Hearing Loss

Don’t take your ears for granted because of your hearing matters. A partial or complete decline in a person’s ability to hear sound from one or both ears is known as deafness or hearing impairment. Although it’s a common problem, it’s major shortcoming is that it occurs gradually over time.

It practically affects a person’s quality of life and emotional state and is often referred to as an invisible disability. Unfortunately, people suffering from this condition are also prone to depression, anxiety, social isolation, and other health conditions.

It is important to understand that hearing disability is different for different people and even has different categories. It ranges from mild to severe to profound.

Mild Hearing Loss is when a person finds it difficult to keep up with soft conversations in loud/noisy surroundings. Moderate is when a person cannot listen to a moderate speech in noisy surroundings. Then there is Severe deafness, wherein a person cannot hear loud speech without the usage of hearing aid. The last level is Profound Hearing Loss, which means difficulty in hearing even with the usage of hearing aids. The person at this stage relies mostly on lip-reading and sign language.

Hearing problems that are untreated and ignored can get worse. If you suspect a hearing problem, see your doctor today or give us a call at +91-9327901950. Special training, hearing aids and surgery are some of the treatments that can help you.

In India, alone more than 1 million cases of deafness are recorded every year. The number is high in global countries also. In the United States, more than 200,000 issues of this common health issues are recorded annually. World Health Organization reports says that 5% of world population has total or significant loss of hearing. For the age group of 65 and above almost one third are suffering from this disease. Most of them are residing in South Asia, the Asia Pacific and Sub-Saharan Africa regions.

Hearing loss causes can be the natural outcome of ageing. Some causes are reversible, like ageing, noise, alcohol and tobacco, cholesterol, Some diseases and infections wax buildup in the ear canal.

Aging

It is the most common cause of deafness. One out of three people age 65-74 has some level of hearing loss. Common conditions that can increase the risk of deafness in elderly people are high blood pressure, diabetes, or the use of certain medications harmful to the ear.

Noise

Another common reason is exposure to noise. This noise can come from our work, noisy motors or loud music at rock concerts, nightclubs, discos and from stereos. The increasing use of portable MP3 players is increasing the effects of deafness. Noise wears down hearing if it’s loud or continuous. Louder sounds cause damage in a shorter period of time. Many people are unaware of the presence of environmental sound at damaging levels, or of the level at which sound becomes harmful.

Occupational Noise

Work can cause hearing loss due to the high volume of noise. There are many types of jobs that can damage your hearing like Construction, Military, Media, Farming, Airline and Manufacturing Industries, etc.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss can be quick or it can take a long time to be noticeable. It can be temporary or permanent and can affect one or both ears. Even if you cannot tell – you are damaging your hearing, could have trouble hearing in the future. But it is something that you can prevent.

High-Frequency Hearing Loss

Individuals who are experiencing a high-frequency hearing loss (‘s’, ‘f’, ‘sh’ sounds) are unable to hear clearly with the person they are talking, even at a normal volume. But there is good news, digital hearing aids can do a great job of compensating for this type of hearing loss.

Genetics

Hearing impairment can be inherited. Your genetic can be also a reason for ear damage. When looking at the genetics of deafness, there are 2 different forms, syndromic and nonsyndromic. Syndromic deafness occurs while there are other signs or medical problems in a person. Nonsyndromic deafness occurs when there are no other signs or medical problems identified with a person other than deafness.

Medications

Medications can impair hearing or balance. More than 200 drugs and chemicals have a track record of hearing causes. These medications are considered ototoxic. The link between NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and hearing loss tends to be greater in women.

Illnesses

Illness such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes are also one of the major causes of hearing loss.

Alcohol or Tobacco

Excessive drinking damages the auditory cortex in the brain, affecting the way your brain processes sound. The high levels of alcohol can create a toxic environment that can damage the delicate hair cells in the cochlea. Even moderate drinkers may risk nerve damage and hearing loss.

Ear Infection

Hearing loss occurs due to many types of ear infections. It blocks ear canals and lessens hearing. Though it can be treated with medications, if you neglect it for too long, it may be the cause of permanent hearing loss.

Physical Trauma

There can be damage either to the ear itself or to the brain centres. Trauma, especially a skull fracture or punctured eardrum, can damage your ear and put your ear a serious hearing loss. People who face any head injury are exposed to hearing loss or tinnitus, either temporary or permanent.

Avoid damaging noises: If the sound is too loud then it can cause serious damage to your ears. Sounds from motorcycles, concert speakers, power tools like saws and drills, earphones, and more are all loud enough to make a difference. And the higher the noise level means the greater the risk of hearing loss. So try to avoid any type of loud noise and use ear protection.

