Hearing Health Center

Because sign language is complex, it is very difficult to teach it to yourself. Check out the center below for more medical references on language, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.

Cauliflower ear, or "boxer's ear," is caused by an injury to the ear, usually by blunt trauma from sports such as boxing, wrestling, or martial arts. When hematomas form, infection and eardrum injury may occur in addition to hearing loss if not treated. Treatment goals are to drain blood from hematomas, treat infection, and at times administer antibiotics to prevent further infection.

Hearing loss (deafness) may be present at birth or it may manifest later in life. Deafness may be genetic or due to damage from noise. Treatment of deafness depends upon its cause. Sensorineural hearing loss can be caused by conditions affecting the cochlea, eighth cranial nerve, spinal cord, or brain. Examples of conditions that can lead to sensorineural hearing loss include Meniere's disease, noise-induced hearing loss, hearing loss of aging (presbycusis), nerve injury from syphilis, hearing loss of unknown cause (idiopathic hearing loss), nerve tumors, and drug toxicity (such as aspirin and aminoglycosides).

A deviate septum is a condition that may require surgery. With a deviated septum, the bone and cartilage that divide the nasal cavity of the nose in half (nasal septum) is significantly off-center or crooked. The causes of a deviated septum can be congenital, or develop after a trauma or injury to the nose. Symptoms of a deviated septum include nasal congestion, recurrent sinus infections, nosebleeds, headache, facial pain, postnasal drip, snoring, and loud breathing. A deviated septum can be relieved with medications and, if necessary, a surgery called septoplasty.

Tinnitus is when you hear ringing or other noises — like roaring or humming — in one or both ears. Many times tinnitus lasts for a few seconds to minutes, but other times it may be permanent.

The most important measure to keep ears healthy is to avoid loud noise. It is also important to keep the auricle and the ear canal clean.

Earwax (ear wax) is a natural substance secreted by special glands in the skin on the outer part of the ear canal. It repels water and traps dust and sand particles. Usually, a small amount of wax accumulates, dries up, and then falls out of the ear canal carrying with it unwanted particles. Under ideal circumstances, you should never have to clean your ear canals. The absence of ear wax may result in dry, itchy ears, and even infection. Ear wax may accumulate in the ear for a variety of reasons including; narrowing of the ear canal, production of less ear wax due to aging, or an overproduction of ear wax in response to trauma or blockage within the ear canal.

The Eustachian tube is a membrane-lined tube that connects the middle ear space to the back of the nose. Symptoms of Eustachian tube dysfunction or blockage include popping and/or clicking in the ear, and ear fullness and/or pain. Causes of Eustachian tube dysfunction or blockage include allergies, sinus infections, ear infections, and the common cold. Treatment includes home remedies to relieve pain and several maneuvers (swallowing, chewing gum, yawning, etc.), which can be done to improve Eustachian tube function. In severe cases, surgery may be necessary.

There are many ways for water to get into your ear. These five home remedies can help dry or drain the fluid from your ears.

Tinnitus — sometimes called ringing in the ears — is when you perceive sound even though there's no actual external source making that sound. You can stop tinnitus by treating the underlying cause, but there is no quick guaranteed method of curing tinnitus.

Clogged or stuffy ears may cause considerable discomfort that includes ear fullness, dizziness, muffled hearing, ringing in the ears and ear pain. Home remedies to unclog your ears include chewing, ear irrigation, performing the Valsalva maneuver, applying warm compresses, using OTC nasal decongestants or or putting oil drops or hydrogen peroxide into the affected ear.

There are times when your ears get clogged for various reasons. This can cause pain and discomfort and may affect your hearing. Chewing gum, eating hard candy, yawning, gargling and other strategies may help you unclog your ears.

Deafness is profound hearing loss, wherein people may only be able to hear very little or nothing at all. Some people may be born deaf (congenital deafness). In some, it may occur during early childhood due to genetic factors, trauma, infections, etc.

Learn what medical treatments can help ease your blocked eustachian tube symptoms and speed up your recovery for blocked eustachian tubes. Ear infections are common and usually go away on their own after a few days, even without medical treatment. Learn about causes and treatment.

Tinnitus is not a condition in itself, but a symptom of some other condition that causes a high-pitched whine, a ringing, buzzing or clicking in the ears. It can come from any number of problems starting with the eardrum and cochlea – the organs that turn sound waves into electrical signals for the brain to interpret as sound.

How do you know if ear pain is serious? Learn the signs of ear problems and when to see a doctor.

Pulsatile tinnitus is a sign of certain medical conditions, and its severity depends on the condition causing it. If the cause is treatable, pulsatile tinnitus is likely to get cured. Rarely is it caused by more serious problems.

An inner ear infection or otitis interna is caused by viruses or bacteria and can occur in both adults and children. An inner ear infection can cause symptoms and signs, for example, a severe ear, dizziness, vertigo, nausea and vomiting, and vertigo. An inner ear infection also may cause inflammation of the inner ear or labyrinthitis. Inner ear infections are not contagious; however, the bacteria and viruses that cause the infection can be transmitted to other people. Good hygiene practices will help decrease the chances of the infection spreading to others. Inner ear infection symptoms and signs like ear pain and nausea may be relieved with home remedies or over-the-counter (OTC) medication. Some inner ear infections will need to be treated and cured with antibiotics or prescription or antinausea medication.

Tympanoplasty is a surgery involving the repair (reconstruction) of the eardrum (tympanic membrane). This is usually performed for a hole (perforation) in the eardrum.

