What is autoimmune inner ear disease?
The immune system can attack the whole body or just certain systems within the body, including the ear. Even if the ear is not being directly attacked, debris created by an autoimmune reaction in one part of the body can be transported to the ear by circulation, and hence cause problems to the ear. When the ear is attacked, the progression of damage and functional loss can be rapid. Some autoimmune disorders that can affect the ear include Cogan’s syndrome, relapsing polychondritis, polyarteritis nodosa, Wegener’s granulomatosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ulcerative colitis, Sjogren’s syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis. Symptoms The most prominent symptom of autoimmune inner ear disease is bilateral asymmetric progressive/fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss, typically occuring over several months. Sometimes the progression can be over several years. The presence of vertigo and other symptoms typically related to vestibular loss depends on the degree of the loss and whether the t
