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Hearing Loss can occur due to several reasons. It could be due to as simple as wax blockage, ear infection, inner ear damage, or nerve damage or sometimes it could due to life threatening issues.
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Hearing Loss is one of the most common reasons for children, adults, and geriatric to visit doctors or hospitals. Gradual/Sudden reducing hearing sensitivity can significantly affect your day-to-day life.
Hearing loss, if identified early can be treated or managed with hearing devices thus preventing secondary deficits. Early identification and intervention of hearing loss plays an important role for normal speech and language development.
A sophisticated system that is constantly in motion.
Our hearing system has many functional parts. The outer ear collects the sounds which in turn vibrate the eardrum in the middle ear. These vibrations are picked up by the inner ear and sent to the auditory nerve. Our brain receives these signals and converts them into the sounds what we hear. If any of these systems and others may have issues or stop functioning, the hearing system alerts us with symptoms like AURAL FULLNESS, BLOCKING SENSATION, EAR DISCHARGE, EAR PAIN, EAR INFECTIONS, TYMPANC MEMBRANE PERFORATION, SUDDEN/GRADUAL HEARING LOSS, and others
The human Hearing system primarily includes
The outer ear has a large surface area that captures sound waves and funnels them down the ear canal. The visible part of the human ear is called the auricle, or pinna. The pinna sits on the side of your ear and collects the sounds in the environment. The ear canal funnels the sounds to your eardrum.
The inner ear is the innermost part of the ear. The third bone in the series of tiny bones in the middle ear is connected to another thin membrane that divides the middle ear from the inner ear.
The parts of the inner ear are the cochlea, the balance mechanism, the vestibule and the auditory nerve.
The inner ear consists of a spiral shaped structure known as the cochlea (means snail-shell). Within the cochlea sits the organ of hearing where we have thousands of tiny cells, known as hair cells. Where these hair cells are stimulated and send messages to the auditory nerve.
The sound from the ear canal hits and vibrates the eardrum – a membrane that divides the outer ear from the middle ear. The eardrum is connected to a string of three tiny bones, which include the hammer (malleus), anvil (incus), and stirrup (stapes); collectively known as the ossicles. As the eardrum moves, the tiny bones moves.
The auditory nerve is responsible for relaying vibrations from the cochlea, in the inner ear, to the brain as electrical impulses.The auditory nerve runs from the cochlea to a station in the brainstem (known as nucleus). From that station, neural impulses travel to the brain – specifically the temporal lobe where sound is attached meaning and we HEAR.
Hearing loss limits the child’s ability to develop effective auditory and speech capabilities. The impact of delayed diagnosis and proper intervention in infants and children with hearing loss has a severe negative effect on the overall speech and language, as well as the cognitive and social skills. Some possible signs of hearing loss in case of infant or toddler are as follows- doesn't respond to loud noises, does not look for or locate the source of sound, has ceased playing around with sounds and babbling, may still babble, but does not seem to be making any headway toward clearer speech and not responsive to voices, even when held.
The effects of hearing impairment are many and may incapacitate all aspects of life. Children's capacity to engage in age-appropriate activities, functioning speech communication skills, and language skills can all be affected by hearing loss.
Unilateral hearing loss for example, appears to have higher rates of grade failures, the need for additional educational support, and perceived classroom behavioral concerns. Some children with Unilateral hearing loss may have speech and language difficulties, but it is unclear whether they "catch up" as
they get older (Judith and Lieu, 2004).
Hearing loss is a result of ageing (presbycusis) and repeated exposure to loud noises. Your ears' ability to conduct sound may momentarily be diminished by other factors, such as heavy ear wax.
The majority of hearing loss types cannot be reversed. However, you can take steps to enhance your hearing with the help of your doctor or a hearing specialist.
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Hearing loss can occur at any stage of life, from birth to adulthood. The effects of hearing loss vary with age.
Hearing loss is a result of impaired auditory sensitivity and/or diminished speech intelligibility of the psychological auditory system.
These conditions might be temporary or permanent. They are caused by problems in either the outer or middle ear, which prevents the sound entering the inner ear. People who experience this condition may find that voices and sounds appear faint. In most of the cases, conductive hearing loss can be helped medically or surgically.
