Otosclerosis

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This pathology causes gradual hearing loss and, if left untreated, can degenerate into complete deafness.
The precise cause of otosclerosis is not yet known; however, the sharing of genetic and environmental factors is suspected.
Current therapy consists of the use of external hearing aids and the ability to operate surgically. Both provide satisfactory results.

It is divided into three parts:

• External ear;
• Middle ear
• Inner ear.

The outer ear starts from the auricle and ends where the eardrum is located.
The middle ear is located behind the eardrum and has three small bones: the hammer, the anvil and the stirrup. It communicates with the nose, through a duct called the Eustachian tube. Therefore, air passes inside the middle ear.
The inner ear is the area in which the cochlea and semicircular canals are located. The cochlea is the organ of hearing; the semicircular canals, on the other hand, constitute the organ of balance.