Ear Conditions and Treatment

We provide a variety of effective treatments at our ENT Clinic in Bakersfield for a number of ear conditions. A few of the ones we treat include: earaches, vertigo, tinnitus, ear wax removal, swimmers ear, and hearing loss. Dr. Kitt works closely with Andersen Hearing Services and The Family Hearing Aid Center in Bakersfield. Some of our referral sources are The House Ear Clinic, UCLA, Loma Linda University, and The Institute of Balance and Fall Prevention in Visalia. There are different diagnoses to identify specific bacteria, virus, or fungus in order to obtain an effective treatment of the ear. Please read about the conditions below that are of interest to you and then give us a call for an appointment.

Common Conditions:

  1. Earaches or outer ear canal pain can be found due to skin inflammation and occlusion from ear wax impaction, excessive water exposure causing swimmers ear, the use of Q-tips, improper use of medication, and excessive itching and scratching.

  2. Hearing loss can be caused by similar reasons one gets an earache as mentioned above. It can also be caused by noise and infections. The first thing needed is a hearing test to determine how significant the problem is. We can generally help improve the quality of your ability to communicate by treating your hearing loss condition. Many people unnecessarily delay getting proper treatment and miss out on the joy of discussions with family and friends.

  3. Middle ear infections cause earaches; pressure and hearing loss which are frequently experienced by children and in some adults are due to Eustachian tube blockage, nasal allergies, enlarged adenoids, and nasal obstruction. In children, hearing loss may affect their ability to learn and speak if not treated. Ear infections may cause eardrum perforations, chronic drainage with foul discharge, and may signify the forming of an infected cyst cholesteatoma, which can destroy middle ear hearing bones known as ossicles, and expand to the inner ear mastoid and into the head.

    The proper diagnosis and proper treatment are necessary to prevent serious complications in most chronic middle ear infections. When the medical regiments are not effective, surgery is necessary.

  4. Vertigo and Inner ear problems include the balance canals and cochlear or hearing organ in the inner ear. They work separately but together at times.

    The balance mechanism is complicated, which may cause vertigo or dizziness, feeling of unsteadiness to sensations of spinning, and nausea. They may be caused by an untreated middle ear infection, circulatory problems, and the increase of fluid pressure which cause the dizziness, hearing loss, and ringing in the case of Meniere’s disease. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is the common cause in adults from balance abnormality. All must be individually diagnosed and treated.

  5. Tinnitus can be a low roar or a high pitched ringing resulting from irritation to the hearing nerve in the inner ear to the brain pathway. The most common cause of tinnitus is exposure to loud noise, either from sudden explosions, or life time accumulation. Head noise may occur at night or even at day time. It is commonly associated with hearing loss, especially when hearing a female voice or when conversing in a noisy place.