Wear hearing protection: Use ear protection such as earplugs or earmuffs. There are several professions that can put you at risk for hearing disorders on a daily basis, such as construction workers, paramedics, musicians, firefighters, military personnel or manufacturing and factory jobs, and many more.

Earplugs are a type of hearing protection available at your pharmacy. Earmuffs or noise-cancellation earphones can be purchased at sporting goods or safety equipment stores. If you wear earplugs or Earmuffs frequently, which can be made to fit comfortably and stop loud noise from getting to the ear.

Be a Quiet Enforcer: Before buying any product compare dB rating. And if it’s too loud in the movie theatre, restaurant, or any other place you go often, ask the manager to turn it down.

Don’t Smoke: Excess alcohol or tobacco affect your brain and make you mare likely to lose your hearing. So try to quit or avoid breathing secondhand smoke.

Remove earwax: Your ear canal produces a waxy oil called cerumen, which is more commonly known as earwax. When you clean your ears, you can accidentally push the wax deeper, causing a blockage. Cotton swabs, ear candling, and irrigators are all examples of devices people use to clean the wax that can cause the wax to become more embedded. Cleaning hearing aid is a must thing to do. You should take great caution when trying to treat earwax buildup at home. If the problem persists, visit your doctor.

Get a hearing test: If you have some hearing loss, you can avoid getting more damage by steering clear of loud noises. Visit a hearing care center routinely for a hearing test. If your test indicates you already have some amount of disorder, you can begin taking action to prevent it from getting worse. If you need digital hearing aids, your hearing professional can discuss the best options for your hearing loss, lifestyle, and budget.

Get your hearing test today at HearingSol Delhi NCR, give us a call at +91-9327901950.

Age-related hearing disability is also known as Presbyterians. It is the loss of hearing that occurs gradually in all of us as we grow older. This is the most common conditions between older and elderly adults. It affects both the ears equally. The loss is slow, steady and occurs with age, so people who haven’t yet been diagnosed don’t realize that they’ve already lost some of their ability to hear. The loss is always permanent but not life-threatening.

One of the symptoms of age-related hearing problems is having difficulty hearing the voice of women. This is because their voices are high in pitch compared to men. Other symptoms include; voices sounding mumbled or overly loud, experiencing ringing in the ears along with headaches or dizziness.

Some major causes

• Certain medical conditions (high blood pressure or diabetes)
• Family history (age-related hearing loss sometimes run in families)
• Repeated exposure to loud noises
• Ototoxicity medication
• Smoking
• Certain medicines, such as chemotherapy drugs for cancer

Doctors recommend a cochlear implant in some cases, which means a small hearing device is surgically implanted into the ear of the person diagnosed. They don’t restore normal hearing but somewhat improve loud hearing.

Born With A Hearing Disability

The term congenital hearing loss means the hearing disorder is present by birth. Doctors these days advise that all newborns babies should be given a hearing test prior to discharge from the hospital. The symptoms can be seen during different stages of the child’s age such as; a newborn baby may not flinch when there is a loud noise nearby or after a few months, the child still does not respond to familiar voices. Congenital hearing loss can be caused by genetic or nongenetic factors.

One of the following two factors causes this type of hearing loss:

Hereditary/Genetic Factors

Genetic factors (hereditary) cause more than 50% of all hearing loss in children. It can be present at birth or develop later in life. Most genetic hearing loss can be described as autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant. In easy words, hearing loss may be inherited from one or both parents. This type of inheritance pattern accounts for about 70% of all genetic hearing loss. Genetic syndromes have a group of signs and symptoms that together indicate a specific disease:

• Down syndrome
• Usher syndrome
• Treacher Collins syndrome
• Crouzon syndrome
• Alport syndrome
• Waardenburg syndrome

Non-Hereditary/Non-Genetic Factors

In about 25% of cases of deafness, there is a non-genetic cause that can be identified. Nongenetic factors that are known to cause congenital hearing loss. It is most often caused by illness or trauma before birth or during the birth process. Their causes include:

• Low birth weight
• Maternal diabetes
• Lack of oxygen (anoxia)
• Birth injuries/complications
• Complications associated with the Rh factor in the blood.
• Toxins (alcohol or drug) consumed by the mother during pregnancy

Acquired In Early Childhood

There are many cases when a child is affected by deafness as they grow up. These disorders are not present at birth but identified at a later date. Approximately two to three children per 1,000 will be identified as having childhood acquired or late-onset hearing loss.

