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What is otosclerosis?

Otosclerosis is the abnormal growth of bone in the middle ear, which usually causes hearing loss.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptoms of otosclerosis are:

• Hearing loss: mild at first and progresses slowly but gets worse over time.
• Tinnitus or ringing in the ears.
• Vertigo and dizziness.

What are the causes of otosclerosis?

The symptoms of otosclerosis are produced by the abnormal growth of a spongy bone in the middle ear. This prevents the bones of the middle ear from vibrating to the sound waves and therefore makes hearing impossible.

The cause of otosclerosis itself is unknown, although there is a hereditary factor involved.

Is otosclerosis preventable?

It is not possible to prevent otosclerosis and so its early detection is essential in order to provide the necessary treatment and avoid hearing loss.

Treatment of otosclerosis

It is very important to have regular check-ups with your otolaryngologist (ENT) specialist to control bone growth and prevent hearing loss.

Untreated otosclerosis will get worse and affect hearing. To treat the problem a stapedectomy or stapedotomy surgery is performed in which the bones of the middle ear (abutment) are replaced in whole or in part by prosthesis.