Otosclerosis is a disease of the ear in which abnormal growth of bone interferes with the movement of the stapes bone, leading to a progressive loss of hearing.
Otosclerosis is one of the most common types of acquired hearing loss. It’s also twice as common among women than men. This is thought to be because of hormonal influences on the disease. Pregnant women with otosclerosis sometimes experience a rapid drop in hearing.
Gradual hearing loss is the most common symptom of otosclerosis. Typically, hearing loss develops over many months or years and slowly gets worse. It usually affects both ears. The hearing loss might start at different times in each ear and there may be different degrees of hearing loss.
The first symptoms of otosclerosis can begin anytime between the ages of 15 and 45, but it usually starts in the early ’20s.
If you have otosclerosis, you might not begin to notice that you have a hearing loss until it reaches 25-30dB on the audiogram. Difficulty understanding speech during a conversation may be the first sign that you have hearing loss.
The treatment options for otosclerosis are either to observe and monitor your hearing loss or to wear a hearing aid or to have surgical correction. The surgical procedure performed to correct otosclerosis is called a stapedectomy, which is an elective day surgery procedure. You can return to work in seven to ten days depending upon your work requirements.