Autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED) is a disorder of the inner ear wherein the body’s own immune system attacks the inner ear, mistaking it to be bacteria, viruses or germs. The immune system can attack the whole body including the ear or can just damage the ear. This will harm your ear and will damage the hearing and the balance nerves. It commonly occurs in women than in men, according to the Vestibular Disorders Association.
Hearing Loss
The most common symptom is reduction of your hearing. This occurs due to damage to the nerves of your inner ear. There will be progressive and fluctuating loss in your hearing. Hearing loss in AIED typically involves both your ears. If one ear is initially affected, the other ear gets involved later on. Hearing loss progresses and occurs over few weeks to few months, according to American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (AAOHNS). The hearing loss will be asymmetric or different in each ear. If you have AIED, your ability to understand speech will be poor.
Balance Problems
About 50 percent of patients with AIED will have problems with balance, according to the Center for Hearing Loss Help. You may have a spinning sensation, loss of your balance, dizziness and problems with your gait.
Tinnitus
Some patients will have ringing, hissing or a roaring sound in one or both the ears. This symptom accompanies the hearing loss. Your ears will also feel full.
Symptomatic Association with Meniere's Disease
Thirty percent of AIED patients will present with symptoms of Meniere’s disease, according to House Ear Clinic. Meniere’s disease is a disease of the inner ear, which occurs due to excess fluid secretion in the inner ear. Many people with Meniere’s have immune system problems and AIED as the underlying cause. The symptoms of Meniere’s include episodic giddiness, noises in the ears, fullness in the ears and hearing problems. The hearing loss in AIED, however, progresses more rapidly than it does in Meniere’s. The episodes of giddiness in AIED occurs multiple times during the day whereas in Meniere’s, these episodes may occur two to three times in a week, according to the University of Texas. If you have symptoms, you should consult your doctor. He will advise hearing tests and other special blood tests for self-antibodies, and suggest further treatment.
References
- Vestibular Disorders Association: Autoimmune inner ear disease
- AAOHNS: Autoimmune inner ear disease
- Center for Hearing Loss Help: Autoimmune inner ear disease
- House Ear Clinic: Hearing disorders: allergies and Autoimmune inner ear disease
- University of Texas Medical Branch: Autoimmune inner ear disease
