What happens when you have impaired hearing
When a person loses hearing may not be aware of this, especially if hearing loss did not occur suddenly but gradually over time. However, family members or friends may notice that you have trouble understanding what people say around you.Hearing is one of the five senses that we possess a person. The ability to hear is essential to understand the world around us. The human ear is a part of our body fully developed at birth. Therefore, infants hear sounds so powerful but also weaknesses. In fact, children may respond to sounds even before birth.
The ear is divided into the outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. The outer ear consists of the ear canal and eardrum. The sound travels through the ear canal and strike the eardrum causing its movement or vibration.
The middle ear is the space behind the eardrum that contains three small bones. This chain of bones is connected to one end of the drum and the other by an opening of the inner ear. The vibrations from the eardrum leaving these ossicles causes vibration which cause inner ear fluid movement. Fluid movement causes a series of changes in the small structures called hairy cell. They will send electrical signals from the inner ear to the auditory nerve to the brain. Then the brain interprets these signals as sound electric.
The most common hearing impairment or hearing loss is hearing loss. Depending on the segment that is damaged ear there are three main types of hearing loss: conductive hearing loss (transmission is impaired middle ear or external) perception hearing loss (inner ear is affected) or mixed hearing loss.
Certain conditions including age, some diseases, trauma, certain medications, continuous noise sources but genetics may underlie hearing loss.
- Older age is the most common cause of hearing loss. Researchers do not fully understand why hearing decreases with age. It is suspected that the cause could be slowing ear function.
- Strong and continuous noise can significantly affect the ear.
- There are over 200 medicinal substances that may contribute to impaired hearing and balance, compared their ability to fight diseases. They are especially well amedicamentelor composition antibiotics used to treat chemotherapy, aspirin, loop diuretics, and malaria treatments for erectile dysfunction.
- Among the diseases responsible for hearing impairment include: cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, otosclerosis, Meniere’s disease, meningitis, labyrinthitis, viral infections, some neurological disorders and stroke, auditory nerve tumor, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, hypothyroidism and so on
- Trauma especially those involving a skull fracture or perforation of the eardrum can represent serious risk factors for hearing loss.
- Ear infections or ear wax can block the ear canals and help reduce hearing.
If it is sudden hearing loss may be the result of our trauma or blood circulation problems.
If the patient suffers from neurological problems (tinnitus, vertigo) can be affected ear or nerves can present a problem in the brain.
When hearing loss is most often involved unilateral conductive causes, trauma and acoustic neuroma.
A person will know that hearing or decreased when:
- Can not hear sounds too good sharp;
- Fails to decode words containing sounds always “S” and “F”;
- Has difficulty understanding telephone conversations;
- Have trouble hearing when several people speak;
- Ask the caller to repeat the words several times that I asked them;
- Listen to the radio at a higher volume than in the past;
- Suffering from tinnitus.
Hearing impairment often occurs in association with other symptoms, depending on its underlying cause:
- dizziness
- vertigo
- Earache
- Balance problems
- Headache
- depression
- Fever.
Diagnosis
A person with a hearing impairment must make a series of audiometric tests to verify the degree of loss of hearing.
Each ear is tested separately and will assess the patient hears the sound from a tuning fork. Ear canal and eardrum with an otoscope to inspect and the nose, nasopharynx and upper respiratory tract will be examined carefully.
There will be general and a neurological examination includes testing the nerves that control movement, sensation and reflexes.
When an infection is suspected, vascular problems or drug interaction will do blood tests.
Tympanometry may be indicated if it is considered that it might be involved in the tympanic membrane problem hearing impaired.
Treatment of disorders of hearing varies depending on the condition, situation or source could cause hearing loss. Treatment plan to include the cause and may involve the need to use auditory apparatus and if hearing is affected significantly.
If you suspect hearing impairment is the result of using other drugs talk to your doctor about alternative treatment options. Prompt medical treatment for sudden hearing loss increases the likelihood of recovery.
Surgery can often treat otosclerosis hearing damaged, scar tissue and infection, while Meniere’s disease can sometimes be treated with medication and diet modification. Middle ear infections require medical treatment while those of the ear canal can be treated with drops.
If the ear canal is blocked a foreign body, the doctor will try to remove it by washing, suction or the use of special tools.