Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease - Cause - Diagnosis - Symptoms - Treatment

Autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED) is an inflammatory condition of the inner ear. It occurs when the body's immune system attacks cells in the inner ear that are mistaken for a foreign invader (i.e. bacteria or virus). Autoimmune inner ear disease is rare, occurring in less than one percent of the 28 million Americans with a hearing loss. Coexisting systemic autoimmune disease occurs in 15-30% of patients with autoimmune inner ear disease. Diagnoses include:

• rheumatoid arthritis
• ulcerative colitis
• systemic lupus erythematosus
• polyarteritis nodosa

Related Resources:

• Can Arthritis Cause Hearing Loss?
• Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease (About Guide to Deafness/HOH)
• Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease (About Guide to Rare Diseases)