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What Is Otosclerosis?

Otosclerosis is a condition that effects people when the bones in their ears are abnormal and do not vibrate properly. Approximately 10 percent of people in the United States suffer from otosclerosis, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communicative Disorders.

  1. Causes

    • While doctors do not fully understand the causes of otosclerosis, there appears to be a genetic component to the condition. If one of your parents has otosclerosis, you have a 25 percent chance of developing the condition. If both have your parents have it, you have a 50 percent chance of developing the condition.

    Symptoms

    • Symptoms of otosclerosis include tinnitus and hearing loss that begins with low tones and whispers. If you have otosclerosis, you are likely to hear better in loud or noisy environments, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

    Time Frame

    • Otosclerosis develops slowly over a period of years, and it's most likely to begin during late adulthood or around middle age.

    Diagnosis

    • Doctors diagnose otosclerosis through hearing tests and diagnostic imaging like CT scans.

    Treatment

    • A surgical procedure to replace the affected bone with a prosthesis cures otosclerosis for some patients. Others use hearing aids to compensate for hearing loss for the rest of their lives.

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