What is a Chlosteatoma?
If you’ve suffered a sudden loss in hearing, you may just now be wondering “What is a Chlosteatoma?” An ENT doctor in Los Angeles will diagnose you with this condition, and they will recommend you get it treated right away.
A cholesteatoma is a skin-lined cyst that grows near the eardrum, and as it increases in size, it will invade the middle ear. Since it’s inside your ear, a cholesteatoma may not be noticeable until it’s big enough to do damage.
The symptoms you may have a cholesteatoma in your ear include:
- Fluid draining from the ear
- Foul odor
- A feeling of fullness in the ear
- Earache, especially at night
- Hearing loss
- Dizziness
- Facial muscle weakness on the side of the infected ear
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should seek a diagnosis from a medical professional.
These cysts can grow quickly and collect dead skin, and they can also wrap around the bones in your ear and even crush them.
Immediate removal is recommended for various reasons, including:
- A cholesteatoma will start to decrease your hearing by blocking your middle ear.
- As it gets bigger, it will press on the fragile bones of your middle ear and even break them. Cholesteatoma has the capacity to eat away bone. Bone erosion can lead to hearing loss by destroying the small hearing bones (malleus, incus, stapes) that carry sound in the middle ear.
- The lining of the cholesteatoma can gather bacteria and become infected. Antibiotics and ear drops are not impacted by this kind of infection; the only way to stop the infection is to remove the infected tumor.
Keep in mind that although a cholesteatoma is not cancerous, these growths are serious. This condition is treatable, and quick treatment can prevent serious side effects, such as deafness and meningitis.
Contact an abnormal ear growth doctor in Los Angeles at Westside Head & Neck to start treating your cholesteatoma.