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Where can you see an ear doctor in Dubai, and when should you see an ear specialist?
Dr. Muhammad Jabbr is a Consultant ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist who treats ear problems in adults and children. He sees patients at Medcare Hospital Al Safa, Dubai. He treats ear infections, hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and vertigo (a false feeling of spinning). See him if ear pain or discharge does not settle within a few days, or if your hearing seems duller. Get care the same day for sudden hearing loss in one ear.
Your ears let you hear, and they also help you keep your balance. So when something goes wrong, it can affect your work, your sleep and your time with family. An ear specialist in Dubai looks for the real cause and explains which treatment makes sense for you.
Dr. Muhammad Jabbr is a Consultant ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon at Medcare Hospital, Al Safa. He sees ear problems in adults and children, and many patients rate him among the best ear specialists in Dubai. This page walks through each part of the ear, the problems it can have, the main operations, and the signs that call for a check.
Your ear in three parts: what an ear specialist in Dubai checks
An ear specialist is an ENT doctor with a special interest in the ear, hearing and balance. Doctors call this field otology. Our otology and ear specialist page tells you more about it.
- The outer ear – the part you can see, plus the ear canal. It collects sound.
- The middle ear – the eardrum and three tiny bones behind it. They carry sound inwards.
- The inner ear – the hearing organ (cochlea) and the balance organ. They turn sound into nerve signals and tell your brain how your head is moving.
A problem can start in any part. The symptoms often overlap, so a careful examination comes first.
What can go wrong in the outer ear?
Heat, sweat and pool water can soften the lining of the ear canal and let germs in.
- Outer ear infection (otitis externa). The canal turns sore, itchy and swollen. It often hurts more when you pull the ear, and there may be discharge.
- Blocked ear canal. Hard wax, skin debris or a small object can block the canal and dull sound.
- Fungal infection. It tends to itch, leaves the ear feeling full and can come back.
- Bony growths in the canal (exostoses). These form slowly in people who often swim or surf in cold water and wind.
Many outer ear problems improve after careful cleaning under a microscope and the right drops. Finding the trigger makes a repeat episode less likely.
What can go wrong in the middle ear?
Behind the eardrum sits a tiny pocket of air. A narrow channel, the Eustachian tube, connects it with the throat behind your nose and keeps the air pressure even. When that tube does not open well, problems can follow.
Middle ear infections and fluid
Middle ear infections are very common in young children. They may cause pain, fever and broken sleep. In some children, sticky fluid stays behind the eardrum for weeks, often after a cold or an infection. This is glue ear, and it can dull hearing. Our page on glue ear and ear tubes in children explains the options.
A hole in the eardrum
An infection, a slap, a loud blast or a cotton bud pushed too deep can tear the eardrum. Small tears often close by themselves. A larger hole, or one that has been there for months, may need a repair.
A long-term running ear and cholesteatoma
Some ears keep discharging for months or even years. In some of these ears, skin grows into the middle ear where it should not be. This is called a cholesteatoma. It can slowly wear away nearby bone, so it needs specialist care.
Stiff hearing bones
In otosclerosis, the smallest hearing bone (the stapes) slowly becomes fixed in place. Sound passes through less well, and hearing gradually drops, often in both ears.
Inner ear problems: hearing, tinnitus and balance
- Hearing loss. Ageing, loud noise, some medicines and some illnesses can harm the delicate inner ear. Our guide on why hearing loss happens and how to prevent it has more detail.
- Tinnitus. This is a ringing, buzzing or hissing sound that only you can hear. It often goes with some hearing loss. It is common and usually harmless, but it can be draining. One-sided tinnitus, or a sound that throbs like a heartbeat, needs a proper check.
- Dizziness and vertigo. Vertigo is a false feeling of spinning. Common ear causes include loose crystals in the balance organ (BPPV), inflammation of the balance nerve or inner ear (vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis), and Ménière's disease.
Dizziness does not always come from the ear. Your doctor will ask questions and examine you to tell ear causes apart from heart, blood pressure or brain causes.
How your ears are checked at the clinic
Your first visit begins with a talk about your symptoms. Then the doctor examines your ears, nose and throat. You may also have:
- A close look at the ear canal and eardrum through an otoscope or microscope.
- A hearing test to see how well each ear hears.
- Tympanometry, a quick test of how the eardrum moves. It can pick up trapped fluid or pressure changes.
- Simple balance tests and eye-movement checks if you feel dizzy.
