Alternative Treatments for Otosclerosis?

[Greg9840]

I had an audiology exam due to constant tinnitus in my left ear (fairly mild, can be masked with an air purifier running in a room).

They said I had conductive hearing loss and referred me to an ENT doctor.

The ENT doctor said I have otosclerosis in my left ear and my only treatment options are a hearing aid or surgery.

Are there any effective alternative treatments?

The only thing I could find after hours of Internet searching is sodium fluoride pills but I think taking large doses of fluoride is too risky in regards to my health.

Are there any other options?

 

[GregCA]

I had an audiology exam due to constant tinnitus in my left ear (fairly mild, can be masked with an air purifier running in a room).

They said I had conductive hearing loss and referred me to an ENT doctor.

The ENT doctor said I have otosclerosis in my left ear and my only treatment options are a hearing aid or surgery.

How did the doctor diagnose your otosclerosis (finding conductive losses is not enough)?

Are there any effective alternative treatments?

Not that I know of.

The only thing I could find after hours of Internet searching is sodium fluoride pills but I think taking large doses of fluoride is too risky in regards to my health.

Yup, it's not great. Sometimes you gotta choose between Scylla & Charybdis. Been on heavy doses of fluoride for over 5 years now. Who knows what that will do to me, but on the bright side my otosclerosis doesn't seem to have progressed, so perhaps there is some useful causality here.

 

[Greg9840]

How did the doctor diagnose your otosclerosis (finding conductive losses is not enough)?

Not that I know of.

Yup, it's not great. Sometimes you gotta choose between Scylla & Charybdis. Been on heavy doses of fluoride for over 5 years now. Who knows what that will do to me, but on the bright side my otosclerosis doesn't seem to have progressed, so perhaps there is some useful causality here.

The doctor basically just used my hearing test and tuning fork testing to conclude that I have otosclerosis and he told me to go ahead and sign the surgery paperwork just in case I want to get stapedectomy surgery in the future, but I should get a hearing aid consult in his office, as well.

I was a bit surprised because I had read that people are supposed to get a CT scan before getting diagnosed with otosclerosis. He didn't mention anything about me getting a scan. Is that wrong?

Thanks!

 

[GregCA]

The doctor basically just used my hearing test and tuning fork testing to conclude that I have otosclerosis and he told me to go ahead and sign the surgery paperwork just in case I want to get stapedectomy surgery in the future, but I should get a hearing aid consult in his office, as well.

I was a bit surprised because I had read that people are supposed to get a CT scan before getting diagnosed with otosclerosis. He didn't mention anything about me getting a scan. Is that wrong?

I'm not a doctor, so this isn't medical advice.

It seems a bit light on clues to get to that diagnosis.

Certainly having conductive losses and fork tests results (I suspect Rinne/Weber) are good clues, but there are other things to look at: Schwartz sign, CT radiolucencies, stapedial reflexes, Carhart notch, patient history (family), and I'm probably forgetting a few others.

 

[Greg9840]

I'm not a doctor, so this isn't medical advice.

It seems a bit light on clues to get to that diagnosis.

Certainly having conductive losses and fork tests results (I suspect Rinne/Weber) are good clues, but there are other things to look at: Schwartz sign, CT radiolucencies, stapedial reflexes, Carhart notch, patient history (family), and I'm probably forgetting a few others.

Thanks! He did look in my ear. Not sure about reflexes. I don't think he tested that but the audiologist did mention that I had an impaired reflex in my left ear. Regarding patient history, my mother has hearing loss but I don't even know what kind. I need to speak to her. I was kind of surprised he said conclusively stated I have otosclerosis.