also commonly known as cerumen is a component that is naturally produced by special glands on the outside of the ear. Earwax this is produced by the ear with the aim of trapping dust particles or other small particles that enter the ear so that it does not go deeper into the eardrum.
Normally, earwax these will build up, dry up, and leave the ears on their own. However, earwax a lot of buildup in the ear canal can cause hearing loss. Incorrectly cleaning the ear canal can be one of the causes for this to happen. The habit of cleaning the ears using cotton bud or other small object can actually push the wax deeper into the ear. So that there will be a buildup of earwax and cause hearing loss.
When should you see your doctor for your ear?
Early examination is very important to do so that the problem does not get worse. For that, you should immediately have your ear checked by a doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- Ear pain
- Ringing in ears
- Dizzy
- The ears ooze pus or blood
- Fever and feeling weak
- Have experienced trauma to the neck and head before feeling ear pain
- Hearing impaired or worsens gradually
- There is a foreign object in the ear
- Already using ear medication but the symptoms have not improved or they feel itchy
