Thomas J. Balkany - The Ear Book: A Complete Guide to Ear Disorders and Health

THE EAR BOOK

Thomas J. Balkany, MD, FACS, FAAP, is Hotchkiss Professor and Chairman Emeritus, Department of Otolaryngology, and formerly Professor of Neurological Surgery and Pediatrics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Balkany is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology in Otolaryngology as well as in Neurotology. He has published four books and over two hundred fifty scientific papers, and he holds fourteen US and international patents. His research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, and he was a panelist of the US Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Balkany has served on the editorial boards of eleven indexed peer-reviewed journals and was an associate editor of Audiology and Neurotology. He has also acted as a senior examiner of the American Board of Otolaryngology and is currently Director, Institute for Cochlear Implant Training, where he teaches advanced surgical techniques in cochlear implant surgery.

Kevin D. Brown, MD, PhD, is Associate Professor of Otolaryngology and Neurosurgery at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He is also the medical director of the Childrens Cochlear Implant Center at the University of North Carolina, the largest pediatric implant program in the United States. He is Board Certified in Otolaryngology and Neurotology. He has been published in numerous clinical and scientific papers and has written chapters for several textbooks. He serves as an examiner for the American Board of Otolaryngology and is on the Editorial Board of the major journal for clinical ear research, Otology and Neurotology.

A Complete Guide to Ear Disorders and Health

Thomas J. Balkany, MD, FACS, FAAP
Kevin D. Brown, MD, PhD

Note to the Reader: This book is not meant to substitute for medical care and treatment should not be based solely on its contents. Instead, treatment must be developed in a dialogue between the individual and his or her physician. Our book has been written to help with that dialogue.

Drug dosage: The author and publisher have made reasonable efforts to determine that the selection of drugs discussed in this text conform to the practices of the general medical community. The medications described do not necessarily have specific approval by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in the diseases for which they are recommended. In view of ongoing research, changes in governmental regulation, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert of each drug for any change in indications and dosage and for warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently used drug.

2017 Thomas J. Balkany and Kevin D. Brown
All rights reserved. Published 2017
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
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Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21218-4363
www.press.jhu.edu

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Balkany, Thomas J. | Brown, Kevin D. (Kevin David)

Title: The ear book: a complete guide to ear disorders and health / Thomas J. Balkany, MD, FACS, FAAP, and Kevin D. Brown, MD, PhD.

Other titles: Complete guide to ear disorders and health

Description: Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2017. | Series: A Johns Hopkins Press health book | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016040194| ISBN 9781421422848 (hardcover: alk. paper) | ISBN 9781421422862 (pbk.: alk. paper) | ISBN 9781421422862 (electronic) | ISBN 1421422840 (hardcover: alk. paper) | ISBN 1421422859 (pbk.: alk. paper) | ISBN 1421422867 (electronic)

Subjects: LCSH: OtologyPopular works. | EarDiseasesPopular works. | Hearing disordersDiagnosisPopular works. | Hearing disordersTreatmentPopular works.

Classification: LCC RF123 .B245 2017 | DDC 617.8dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016040194

A catalog record for this book is available from the British Library.

are by Jane Whitney.

Special discounts are available for bulk purchases of this book. For more information, please contact Special Sales at 410-516-6936 or .

Johns Hopkins University Press uses environmentally friendly book materials, including recycled text paper that is composed of at least 30 percent post-consumer waste, whenever possible.

To my familyDiane, Jordan, and Sarah Balkany

TJB

To my wife, Nicole, and our three sons, Luke,
Gabriel, and Ethan

KDB

The importance of any organ system of the human body is related to how often it must be addressed by health care professionals. The most common illness requiring a prescription from the pediatrician, the most common operation performed on children, and the most common disability affecting adults in the United States all involve the ear. The Ear Book is a comprehensive explanation of the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of these frequently occurring ear disorders. It is written in plain language so it can be useful to all those managing this organ system, including general health care providers and the books primary audiencethe lay public.

Symptoms caused by conditions affecting the ear such as hearing loss, ringing in the ears, and dizziness can be disabling. Explanations of the cause of the problem and the need and value of testing, as well as treatment options, can be difficult to follow in the physicians office. Even common problems like ear wax, swimmers ear, ear infections, and perforations of the eardrum can be painful and confusing.

Rapid advances in medicine make it difficult to keep up, even for specialists in the field. Exaggerated claims of miraculous cures found in the media may be difficult for patients and providers to separate from established treatments founded in good clinical science. We describe recent innovations in simple terms and sift fact from fiction to help patients and their caregivers stay abreast of modern approaches to the ear.

The ear is one of the most complex organs of the body, providing the sense of hearing and balance. the ear works. After a review of the meaning of different ear symptoms, we dispel some popular myths about the ear.

In , we review the most prevalent ear disordersotitis media, hearing loss, dizziness and vertigo, and tinnitusfocusing on finding the right diagnoses and getting the best treatment.

with a discussion of tumors.

In the final section we describe different types of hearing and balance tests. Knowing what to expect in advance will help you get the most out of your visit to the doctor. In this section we also address the problems of adjusting to different air pressures (when scuba diving or flying in a plane). Techniques can be learned to lessen the effects of pressure changes. The last chapter looks to the future and the progress that has been made with gene therapy and stem cell research.

At the end of the book you will find a glossary of terms, appendixes providing a list of ear medications and a roster of resources, references for further reading, and an alphabetical index to facilitate easy access to specific topics.

The Ear Book provides up-to-date, reliable information. It follows a conservative approach to surgery. We hope that it will help you in working closely with your primary physician or ear specialist.