Final answer:
Sensorineural hearing loss and vertigo can develop as a result of a Perilymph fistula, a condition where inner ear fluid leaks due to a ruptured membrane separating the middle and inner ears. Increased pressure in the middle ear can be caused by infections or fluid accumulation, which affects the tympanic membrane and eustachian tubes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Otic barotrauma is the ear pain or damage to the tympanic membrane caused by rapid changes in pressure. Symptoms may include sensorineural hearing loss and/or vertigo if a Perilymph fistula develops. This condition occurs when there is a tear or defect in one of the thin membranes that separate the middle ear from the fluid-filled inner ear. Perilymph, the fluid in the inner ear, can leak into the middle ear, leading to hearing loss and balance disturbances.
Increased pressure exerted upon the eardrum from the middle ear can arise when an infection causes a fluid buildup, such as with Acute Otitis Media (AOM), which is characterized by the formation and accumulation of pus unable to drain. Inflammation leads to swelling of the eustachian tubes, and may also lead to additional symptoms such as fever, nausea, and vomiting. This is different from a perilymph fistula, which specifically involves the leakage of inner ear fluid due to a ruptured membrane.
Conditions like Ménière's disease and sensorineural hearing loss further illustrate the delicate balance of ear structures and how pressure and fluid accumulation can result in hearing deficits. The delicate structures of the middle and inner ear, including the eustachian tubes and tympanic membrane, play crucial roles in hearing and balance, and their impairment can lead to serious auditory and vestibular symptoms.