Permanent hearing loss occurs when inner ear nerves become damaged and do not properly transmit their signals to the brain. Those who suffer from this condition may complain that people seem to mumble or that they hear, but do not understand, what is being said. The aging process is a very common cause of sensorineural hearing loss.
As we get older, the inner ear nerves and sensory cells gradually will not function efficiently or cells may die. The condition is not often medically or surgically treatable. In most cases, the symptoms can be significantly minimized with usage of amplification devices.
Sensorineural hearing loss may be caused by:
Some of the people may have a combination of both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.
Sometimes a sensorineural hearing loss coexists with a conductive hearing loss (SNHL).When this is the case, the hearing loss is referred to as mixed. In other words, with a mixed hearing loss there is at the same time damage to the outer and middle ear’s ability to conduct sound into the inner ear and the brain and also damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or Auditory nervous system (auditory nerve).
In most of the cases this type of hearing loss is often gradual and not immediately noticed by the person affected. Sometimes friends or family will notice a person's hearing problems before the person recognizes his/her own hearing loss.
Although each person may experience symptoms of hearing loss differently, Following includes some of the most common symptoms:
Finding out the reason for hearing is very important. For kids, the sooner the better to help develop their speech, language and cognitive skills. Diagnosing hearing in adults generally takes longer time, as many ignore, or compensate by relying on other modalities such as lip reading, paying attention at the speaker.
However, the benefit of treatment or rehabilitation after the diagnosis may not be as good as if we diagnose early and go for early treatment options. Delayed diagnosis also adversely affect a persons cognitive ability such as stress, frustration, concentration, social isolation and memory issues (Dementia), etc.,
If hearing loss is accompanied by any other issues such as tinnitus, vertigo, dizziness, or other health conditions it is very important to evaluate hearing as soon as possible.
Depending on your symptoms and signs an Audiologist would prescribe any of the following tests for proper diagnosis of hearing loss.
Includes OTOSCOPIC EXAMINATION, it is a tool which shines a beam of light to help to visualize and examine the condition of the ear canal and eardrum. Examining the ear reveals possible causes of your hearing loss, such as earwax or inflammation from an infection and also helpful to look for any structural causes of your hearing problems.
The primary purpose of this test is to determine the status of the outer and middle ear and also measures how middle ear responds to sound energy and how it reacts dynamically to changes in atmospheric pressure. The secondary purpose is to evaluate the acoustic reflex pathways, which include facial nerve and auditory nerve.
It is a behavioral test aimed at measuring the severity of individuals hearing sensitivity. This measure involves the peripheral and central nervous system. It helps to find type and degree of hearing loss
It has been a fundamental too in comprehensive audiological assessment. It provides information on individuals word recognition abilities with and without presence of noise.
Auditory brain stem response is a complex electrical response to particular type of electrical stimuli that represents neural activity that generated at several anatomical sites across the auditory pathways. Electrical activity generated by the eight cranial (vestibularcochlear) nerve and neural centers and tracts within the brainstem that are responsive to auditory stimulation. It can be recorded in newborns, infants, children and adults.
Hearing aids:
If your hearing loss is due to damage to your inner ear, a hearing aid can be helpful. An audiologist can discuss with you the potential benefits of a hearing aid and fit you with a device.
Cochlear implants are intended to provide pre-lingually and post-lingually deafened children, who obtain limits functional benefit from conventional hearing aids. Eligibility for Cochlear Implants (CI) with the criteria of severe to profound hearing loss.
Symptoms of hearing loss include:
difficulty understanding what others are saying, asking people to repeat themselves, struggling to hear in crowded places with distracting background noise, the perception that others are mumbling or not speaking clearly, listening to the television or music at a higher volume than others, experiencing a ringing or buzzing in the ears.
A number of factors can cause hearing loss. The most common include aging, noise exposure, ear infections, excessive earwax, ear or head trauma, genetics, birth defects, benign growths or tumors, otosclerosis, Meniere’s disease and reactions to drugs.
Yes. There are three types of hearing loss: Sensorineural, conductive and mixed. Sensorineural is the result of damage to the inner ear nerves. Conductive is the result of obstructions in the outer or middle ear. Mixed hearing loss is a combination of the other two types; this means that in one ear you have an issue with the outer or middle ear and the inner ear.