Labyrinthitis occurs when there is inflammation of the part of the ear responsible for balance and hearing), usually due to viral infections of the inner ear. Learn about causes, symptoms, and treatment.

Mastoiditis in children and adults is inflammation and/or infection of the mastoid bone, which is located behind the ear. The most common cause of mastoiditis is an inner ear infection or otitis media. Acute mastoiditis lasts for a short period, while chronic mastoiditis can last for months to years. Symptoms of acute mastoiditis in children and adults include pain and swelling behind the ear, pus draining from the ear, and a low-grade fever. Complications of mastoiditis include meningitis, abscess, dizziness, and conductive hearing loss. Mastoiditis requires antibiotic treatment so it cannot be treated at home with natural products or home remedies; however, home remedies may help reduce symptoms of pain, inflammation, and fever. Some individuals will need surgery to cure their infection.

Meniere disease (idiopathic endolymphatic hydrops) is an inner ear disorder with symptoms that include vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss, and the sensation of ear fullness. The primary treatments for Meniere's disease are diuretics, anti-vertigo, anti-nausea, and low-salt diets. Surgery may be recommended if the vertigo cannot be controlled with medication.

A middle ear infection (otitis media) can cause earache, temporary hearing loss, and pus drainage from the ear. It is most common in babies, toddlers, and young children. Learn about causes and treatment.

Noise-induced hearing loss may be an acoustic trauma, which causes temporary hearing loss, or it may be permanent due to an acute acoustic trauma. Experts agree that continual exposure to more than 85 dBs (decibels) is dangerous to the ears. Ear plugs and ear muffs can help prevent noise-induced hearing loss as well as decreasing exposure to loud noises.

Objects or insects in the ear can be placed in the ear by patients themselves or an insect crawling in the ear. Earwax can also cause ear problems if Q-tips are overused to clean the ears. Symptoms and signs of an object in the ear are inflammation and sensitivity, redness, or discharge of pus or blood. When to seek medical care for an object or insect in the ear is included in the article information.

A perforated (ruptured, punctured) eardrum (tympanic membrane) is a hole or tear in the eardrum. The eardrum separates the ear canal and middle ear. Most ruptured eardrums do not cause pain, however, the condition can be uncomfortable. Bacteria, viral, and fungal infections are the most common cause of a ruptured eardrum. Earwax removal attempts, changes in air pressure, and trauma are other causes of a ruptured eardrum. If you have a ruptured eardrum you may have symptoms like ear pain, partial or full hearing loss, a mucousy or pus-like blood-tinged discharge from your ear, bleeding from the ear, ringing in the ear, vertigo, nausea, vomiting, and middle ear infection. Most people do not need medical treatment for a ruptured eardrum, however, some may need surgery depending on the cause and size of the hole in the eardrum.

Swimmer's ear (external otitis) is an infection of the skin that covers the outer ear canal. Causes of swimmer's ear include excessive water exposure that leads to trapped bacteria in the ear canal. Symptoms of simmer's ear include a feeling of fullness in the ear, itching, and ear pain. Chronic swimmer's ear may be caused by eczema, seborrhea, fungus, chronic irritation, and other conditions. Common treatment includes antibiotic ear drops.

Tinnitus is described as a throbbing, ringing, clicking, or buzzing in one or both ears. Tinnitus is caused by trauma to the ear, overexposure to loud noises, medication, and diseases or infections of the ear such as multiple sclerosis, TMJ, autistic neuroma, Meniere's disease, hearing loss, and aging. Treatments include medication, tinnitus masking, retraining therapy, and relief therapy.

The term cancer means an uncontrolled growth of cells in the body. When cancer begins in the urinary bladder, it is called bladder cancer. The urinary bladder, often simply called the bladder, is a balloon-like organ present in the lower abdomen near the pelvis.

Endolymphatic sac decompression surgery is done to drain excess fluid from the inner ear. After this surgery, the operated ear is covered with a Glasscock dressing, which is a special dressing applied to keep the pressure on the site to reduce swelling. There is usually some tenderness and discomfort in the operated ear and throat (from the breathing tube inserted during surgery), which may be controlled by painkillers.

Vestibular neurectomy is one of the surgical treatments for Meniere's disease (dizzy spells with hearing loss).

Middle ear surgery is a part of the series of surgical procedures to manage middle ear diseases. There are four different surgeries carried out to treat middle ear disorders.

Noise is an unwanted sound that is unpleasant, loud, or disruptive. Other words for noise include buzz, cacophony, commotion, crash, cry, explosion, roar, or turbulence.

The current procedural terminology (CPT) code for foreign body removal from the ear without general anesthesia is 69200. The type of removal described in this procedure includes the removal of foreign bodies under direct visualization with an otoscope (an instrument for examining the ear).

Tinnitus is the perception of abnormal sounds in the ears. Tinnitus may sound like ringing, bussing, roaring, clicking, hissing, or humming in one or both ears. Tinnitus is not a disease itself. Tinnitus is usually a manifestation of an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, ear injury, or circulatory system disorder. However, in many cases, there is no identifiable cause.

Here are 12 home remedies and tips for relieving a blocked ear, which include taking a few sips of water and the Valsalva maneuver.

Ringing in the ears has been linked to vitamin B12 and vitamin D deficiencies. Treating an underlying cause of tinnitus such as a vitamin deficiency may help relieve symptoms.

Learn what medical treatments can help ease your tinnitus symptoms and help you manage this condition. What is tinnitus and what are the main causes of tinnitus? Learn more about this tinnitus and what you can do about tinnitus.