Listen up! Don't take your ears for granted. Hearing loss is the third most common health problem in the U.S, and it can affect the quality of your life and relationships. About 48 million Americans have lost some hearing. Certain conditions, including age, illness, and genetics, may play a role in hearing loss.
In the past, a condition called cholesteatoma was a common cause of perilymph fistula, but this condition is now encountered only rarely because of improved antibiotic treatments. It is possible that there are occasionally fistulae associated with tiny cracks in the bone between the middle and inner ear.
The most common causes of a perlymph fistula is trauma to the head or a sudden change in atmospheric presssure, called barotrauma, usually occurring on an airplane or scuba diving. A perilymph fistula has been seen as a side effect of syphilis or Lyme disease. In some cases, the cause of a perilymph fistula is unknown.