BAHA Implant
Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA) is a device surgically implanted to help people suffering from a loss of hearing. Most conventional hearing aids transmit sound through air conduction. The BAHA device is suitable for conductive or mild-moderate mixed hearing loss.

Problems with hearing in the middle or outer ears can be helped with the BAHA device. The sound waves received by the BAHA device bypass the middle ear and get delivered straight to the functioning cochlea in both ears.

A BAHA device comprises of two parts:
a) The processor 
b) A fixture which is surgically implanted behind the ear in the bone.

The implant is embedded in the bone. The processor, which remains outside, is attached to the implant. There is a microphone on the processor that picks up sounds. The sounds are passed on to the implant. The implant vibrates which triggers the Cochlear. You can consider wearing a BAHA implant if other conventional hearing aids do not work for you. BAHA implants are also given to people with collapsed or irritated ear canals.

Cochlear Implant Surgery

A complex, small electronic device that helps hearing in people with severe hearing loss or deafness is used in the Cochlear Implant Surgery. The cochlear implant comprises of an external piece behind the ear and another piece that is surgically implanted under the skin. A cochlear implant comprises of four parts:
1. A microphone which picks up sounds from the surroundings
2. A speech processor which chooses and arranges the sounds the microphone picks up
3. A receiver/stimulator and transmitter that picks up signals from the speech processor and changes them into electric impulses
4. An electrode ray, a bunch of electrodes, receives impulses the stimulator sends and transmits them to different areas of the auditory nerves.
The implant does not cure deafness; it only gives you a useful portrayal of sounds in the environment and considerable aid in understanding speech.

The surgery is done in the following way:
i. The area around the site of the implant is shaved or cleaned
ii. The patient's vital signs are monitored through cables, patches and monitors attached to him or her
iii. General anaesthesia is administered through IV or through a face mask
iv. After the device is implanted, the patient is taken to the recovery room for the anaesthesia effect to lessen.

BAHA Implant and Cochlear Implant Surgery

Remember how Shrek literally pulled out a candle from his ear for the dinner table? Ever tried doing it yourself? Well, the stuff in your ears may be called wax, but it can t really be used to make a candle. However, it certainly can signify a lot about your health. Though the idea of discussing earwax is rather disgusting, it actually plays a pivotal role in keeping your ears healthy and functioning. Earwax protects your eardrums by barring the entry of insects, fungi, bacteria, dust and bacteria. In clinical terms, earwax is also known as cerumen. 

Studies indicate that children typically produce more earwax than adults. The earwax in your ear is a combination of alcohol, shed layers of the ear, unsaturated and saturated long-chain fatty acids and squalene. In order to clean earwax, you should not insert objects too deep in your ear, instead, you can just wipe it off with a cotton swab.  The color and texture of the earwax removed can actually indicate your overall health condition, stress level, genetic ancestry, etc.

Know what your earwax color says about your health 
Pale yellow to yellow earwax: It is the most common type of earwax and indicates overall good health. Children typically produce soft, pale yellow earwax and in case of adults, the color should remain the same, but the texture tends to be sticky. 
Wet vs. dry earwax: Wet and dry are the genetically determined earwax types, wherein, the 'wet type' is dominant and the 'dry type' is recessive. A research, conducted on Biologic variation in health and illness: race, age, and sex differences (1985) by Overfield, Theresa, established that dry-type earwax indicates East Asian and Native American ancestry, while wet-type indicates African and European. 
Thick, dark and black colored earwax: The production of earwax is also influenced by your stress level i.e. when you are stressed out, the glands that are responsible for the production of earwax work overtime and produce excess amount of earwax. As this earwax collects, it can turn thicker and darker thus, this type of earwax is a sign of increased stress level. And, black colored earwax indicates that it has been accumulating in your ears for quite some time and has not been cleaned. To avoid this, it is essential to clean your ears from time to time and in the right way. 
Dry, gray earwax: The gray color of the wax is an indication of dust build-up and must be cleaned properly at regular intervals. However, if your earwax suddenly seems dry and brittle, it could be the sign of a skin infection. Dry earwax accompanied by itchiness in the ear is usually a sign of eczema.
Bloody earwax: Blood in the earwax should never be ignored. This could be caused by an ear infection or can be a sign of ruptured eardrum and you must consult your doctor immediately. 
Thus it is important that you take proper care of your ears so as to ensure that your hearing is maintained and although earwax protects your ears against infections and problems, it must be cleaned from time to time. It is advisable that you get your ears cleaned professionally, in case you are suffering from certain ailments such as Diabetes.

