04 Ear Diseases
04 00 Acoustic Trauma
04 01 Acute Mastoiditis
04 02 Barotrauma
04 03 Ear Congestion
04 04 Ear Infections
04 05 Labyrinthitis
04 06 Serous Otitis Media
04 10 Tinnitus
04 11 Vestibular Neuritis
The ear is made up of three parts. The outer ear includes the part you can see and the canal that leads to the eardrum. The eardrum separates the middle ear from the outer ear and contains tiny bones that amplify sound. The inner ear is where sounds are translated into electrical impulses and sent to the brain. Bacteria, fungi, or viruses can infect any of these three parts. Children are particularly prone to middle ear infections (otitis media). Around four of five children (80%) are estimated to have experienced a middle ear infection at least once.
Understanding the color treatment system is crucial as it can guide you in your treatment journey. Each disease or condition is assigned a unique code, which includes a treatment color. This system is designed to help you quickly identify the treatment options for your specific condition, empowering you to take control of your health.
Scroll down the site to find your disease or condition. Then, you look for the treatment color. The treatment colors are magenta (red-blue), blue, cyan (blue-green), green, yellow (red-green), and red. I give the treatment colors a number. Magenta = 0, blue = 1, cyan = 2, green = 3, yellow = 4, and red = 5. For instance, Acoustic Trauma would then be categorized as 04-00-1. Here, the last digit, the treatment color, is blue. The first two digits are the disease/condition group (Ear Diseases are 04). The next two digits (Acoustic Trauma is 00) are the illness within the group, and the last digit (blue is 1) is the treatment color. This system can help you quickly identify the treatment options for your specific condition.
When you use the projector, click on your treatment color, and a large image will appear. Make the color cover the whole page and project it onto yourself. When you use the LED light bulb, you choose your color manually.
Acoustic trauma is an injury to the hearing mechanisms in the inner ear caused by intense noise. It is a common cause of sensory hearing loss. Damage to the hearing components within the inner ear may result from an explosion near the ear, firing a gun close to the ear, prolonged exposure to loud noises (such as loud music or machinery), and any deafening noise nearby.
Mastoiditis is most often caused by a middle ear infection (acute otitis media). The disease can spread from the ear to the mastoid bone, which has a honeycomb-like structure that can fill with infected material and may break down. This condition is most common in children.
Barotrauma is an injury caused by increased air pressure, such as during airplane flights or scuba diving. It can lead to ear pain or damage to the eardrum. The eardrum separates the ear canal from the middle ear. If the air pressure in the ear canal from the outside environment and the air pressure in the middle ear change rapidly or are unequal, it can harm the eardrum. Usually, the eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the back of the nose, helps maintain equal pressure on both sides of the eardrum by allowing outside air to enter the middle ear. However, when the external air pressure changes suddenly, such as during the ascent or descent of an airplane or a deep-sea dive, air must move through the eustachian tube to equalize the pressure in the middle ear.
Ear congestion refers to a sensation of fullness in the ears. A person may feel as if their ears are clogged or blocked. It can also cause hearing difficulties, dizziness, and ear pain.
Ear infections are among the most common reasons parents take their children to healthcare providers. The most common type of ear infection is called otitis media, which is caused by swelling and infection of the middle ear, located just behind the eardrum.
An acute ear infection is painful and appears suddenly. Ear infections that last a long time or recur are termed chronic ear infections.
A chronic ear infection involves fluid, swelling, or an infection behind the eardrum that does not resolve or keeps recurring. It can cause long-term or permanent damage to the ear and often results in a hole in the eardrum that does not heal.
Common signs and symptoms include ear pain, fluid drainage from the ear, and difficulty hearing.
Labyrinthitis is the inflammation of the labyrinth, a part of the inner ear. The eighth cranial nerve, the vestibulocochlear nerve, may also become inflamed. This inflammation results in feelings of spinning (vertigo), hearing loss, and other symptoms. In most individuals, these symptoms resolve over time.
Serous otitis media is an effusion in the middle ear resulting from the incomplete resolution of acute otitis media or obstruction of the eustachian tube without infection. Symptoms include hearing loss and a sense of fullness or pressure in the ear.
Diagnosis is based on the appearance of the tympanic membrane and sometimes involves tympanometry. Most cases resolve within two to three weeks.
Tinnitus is the perception of ringing or other noises in one or both ears. External sources do not cause the sounds you hear when experiencing tinnitus; typically, other people cannot hear them. Nonetheless, tinnitus is widespread, affecting 15% to 20% of individuals, and is particularly prevalent among older adults.
Tinnitus is generally associated with underlying conditions such as age-related hearing loss, ear injuries, or issues with the circulatory system.
Vestibular neuritis affects the vestibular system and is caused by inflammation of the nerves located in the inner ear. These nerves send brain signals that control balance.
It is often triggered by a virus, which may arise from an infection in the respiratory or gastrointestinal systems. This may lead to inflammation of the vestibular nerve, which in turn disrupts the transmission of information gathered by the nerve. This results in inconsistencies with other body receptors, such as vision, leading to an altered sense of balance.