Cholesteatoma Symptoms & Diagnosis

Symptoms

Symptoms include:

• Discharge from the ear, sometimes foul-smelling
• Pressure in the ear
• Hearing loss
• Earache
• Numbness of the ear
• Dizziness
• Muscle weakness in the face on the affected side

Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and perform a physical exam.

Tests may include the following:

• Hearing tests
• Balance tests
• CT scan —a type of x-ray that uses a computer to make pictures of structures inside the body
• Electronystagmography—used to test the function of the nerves related to hearing
• Caloric stimulation—a test which diagnoses nerve damage to the ear
• X-ray —a test that uses radiation to take a picture of structures inside the body