Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease (AIED)
The inner is the primary target of autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED). The inflammatory condition arises when the immune system attack the inner ear cells, mistaking them for bacteria or virus. Despite being a rare disease (affecting only one percent of the American population), AIED can leave severe damage, particularly hearing loss which can go on for weeks or months.
Sudden hearing loss is the first sign of AIED, which occurs in the first ear before eventually affecting the second ear. Individuals with the conditions may feel discomfort in their ears, like a feeling of fullness inside it. As a result, they may experience vertigo. Other symptoms include dizziness, poor balance, and ringing in the ears (tinnitus).
Some symptoms of AIED are similar to ear infections. Doctors run a series of physical examinations to accurately diagnose the condition, check the patient’s entire medical history, and assess other symptoms. People with this illness may also develop other autoimmune diseases at some point. Initial treatments include methotrexate, prednisone, steroid, chemotherapy agent, and hearing aids.
