Hearing Loss

​

The severity of hearing loss can be categorized based on which part of the auditory, or hearing system, is affected. The outer ear consists of the visible ear and ear canal. The middle ear is an air filled cavity containing three small bones. The middle ear is separated from the ear canal by the ear drum. For underlying issues, medication or surgery can be recommended based on cause, severity, patient’s lifestyle and listening needs. If it doesn’t work then patients may benefit from hearing aids, assistive listening devices or cochlear implants.

 

Types of hearing loss

Sensorineural hearing loss: When inner ear nerves gets damaged and do not properly transmits their signals to the   brain. It’s not medically or surgically curable but can be minimized to significant level with hearing aid .Causes of sensorineural hearing loss: 

Ageing

Injury

Excessive noise exposure

Viral infections such as measles or mumps

Ototoxic drugs

Meningitis

Diabetes

Stroke

High fever

Meniere's disease

Acoustic tumors

Heredity

 

Conductive hearing loss: When there are problems in the outer or middle ear, which prevent sound from reaching the inner ear. People who experience sounds going faint. It can be a permanent or temporary condition.

Infection of the ear canal or middle ear.

Fluid in the middle ear

Perforation or scarring of the ear drum.

Wax build up

Unusual growth of tumors in the ear

Otosclerosis

 

Mixed hearing loss:

 

Diagnosis:

Air conduction, conventional or standard audiometry

Bone Conduction

Word Recognition

Acoustic immittance

Otoacoustic emissions

Auditory brainstem response

 

Medical Treatments:

Mostly conductive type of hearing problems can be treated. Commonly conductive hearing loss occurs due to fluid in the middle ear with or without infection and earwax blocking the ear canal. Antibiotics prescribed for the bacterial infection of the middle ear. Conductive hearing loss caused due to problems with the bones of the ear, which can be in many cases, can be treated with surgery.

 

Hearing aids:

If it can’t be treated medically then audiologist needs to be consulted.  The audiologist will perform a few test to understand the severity and will recommend the most suitable hearing aid for you or other possible options. In case the severity increased to an extent where you need the cochlear implant, they will guide you for that as well.