Some types of hearing loss are preventable. Noise-induced hearing loss can be avoided by wearing proper hearing protection when exposed to occupational or recreational noise and turning down the volume on your TV, radio or personal music device. To prevent other types of hearing loss, avoid sticking cotton swabs or other objects in your ears, blow your nose gently through both nostrils and swallow or yawn frequently when traveling by airplane.
Hearing aids are instruments that amplify sounds in order to enable those with hearing loss to hear more clearly.
Your audiologist will work closely with you to take into account several factors – the type and severity of your hearing loss, your lifestyle, the size and shape of your outer ears and inner ear canals and your manual dexterity – in order to determine the best hearing device for you.
A cochlear implant is an electronic device that converts sound to digital signals that are sent to the brain, bypassing damaged nerve cells, where they are translated as sound. Whereas hearing aids amplify sounds, cochlear implants enable the user to understand speech and speak more clearly. They help patients with severe or profound hearing loss who can’t benefit from hearing aids.
Audiologists are healthcare professionals who evaluate, diagnose and treat hearing loss and other auditory conditions like tinnitus and balance disorders.
Audiologists are trained to work with all ages, from newborns to the elderly, however some do specialize in certain age groups or conditions. An audiologist holds an advanced degree in audiology.
Common services and treatments provided by an audiologist include:
If you exhibit the following symptoms, consider visiting an audiologist:
Hearing loss in children can occur at any time in life from acquired factors such as ear infections, head trauma, certain medications and genetic factors. You may suspect your child has a hearing loss if you observe any of the following:
Hearing loss cannot always be prevented; however, there are important things you can do to ensure you are making your hearing health a priority and taking precautionary measures.
Depending on your symptoms, if your hearing loss is caused by a blockage like a wax buildup (conductive hearing loss), then having it cleared by your hearing healthcare professional could drastically improve your hearing ability.
However, the most common hearing loss originates from damage to the sensory organ and/or nerve in the inner ear (sensorineural hearing loss), and nerve damage is permanent. The good news is that 95% of sensorineural hearing loss cases can be effectively helped through the use of hearing aids.
Yes, although it’s not very common. The vast majority of people with hearing loss have a loss in both ears (bilateral loss). However, some causes of hearing loss in only one ear (unilateral loss) may be:
It depends on the type of hearing loss you're experiencing. For the majority of people who have hearing loss, it will get worse with time. Whether you have hearing loss from continued noise exposure or it's simply a combination of aging and genetics, time is not on your side. This is why it's important to visit a hearing provider at your earliest convenience and treat any hearing loss you may be experiencing.
Absolutely. Earwax can build up or become impacted and then partially or completely block your ear canal. In fact, earwax is the most common cause of conductive hearing loss.
People who are generally unaware of their hearing loss will often notice that when they can see someone speak, they understand them better. Without even realizing it, you're engaging in some natural speechreading. Technically, speechreading is the process of visually detecting non-vocalized sounds (those which don't require breath behind them, like consonants) at the same time as using residual hearing and auditory cues. Therefore, your brain is using a combination of what you can hear and what you can see in order to better understand.
Similar to the reason it’s often hard for people with hearing loss to hear in crowded environments, you’re most likely experiencing these difficulties due to a hearing loss in high frequencies. Women and children have slightly higher-pitched voices than men do, so more of their speech patterns may be falling exactly within the range of your hearing loss.
[Text Wrapping Break]Most people lose their ability to hear high frequency sounds first, as the area of the inner ear is most damaged due to everyday noises. High frequency sounds in speech are softer consonants that do not have a lot of power behind them, such as /s/, /f/, /t/, /k/, /p/. These tend to be sounds at the beginning or ending of words and may be perceived as a difference of hearing 'cat' vs. 'cap.' As a result, any loud or distracting noises make it difficult for you to comprehend what is being said.
Unless you're using the cotton swab to clean the very outside of your ear (the part that sticks out from your head), the answer is no.
Your ear canal is self-cleaning, and a little earwax actually helps to keep things like dirt and dust from getting to the important parts of the ear. There's a layer of tissue that lines your ear canal and grows outward at about the same pace as your hair and nails. When you use a cotton swab to clean your ear, in addition to the risk of harming the canal or eardrum, you also risk pushing the wax in further and causing more build-up and possibly impaction.
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