Hearing loss (hearing loss): causes and treatment

Hearing is a sense that we are born with and without which we cannot live a comfortable life. Hearing may suddenly decrease over time. When it decreases progressively, we do not realize it from the beginning. It has been found that there is a period of at least 7 years from the onset of hearing loss until the patient presents to the audiologist clinic to find out the cause of the hearing loss.

How can we know in advance if our hearing loss?

If you answer YES to the following questions, you may experience hearing problems:

Turn up the volume on the TV or radio frequently

You have difficulty understanding a telephone conversation

He often asked people to repeat what they said

You don’t understand what’s going on around you

Don’t understand group conversations

You pretend to understand what is being said in noisy places

You feel embarrassed to open a discussion about hearing loss

As we mentioned earlier this hearing loss occurs over time, we initially realize this aspect; we will blame those around us for talking too slowly or for too much noise in the room. The first to notice that our hearing has been impaired are family and friends. They will notice that we make them repeat what they said or they will notice a nervousness on our part and a withdrawal from the conversations.

There are three types of hearing loss:

Neurosensory hearing loss: decreased ability of the auditory nerve and inner ear to function
Transmission hearing loss: when there is a problem with the external auditory canal, the middle ear

Mixed hearing loss: when there is a combination of the two.

CAUSES

Neurosensory hearing loss:

• exposure to loud noises,
  • viral infections,
  • autoimmune diseases,
  • aging,
  • family history,
  • malformations of the inner ear,
  • head trauma,
  • brain tumors

Transmission hearing loss:

• malformations of the outer ear or middle ear (tympanic cavity, ossicular chain)
• infections of the external auditory canal (otitis externa),
• foreign bodies in the ear
• earwax plug
• otitis media (fluid in the middle ear) that occurs as a result of common colds, allergies, dysfunctions of the Eustachian tube,
• tympanic perforations,
• benign tumors of the external auditory canal or middle ear
• otosclerosis.

How is hearing loss (hearing loss) diagnosed?

Through a specialized exam and a tonal and vocal audiogram.