The Otologist sees patients who have infections, deafness, or dizziness, or people who need ear reconstruction. Neurotology is closely related to otology but adds the training and skill to operate within the skull on the parts of the brain and nervous system related to hearing and balance.
The major areas of focus in The ENT Group Otology Department Include:
Hearing Loss: Sensory neural, Conductive and Mixed Hearing Loss
Vertigo and Balance Disorders: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) • Meniere’s disease • Labyrinthitis • Vestibular neuritis
Chronic Ear Infections: Chronic otitis media • Cholesteatoma
Cochlear and Vestibular Disorders: Cochlear implants • Vestibular rehabilitation • Superior canal dehiscence syndrome
Congenital Ear Disorders: Congenital hearing loss • Congenital ear malformations
Facial Nerve Disorders: Bell’s palsy • Facial nerve tumors • Facial nerve trauma
Menieres disease is an inner ear problem that can cause dizzy spells (also called Vertigo) and hearing loss. Common symptons of Menieres disease includeregular dizzy spells, hearing loss and ringing in the ear (tinnitus).
Tinnitus is when you experience ringing or other noises in one or both of your ears. Tinnitus is usually caused by an underlying condition such as hearing loss, an ear injury or a problem with the circulatory system.
An Ear Infection, also known as Otitis Media, is a sudden infection in your middle ear (the air filled space between the ear drum and the inner ear.) Commonly caused by bacteria and viruses, otitis also causes middle ear fluid which is infected and often causes discomfort in addition to muffled hearing.