- A CT or MRI scan, only in selected cases.
Main ear operations in brief
Most ear problems do not need an operation. Drops, medicines, ear cleaning, balance exercises and hearing aids help many people. When surgery is the better choice, the main types are:
- Grommet insertion. A tiny tube is placed in the eardrum to let air in and fluid drain. It is mostly used for children with glue ear or repeated infections.
- Myringoplasty and tympanoplasty. These repair a hole in the eardrum. In a tympanoplasty, the hearing bones may be repaired as well.
- Mastoid surgery. This removes cholesteatoma or long-standing infection from the mastoid, the honeycomb-like bone just behind the ear. The first aim is a safe, dry ear.
- Stapes surgery. In some people with otosclerosis, this can improve hearing. A hearing aid is another option.
- Ear reshaping. Otoplasty sets back prominent ears or evens out their shape.
Every operation has benefits and risks. Your surgeon should explain both, along with the non-surgical choices, before you decide.
Ear symptoms that deserve a specialist check
- Ear pain or a discharging ear that does not settle within a few days, or keeps returning.
- Hearing that seems duller than before, in one ear or both.
- Ringing in the ears that bothers you or disturbs your sleep.
- Dizzy or spinning spells, especially if they repeat.
- A child who does not react well to sounds, or whose speech seems behind.
Seek care the same day for sudden hearing loss in one ear, a painful red swelling behind the ear, a weak or drooping side of the face, a high fever with severe ear pain, or a stiff neck and bad headache with an ear infection. With sudden hearing loss, starting treatment early may improve the outlook. Vertigo together with slurred speech, double vision or a weak arm or leg can point to a stroke, so call an ambulance at once.
Seeing Dr. Muhammad Jabbr for ear problems
Dr. Muhammad Jabbr has more than 20 years of experience in ENT and has carried out more than 3,000 ENT procedures. His degrees are MD and MS, and he holds DOHNS (England), the European Board ORL-HNS and the Arab Board ORL-HNS.
He treats adults and children and has a 4.9 Google rating from 406 reviews. At your visit, the first goal is to find the cause. You can expect a clear account of what he finds and of your options, from simple treatment to surgery when it is truly needed.
Book an appointment
Dr. Muhammad Jabbr works in the ENT Department at Medcare Hospital, Al Safa (Hadiqa Street, Al Safa 1, Dubai).
You can request an appointment online or phone +971 52 751 7811.
Seeing an Ear Doctor in Dubai for Hearing, Tinnitus or Vertigo
An ear doctor and an ear specialist are the same: an ENT doctor with a special interest in the ear, hearing and balance. Dr. Muhammad Jabbr is a Consultant ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon with more than 20 years of experience. He sees adults and children at Medcare Hospital Al Safa, Dubai, for ear infections, blocked ears, hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo.
If you have dizzy or spinning spells, note how often they come and whether your hearing changes at the same time. Simple balance tests, eye-movement checks and a hearing test then help show whether the cause is in the inner ear. Appointments are booked through Medcare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an ear problem cause dizziness without hearing loss?
Yes. BPPV and vestibular neuritis usually affect balance but leave hearing unchanged. Ménière's disease and labyrinthitis can affect both, because the hearing and balance organs sit side by side in the inner ear.
When is a scan needed for an ear problem?
Most ear problems are found with an examination and hearing tests. CT shows the bones of the middle ear well, so it helps with cholesteatoma or long-term infection. MRI is often advised for hearing loss or tinnitus in one ear only, to check the hearing nerve.
Are ear operations done under general anaesthetic?
Many are, including most eardrum repairs and mastoid surgery. A few minor procedures may suit local anaesthetic in adults. Children usually need a general anaesthetic. Your surgeon will advise what is safest for you.
From what age can a child see an ear specialist?
There is no lower age limit. Babies, toddlers and older children can all be checked. Common reasons include repeated ear infections, glue ear, a failed newborn hearing screen and slow speech.
What should I bring to my first ear appointment?
Bring earlier hearing test results or scan reports, the names of any medicines or ear drops you use, and your insurance card. Note when your symptoms began, and whether one ear or both are affected.
Getting the right care for your ears
Ear problems are common, and many respond well to treatment. The key is to find where the trouble starts: the outer, middle or inner ear. If you need an experienced ear specialist in Dubai, Dr. Muhammad Jabbr can examine your ears, explain what he finds and plan care that fits your needs.