You can observe a certain behavior pattern in children having hearing disorders: such as; being sad, angry, frustrated all the time, having low self-esteem, or being completely shy/quiet. This behavior is caused due to picking up by siblings or peers that they have a problem or by simply realizing on their own that they cannot communicate as well as others.

Family support and a normal environment at home can help the child to become comfortable. It will also enable the child to express properly, which will further help in providing better Hearing Sol.

Some major causes of this type of disability:

• A perforated eardrum
• Otosclerosis or Meniere’s diseases, which are progressive
• Infections like meningitis, measles, mumps or a whooping cough
• Taking ototoxic medications
• A serious head injury
• Exposure to loud noise, causing noise-induced hearing loss
• Untreated or frequent otitis media (ear infections)
• Exposure to secondhand smoke

Hearing Impairments In Young People

Lifestyle is one of the major reasons for hearing disorders in young people. Every young adult or teen is into activities like; listening to music at full volume, loud noise games, concerts, movie theatres, etc. Believe it or not, these are certainly putting their hearing power at risk.

Researchers conclude that if young adults frequently use headphones at a loud volume, they should be prepared to deal with ringing in their ears or hearing loss as a result. With increasing rates of hearing loss comes academic challenges, a growing problem for young people. In higher education, you have to advocate for yourself. Be ready to make recommendations for what you need. Be proactive.

There are many ways to prevent noise-induced hearing loss in young people and teens. Some of these include:

• Use high-quality earplugs that transfer sound into your inner ear more effectively or use headphones instead.
• Fixed the time and volume range to listening to music. Follow 60/60 rule, no more than 60 minutes nor above 60% of maximum volume.
• If music is coming outside from your earbuds means it’s very loud.
• Take some breaks from listening to music.
• Always wear earplugs at concerts and loud sporting events.

Just remember, prevention is better than cure. Taking small steps towards reducing the likelihood of hearing loss now, will only benefit you in future.

Hearing Loss In Old People

It is one of the most common conditions affecting older and elderly adults. Approximately one in three people between the ages of 60 and 70 have a partial or significant form of hearing loss. Nearly half of those older than 75 have difficulty hearing.

The age-related disorders most often occur in both ears, affecting them equally. Because the loss is gradual, if you have age-related issues you may not realize that you’ve lost some of your ability to hear.

There are many causes of age-related hearing loss. Most commonly, it arises from changes in the inner ear as we age, but it can also result from changes in the middle ear. Certain medical conditions and medications may also play a role.

Having trouble hearing can make it hard to understand and follow a doctor’s advice, to respond to warnings, and to hear doorbells and alarms. It can also make it hard to enjoy talking with friends and family. All of this can be frustrating, embarrassing, and even dangerous.

There are many reasons for losing your hearing in old age:

• Conditions that are more common in older people, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, can contribute to hearing loss.
• The noise-induced hearing loss is caused by long-term exposure to sounds that are either too loud or last too long.
• Age-related hearing loss can be caused by abnormalities of the outer ear or middle ear.

There is no permanent cure for hearing the loss in old people but there is a treatment to improve the quality of life of people suffering from it. The following can be of help:

• Hearing aids
• Telephone amplifiers
• Learning sign language
• Lip reading training
• Usage of visual cues to aid communication
• Prevent excess ear wax
• Cochlear implant

Treatment is largely based on the extent to which the hearing loss exists. This can be evaluated through a hearing test. Regularly consulting with your doctor about your specific health needs is recommended.

Hearing Loss And Dementia

Hearing loss and dementia are common as you get older. Research shows that there’s no coincidence. The two are linked. They are finding more and more evidence that problem with hearing makes you more likely to go on to dementia, a condition marked by trouble with thinking and memory loss, problem-solving, and other mental tasks.

Follow-Up For Hearing Loss

There are many treatments available for permanent hearing loss –

• Individual who is profoundly deaf may benefit from a cochlear implant.
• Anyone with conductive hearing loss can have the middle ear reconstructed by a nose, ear, and throat professional.
• Hearing aids are well tolerated and effective for people with conductive hearing loss.

Hearing Loss Test

Hearing loss can affect anyone at any age. As we get older, we naturally become more likely to hearing loss because of changes to the delicate mechanism of our ears. If you have sudden hearing loss in one ear, Consult with your doctor. A simple screening will help you to identify a hearing problem.

An Online Hearing Test is no alternate for a real hearing test by a hearing care professional or audiologist. It is always advisable to obtain a more detailed hearing test from your nearby hearing healthcare professional. Difficulty in hearing is interfering with your daily life.