Earwax - Did You Know Its Color Can Say A Lot About Your Health?

Ringing in the ears, medically called Tinnitus, is a condition in which the individual hears a certain sound continuously in the ears.

The nature of this sound varies with different individuals. The sound may be whistling, buzzing or bell-like; it might be low or high; seeming to come from a far point or from inside of one's body.

Tinnitus in most cases is subjective where only the affected individual is able to hear the sounds. In some cases, the condition might also be objective wherein the doctor/examiner might be able to hear the sounds on examining.

Understanding the most common cause:

The process of sound waves travelling from the ear to the brain is facilitated by hair cells. When these hair cells are damaged, the brain does not receive signals which cause dysfunction in the activity of neurons. This dysfunctional neuron activity results in the illusion of sounds in the said individual. This illusion is referred to as Tinnitus.

Other causes that might result in Tinnitus are:

Damage around the hearing sections of the brain also might result in ringing sounds / tinnitus. Excessive noise might result into Tinnitus and if not prevented might even progress to hearing loss. There are also some drugs that may cause or worsen the condition.

When to seek help:

In the case of a sudden episode of Tinnitus, it may be associated with hearing loss. Such an episode should be followed by visiting the doctor immediately to prevent any further damage.

Sometimes, the ringing sound occurs rhythmically with your heart beat. It might be because of a pulsating blood vessel and/or because of a sudden hike in blood pressure. This condition would also be relatively easy to cure if reported immediately to the doctor.

If ringing sound occurs with a certain movement, it might be associated with stroke in some cases. In such incidents, conveying the exact symptoms and seeking help sooner would help in treating the underlying cause effectively.

With the first episode of Tinnitus, a regular medication that you intake should be shown to the doctor to rule out medication as the cause or to discontinue a certain medication if found to the causative agent.

Ringing In Ears - What Does it Mean and When to Seek Help

An eardrum rupture or perforation is a little gap or tear in your eardrum and the tympanic membrane. The tympanic membrane is a thin tissue that partitions the canal of the middle ear and outer ear. This layer vibrates when sound waves enter your ear. The vibration proceeds through the bones of the center ear. Since this vibration allows you to listen, your hearing can be affected if your eardrum is harmed. A ruptured eardrum is additionally called a perforated eardrum. Permanent hearing loss could be an end result in some cases.

A ruptured eardrum, similar to thunder; can happen all of a sudden. You may feel a sharp pain in your ear, or an ear infection that you've had for some time all of a sudden leaves. In some cases, the person may not feel any signs of the rupture.

Some of the causes for such a perforation are:

Infection: Ear infections are a major reason for eardrum rupture, particularly in children. Liquids tend to deposit behind the eardrum in such cases.
Exercises: Exercising can bring about pressure changes in the ear and lead to a punctured eardrum. This is known as barotrauma, and takes place when the pressure outside the ear is not the same as the pressure inside the ear. Activities that can bring about barotrauma include scuba diving or flying on plane.
Other activities: Wounds can likewise burst your eardrum. Any injury to the ear or side of the head can bring about a crack.
Diagnosis: Your specialist can use a few approaches to find out whether you have a ruptured eardrum:

A liquid test in which your specialist tests liquids that might spill from your ear from infection.
An otoscope exam in which a specific gadget with a light is used to investigate your ear channel
An audiology exam, in which your specialist tests your listening to range and eardrum limit
Tympanometry, in which your specialist uses a tympanometer to test the pressure changes in your ear.
Treatment: The treatments are as follows:

Patching: In the event that your ear does not recuperate by itself, your specialist may fix the eardrum. Fixing includes setting a sedated paper patch over the tear in the film.
Antibiotics: Anti-toxins can clear up contaminations that may have prompted your eardrum break. They additionally shield you from growing new diseases from the aperture. Your specialist may endorse oral antibiotics or eardrops.
Surgery: In uncommon cases, surgery might be required to fix the gap in the eardrum. A surgical repair of a punctured eardrum is called tympanoplasty.
A cracked eardrum generally recuperates without any invasive measures. Many patients with cracked eardrums encounter just transitory listening problems.

