Common Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease

This paper explores the different diseases in which hearing loss is a side effect. The different causes of deafness are broad and are usually categorized between two types of deafness. There are two main types of deafness which are conductive deafness and nerve deafness. There is deafness in which you are born in (can be born in through disease), congenital deafness; and deafness which occurs later in life, adventitious deafness, usually caused by loud noises. The paper explores the Sensorial hearing loss, which is damage through the inner ear or to the nerves that send sound to the brain, which can cause permanent loss of hearing. Infectious diseases may be the cause for Sensorial hearing loss (HLAA 2005). The paper as well describes the common …show more content…
AIED is rare and incidence is controversial, but what is know is that there are less than 1% of cases who have a hearing impairment caused by AIED (Hain,2012). It is not yet known why AIED occurs or why it’s caused but there are some theories behind the disease. Bystander Damage is when damage to the inner ear is present and so protein cells called cytokines are released that cause immune reactions (AHRF, 2012). Cross-reactions occur accidentally when antibodies cause damage to the ear because they share antigens with the same harmful substance that the body is trying to fight (AHRF, 2012). Intolerance is when the body may not know that the inner ear has antigens which fight off bacteria, so when the inner ear antigen is released after an infection the body …show more content…
When this virus enters their body the cranial nerves of the brain get damaged because of a condition called encephalitis which can swell up the brain (Pederson, 2012). Measles are well known for a contagious disease where red spots appear all over your body which causes a fever, sore throat, diarrhea, and feeling fatigue. Measles can cause hearing loss as well when the virus blocks the Eustachian tubes, which is a narrow passage that connects the pharynx to the middle ear letting pressure on each eardrum, from catarrh, or a buildup of mucus. Since the Eustachian tubes are blocked no air can be pressured or can be pumped up from the throat to get the mucus out and unblock the collapse in the walls of the middle ear (Pederson et al, 2012). This is like when you’re in high altitude and your ears block and the only way to unblock your ears are through chewing or swallowing. Shingles can also cause hearing loss as it can damage facial nerves which are next to hearing cranial nerves. Shingles are like chicken pox and can cause a facial rash, that virus that causes the facial rash can damage the facial nerve which includes hearing loss (Thompson,