Conditions and diseases
Otosclerosis
Symptoms and causes
What is it?
Otosclerosis is a disease (sometimes familial, sometimes not) in which calcifications occur in the middle or inner ear.
Symptoms
In addition to hearing loss , tinnitus and mild balance problems may occur.
Diagnosis and treatment
- When the disease only occurs in the middle ear, there is a calcification of the flexible seal around the stirrup (one of the three ossicles) that allows the stirrup to vibrate smoothly. In this case, we can perform a stapedotomy.
- When the disease solely occurs in the inner ear (cochlea), only a hearing aid can bring improvement.
- In some people, the disease occurs in both places. In that case, a surgical intervention can partially solve the problem. A distinction is made through tuning fork tests and a hearing test (audiometry). We usually also order a CT scan.
Treatment centres and specialisations
Ear, nose, and throat diseases
ENT, otorhinolaryngology, ORL
Latest publication date: 21/01/2021
Supervising author: Dr Vermeiren Judith