Noise, aging, disease, and inheritance are just a few of the many causes of hearing loss. When we hear something, our ears can detect noises, and our brains can interpret those sounds as having some meaning. Here I have discussed the types, causes, and treatments of hearing loss.
Hearing loss’s toll on a person’s quality of life depends on a variety of factors, including:
- How much hearing you have lost
- How the hearing loss is distributed over the frequency range.
- It doesn’t matter if the problem is in one ear or both.
- Normal hearing loss is caused by abnormal functioning in the inner ear, middle ear, neurological pathways, or brain.
- Recognizing the sounds of speech.
- Exposure to loud noise or dangerous environmental/drug poisons in one’s life
- Age
Types of Hearing Loss
There are two types of hearing loss, sensorineural and conductive. Some individuals have both; in that case, it is called mixed hearing loss.
Conductive Hearing Loss
The ear canal, eardrum, or middle ear with its three small bones causes conductive hearing loss (the malleus, incus, and stapes). Hearing loss that affects both the exterior and middle ears might be classified as conductive hearing loss.
Causes
In the conductive hearing loss, a buildup of earwax (cerumen) is one of the most common reasons for external ear obstruction.
Additionally, conductive hearing loss can be caused by infections in the ear canal, such as:
- Swimmer’s ear.
- Punctured or ruptured eardrum
- Cysts and tumors
- Foreign objects in the inner ear.
It is common for people with chronic middle ear infections, or “glue ears,” to experience hearing loss in their middle ears. Diseases or injury to the middle ear can also cause conductive hearing loss.
Treatment
It is critical to get medical help as soon as possible for most issues that cause conductive hearing loss because therapy is usually temporary and effective.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL)
The problems in the inner ear may result in sensorineural hearing loss. Damage to the inner ear’s small hair cells causes this hearing loss, also known as nerve-related hearing loss (cochlea).
Causes
It can be caused by certain factors, like aging, noise, and illness. Over time, everyone’s cochlear hair cells diminish, resulting in reduced hearing. However, extreme loudness can potentially harm hair cells. The prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss is rising. Toxic exposure to excessive levels of noise in the workplace or while listening to loud music A sensorineural hearing loss can also be caused by diseases like:
- Mumps
- Meningitis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Meniere’s disease
- By taking some medications
If your mother had rubella (German measles) during pregnancy, or your birth rate was meager, you may also have a sensorineural hearing impairment. Hearing loss can be hereditary and caused by head or ear trauma.
Treatment
People who have permanent sensorineural hearing loss find that hearing aids are a great assistance.
Mixed Hearing Loss
A conductive hearing loss and a sensorineural hearing loss are combined in a mixed hearing loss. An auditory nerve or auditory nerves can be damaged by a mixed hearing loss, affecting both the outer and middle ears’ capacity to transmit sound to one another and the brain.
Causes
- Illness
- Medicines
- Hereditary factors
- Head trauma
- Abnormality of the inner ear
Treatment
The conductive hearing loss can typically be restored with medical or surgical therapy, whereas the sensorineural is generally maintained with hearing aids.
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)
Thunderous and long-lasting sounds can cause toxic effects. NIHL symptoms may appear immediately or over some time. This condition may affect one or both ears, but it can also be transitory. Activities that may increase your chance of developing NIHL include:
- Hunting and target practice
- Snowmobiling
- Listening to music using headphones or earbuds at a loud volume
- Being a part of a band or going to a lot of noisy concerts
Lawnmowers, leaf blowers, and other items in the workshop might produce harmful noises in the home. It doesn’t matter how it affects you; noise-induced hearing loss is preventable! Noise-induced hearing loss is almost always the result of repeated exposure to loud noises. Damage to or destruction of the inner ear’s nerves is commonly accompanied by “tinnitus.”
Tests of Auditory Processing
Many people experience modest hearing loss, primarily in the higher frequencies, growing older. Audiometric testing by a skilled hearing care specialist every year can detect early stages of hearing loss; a considerable hearing loss may suggest excessive noise exposure. Human voices are included in the range of pitches and frequencies measured in a hearing test. To determine the baseline for subsequent testing, the data from the first year are used. You can consult an ENT Specialist for audiometric testing or any other issue you’re experiencing. You can book your appointment with the Best ENT Doctors in Lahore through Marham, the best site to contact any specialist without any difficulty.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1- For hearing loss, what treatment did specialists recommend?
The most prevalent form of treatment for hearing loss is hearing aids. Some types of hearing loss can be medically or surgically restored, but others cannot be. Sensorineural hearing loss is most commonly treated with appropriately placed hearing aids.
2- Is it possible for someone with hearing loss to recover independently?
The matter is that only a small percentage of hearing loss can be reversed entirely or restored. Most adults gradually lose their hearing as they age and are exposed to loud noises, and damage to the sensitive hair cells in the ear that hear sound is irreversible.
3- What is the Treatment for Sudden Hearing Loss?
As a general rule, the most effective treatment for sudden hearing loss is cortisone (cortisone), administered orally for one to two weeks.