Eardrum Rupture - Causes, Symptoms & Treatments

The human ear is divided into three parts, namely the outer, middle and inner ear. All these parts function in coherence with each other and help us in converting vibrations into sound and information. The middle ear consists of the air space between the inner ear and the outer ear and contains the bones that transmit the vibrations of the outer ear and translate them into information. This area is prone to infections, especially among children and thus may cause discomfort or pain. 

Symptoms of middle ear infections
Middle ear infections primarily tend to manifest themselves as inflammation of the tissues and buildup of fluids. Some of the symptoms are mentioned below.

1. Infections in children - middle ear infections primarily occur in children although it can occur in adults as well. Some of the common symptoms could be:
A. Ear pain either sitting or standing up and especially while lying down
B. Irritability and crying, which in infants could translate to more than usual crying 
C. Problems with sound and difficulties in hearing
D. Fluid buildup causing balance related problems
E. Discharge of fluid in certain cases
F. Unable to sleep and also loss of appetite
G. In some cases children may have high fever

Causes of middle ear infections 
The primary cause of middle ear infection is due to the presence of bacteria or virus in the area. The eustachian tube, which runs from the middle ear to the back of the throat, is connected to nasal passages as well. Any infection that affects the throat or the nose may also affect the middle ear through this tube. Primary causes for the infections could be
A. Cold or flu like symptoms, which then infect the middle ear as well
B. Otitis media, which is the buildup of fluid and inflammation either due to the presence of bacteria and viruses or even without it
C. Seasonal infections, which are common during late autumn or winters
D. Air pollution is also known to be a factor
E. Infection from others, especially in the case of children when they are part of a group care
F. Children from 6 months to 2 years are also susceptible to middle ear infections as their immune systems are much less developed.

Treatment of middle ear infections
Usually, middle ear infections resolve on their own within a day or so. You can try warm compress with a soft piece of cloth to ease the pain. However, if pain persists for too long then antibiotic medications may be required to fight the infection with pain relief medications to lessen the pain and discomfort.

All About Middle Ear Infections

Our ears are small in size, but  big  in the work they do. Not only do they help us hear, but also help us maintain our body s balance. They thus help us stand, walk, drive you just name it.

Ears are also much bigger in size than they actually are. The part of the ear that we see on our head is only the external ear, there is a middle ear and an inner ear too, silently carrying out complex functions related to hearing and balance. The middle ear that lies behind your ear drum is the seat of balance. And this part is hit hard at the time of an ear infection.

Ear infections cause the Eustachian tubes   small tubes that connect the middle ear to the back of your throat   to become swollen and blocked due to excess mucus. As a result of this, fluid builds up and inflammation takes root in the middle ear, thereby causing pain.

Ear infections can be acute or chronic. Acute infections clear up in a few days, but chronic ones reoccur frequently. If not managed, chronic ear infections can cause permanent damage to the middle and inner ear.

Causes of Eustachian tube blockage are as follows:

Allergies
Sinus infection
Cold
Extreme production of mucus
Smoking
Infected adenoid, which is a tissue near your tonsils that traps harmful bacteria and viruses
There are a few risk factors associated with ear infections. It can be said that young children are more susceptible to these infections. This is because their Eustachian tubes are short and narrow. It has also been seen that infants who are bottle-fed have a higher incidence of ear infections than breastfed babies.

Other risk factors are:

Changes in altitude
Changes in climate
Exposure to tobacco smoke
Use of pacifiers
Symptoms of ear infections:

Pain or discomfort inside the ear
A prolonged feeling of pressure inside the ear
Pus-like ear drainage
Hearing loss
What is also important to know is that the symptoms of an ear infection come and go. 

Symptoms can also occur in one or both ears. Chronic ear infection symptoms can be less noticeable than those of acute ear infections.

Hence, fever and ear ache should spur you to see a doctor. You should be extremely careful with babies younger than six months who have fever or ear infection symptoms.

Your doctor will diagnose an ear infection by checking if there is a draining of fluid from the middle ear, perforation in the eardrum or a collapsed eardrum.

Sometimes, ear infections can lead to the following serious complications:

Hearing loss
Speech or language delay in children
An infection in a skull bone called mastoiditis
Meningitis
Ruptured ear drum

Causes And Symptoms Of Ear Infections

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