Over the years, different parts of our body begin to lose the ability to perform their functions efficiently, some being more related than others, such as the loss of visual and auditory acuity. Even young people in their early 30s can have very subtle and unnoticeable hearing loss, considered a normal process. However, for some people who develop certain conditions or are genetically predisposed to further damage to the ear cells, hearing loss can imply an alteration in the quality of life when it reaches a certain point.
This FastlyHealarticle is intended to help you identify this condition promptly to modify the factors that may be accelerating the process, providing you with all the information regarding hearing loss: causes, symptoms, and treatment.
Table of Contents
Hearing loss: causes
Different situations can produce a hearing loss or hearing loss in a person, which can be caused by the decrease in the arrival of sound waves into the ear or by the deterioration of the cells responsible for transforming those sound waves into nerve impulses that the brain will interpret.
Conductive hearing loss
In this type are grouped the situations that reduce the arrival of sound from the outside to the inside of the ear due to an auditory canal obstruction. The most common accumulation of wax in the outer ear is the most common cause. Still, it can also be due to obstruction by foreign objects trapped in the ear, cysts, tumors, otitis, ear infections, and perforation of the eardrum for different reasons.
Sensorineural hearing loss
It is due to the degeneration of a group of cells called hair cells that are found inside a component of the middle ear called the cochlea, which is responsible for transforming sound waves into nerve impulses to be interpreted by the brain.
This occurs in all people and is the cause of hearing loss in older people, but can be accelerated by prolonged exposure to loud noises, for example, in noisy work environments, concerts, and in those who listen to loud music with or without hearing aids.
Some diseases such as:
- The syndrome of Ménière
- Multiple sclerosis
- Meningitis
- Children whose mothers suffered from rubella during pregnancy
- Low birth weight children
- Use of medications such as aspirin, gentamicin, or cisplatin
They are other situations that can lead to sensorineural hearing loss.
Sudden hearing loss
With this term, they identify certain situations that produce rapid hearing loss, unlike the progressive character of the previous ones. They are generally more associated with sensorineural conditions but may also be due to a conductive decline. Conditions that usually cause sudden hearing loss are:
- Mumps
- Syphilis
- Meningitis
- PAGE
- Tumors
- Trauma
- Immune disorders
- Circulation problems
Symptoms of hearing loss
Hearing loss can sometimes occur so subtly that it goes unnoticed until it is very advanced. There are specific ways to determine whether you are suffering from hearing loss by evaluating your behavior in certain situations, such as whether you must make an effort to understand what you are being told, especially in noisy environments such as buses or parties, need to read the lips of the person speaking or asking them to repeat things several times and feeling that they are talking through their teeth, decreased perception of surrounding noises such as when the telephone or the doorbell rings or is called from afar.
The consequences of hearing loss can also affect the emotional state of those affected, producing:
- Depression
- Low self-esteem
- Social isolation
Hearing loss can also be accompanied by headaches, stress, and increased blood pressure.
Hearing loss: treatment
The treatment of hearing loss will depend on the situation causing it. When the loss is of conductive origin, removing the element obstructing the auditory pathway will significantly improve the condition. The easiest to resolve is also the most common, which is obstruction by earwax. Other more complex situations like cysts or tumors may require surgical procedures, and antimicrobial medications can treat infections.
In the case of sensorineural losses, because they occur due to cell deterioration, there is no way to regain hearing. However, using devices that increase the reception of sounds can improve hearing, and in some cases, surgery can partially improve the condition.
Some people suffer from mixed sensory loss, for which treatment involves clearing the ear canal and putting on hearing aids.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Hearing Loss: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment , we recommend that you enter our Ear, Nose and Throat category .
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.