Hearing Loss – Types, Causes, and Treatment

March 21st, 2012 | Posted by admin in hearing loss guest post - (Comments Off)

Hearing Loss – Types, Causes and Treatment

The human ear consists of three major parts, inner, outer and middle ear. Hearing loss or hearing impairment causes is due to damage or injury to any of the three major parts. It can also occur due to heredity or genetic reasons. Infectious diseases like mumps, meningitis and syphilis if not treated early could lead to hearing loss or deafness. Hearing loss or degree of impairment can be partial, complete or gradual. Gradual hearing loss symptoms occur with age and affects nearly 50% of the population after the age of 65. Conductive, Sensorineural and Mixed are three different types of hearing loss. Mixed hearing loss is a combination of conductive and sensorineural.

Conductive hearing loss:

Conductive impairment is due to defect or malfunction in middle or outer ear. This damage prevents the normal communication of sound waves to the brain. It occurs due to defects at birth due to heredity, Fetus infection in the womb. It can also occur due to puncture of the eardrum. The middle ear small bones called hammer, anvil and stirrup are damaged or broken. These tiny bones transmit sound from middle ear to inner ear. This hearing loss can also occur due to swelling of the middle ear known as otitis media. Upper respiratory tract infection, flu or intense sore throat causes fluid to collect in the middle ear, resulting in pus formation. As the pus formation increases, there is intense pressure applied to the eardrums, which eventually causes it to rupture leading to conductive hearing loss. The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the throat and drains fluid formed in the ear. Due to swelling of Eustachian tube, the fluid drain is stooped and it exerts pressure on the eardrum, resulting in extreme pain and hearing loss. Conductive type loss of hearing also occurs in old age above 60, due to otosclerosis. An extra growth is formed over the stirrup bone, stopping it from passing sound waves to the inner ear.

Sensorineural hearing loss:

This hearing loss is mainly cause due to injury to the inner ear. It can also occur due to damage to the hearing center in the brain, to the auditory nerve, which carries signals from the inner ear to the brain. Sensorineural is due to injury or damage of inner ear sensory structures like Cochlea and Corti. This prevents the sound waves from reaching the brain. It can occur due to injury to the head during birth, Infection passed on from the mother to the baby in the womb, viral infections like mumps or meningitis, prolonged exposure to noise, drug side effects, blood clots in inner ear and so on.

Diagnosis and Treatment:

The ears, nose and throat need to be thoroughly examined if there is a doubt in hearing. Testing of ear is critical, more so if it is an infant. Hearing loss is not found out in babies or small children, until they are unable to learn to speak. Premature babies and mothers who had infections during pregnancy need to be tested. Surgery is the main method adopted to cure conductive hearing loss. The tiny bones especially stirrup are replaced with tissue or some synthetic material. The path for sound to travel to inner ear is repaired. Surgery is also used to repair the ruptured eardrum and also clean the infected middle ear. Hearing aids can also be used to improve hearing, but strictly after certification form a doctor and specialist in audiometry. Antibiotics are also used to treat conductive hearing loss, and they are responsible for curing middle ear infections. Inborn hearing problems cannot be cured, but deaf children can be educated about lip-reading and sign language very early in age.

Finally is better to prevent hearing loss problems, rather than treat it. Avoid continuous exposure to high intensity noise from music, industry and aircraft engines. Use drugs that cause hearing loss due to side effects with caution. Visit the doctor immediately on suspicion of hearing loss.

conductive hearing loss, ear, hearing loss, medical, sensorineural

Sensorineural Hearing Loss Post

March 5th, 2012 | Posted by admin in hearing loss guest post - (Comments Off)

Sensorineural hearing loss impairment:

Nerve hearing loss is one kind of hearing difficulties that impacts the interior ear or the acoustic or vestibulocochlear nerve or both. This takes place when the hair cells which broadcast sound to the brain is damaged and could not function correctly. Much of the time the subject might not be mindful of his / her status. It is buddies and family members that notice the leading indicators of sensorineural deafness. The indications can include unable to hear high tones, the necessity to ask to copy certain words, loud and radio volume and thanks to the deafness physical and social activities may also be influenced which could to corrupt temper, moodiness and depression.

To diagnose sensorineural hearing loss you want to consult the doctor and tests will include CT scan, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and EEG that appraise activity in the brain. The general reason for sensorineural loss includes head or ear injury due to physical injury, medicine side-effects particularly from ototoxic drugs, ear infection, Presbycusis or the continuing loss of hearing due to old age, growths, and hereditary. Other less accepted cause is anemia, heart issues and lupus or any condition that decreases the provision of oxygen to the brain.

For sensorineural treatment hearing loss amplifiers and cochlear implants are often using. Hearing help is a little electrical gizmo that is put behind the ear. Hearing help elements include small mics, which gather sound and change it to electric impulses, amplifier that increases the power of these impulses and battery for energy supply. Another treatment available is a cochlear implant this a tiny complicated electric gizmo implanted behind the ear, this device without delay excite the auditory nerves.

This sort of treatment needs the patient to have medical technique and treatment. There are natural cures for sensorineural deafness the majority of these natural remedies are often preventative measures. A method to stop or delay hearing impairment is correct diet or nutritive treatment. One reason or reason for sensorineural hearing impairment is repeating viral or bacterial illnesses. This should be cause by puny immunological reaction and poor cleanliness. To reinforce the immunological system take vitamin c, zinc is used to cure ear contagions.

An alternative way to stop ear problem is to eat healthy so better to avoid junk and processed food and take nutritive additions like vitamin B-complex, iron and calcium, these additions decrease the risk ear infection. There are studies which show that food loaded in Vitamin An and folic acid also delays hearing difficulties. Popular Herbs like Echinacea, which can reinforce the immune response and goldenseal or yellow root, which excites the discharge and flow of bile, it is also used against the spread of bacteria, yeast, and fungi, for example E.Coli and Candida which could cause ear diseases.

Chinese herbal care is also sometimes accepted in treating ear illnesses. Another generally used is garlic juice, which is a strong and natural antibiotic herb. There are several natural choices to treat and delay reasons behind hearing difficulties. They are safe and even enjoyable for the general health.

health, sensorineural hearing loss