Otosclerosis is a condition which leads to the abnormal growth of bone in the middle ear which then causes conductive hearing loss. The excess bone then prevents the ossicles in the middle ear from moving freely. Hearing loss of this type causes sounds to become quieter rather becoming distorted. This disease is inherited. The first form of hearing loss in this disease is the conuductive hearing loss which means that sounds reach the ear drum but are not quite as clear as they would be when a person is healthy. It is not completely transferred to the inner ear. It starts with affecting only one ear, but eventually affect both of them. At the beginning the hearing loss is not so high, but later on it fades more and more. The next step in the disease is the so called sensorineural hearing loss, which means a high frequency loss. This condition can be triggered by pregnancy. Around 0,5% of the whole population are destined to get this condition. White, middle-aged women tend to be more affected by this condition. Bones remodel in our body all the time, it is a slight remodeling of the bone tissue. However, in this case it is about abnormal remodeling which leads to this condition.
Otosclerosis can be treated. Milder forms can be treated with the use of hearing aids, while some severe cases usually need surgery. This type of surgery is called stapedectomy.
