Hearing Loss: Types, Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

What is hearing loss?

Hearing loss, also called hearing impairment or deafness,  results from various factors like age-related changes, exposure to loud noises, and earwax issues. Any part of the air or auditory(hearing) system doesn’t work properly and results in loss of hearing.  It can range from mild to profound and may impact one or both ears. It can lead to difficulties in understanding and participating in conversations.

What are the different types of hearing loss?

Different types of hearing loss include:

  • Conductive hearing loss: In this type of hearing loss the sound doesn’t reach to outer or middle ear.
  • Sensorineural Hearing loss: it happens when the inner ear is damaged.
  • Mixed hearing loss: this hearing loss includes both sendorineural and conductive hearing loss.

What is hearing loss?

Hearing loss, also called hearing impairment or deafness,  results from various factors like age-related changes, exposure to loud noises, and earwax issues. Any part of the air or auditory(hearing) system doesn’t work properly and results in loss of hearing.  It can range from mild to profound and may impact one or both ears. It can lead to difficulties in understanding and participating in conversations.

What are the different types of hearing loss?

Different types of hearing loss include:

  • Conductive hearing loss: In this type of hearing loss the sound doesn’t reach to outer or middle ear.
  • Sensorineural Hearing loss: it happens when the inner ear is damaged.
  • Mixed hearing loss: this hearing loss includes both sendorineural and conductive hearing loss.

What is hearing loss?

Hearing loss, also called hearing impairment or deafness,  results from various factors like age-related changes, exposure to loud noises, and earwax issues. Any part of the air or auditory(hearing) system doesn’t work properly and results in loss of hearing.  It can range from mild to profound and may impact one or both ears. It can lead to difficulties in understanding and participating in conversations.

What are the different types of hearing loss?

Different types of hearing loss include:

  • Conductive hearing loss: In this type of hearing loss the sound doesn’t reach to outer or middle ear.
  • Sensorineural Hearing loss: it happens when the inner ear is damaged.
  • Mixed hearing loss: this hearing loss includes both sendorineural and conductive hearing loss.

What causes hearing loss?

 Hearing loss causes include:

  • Earwax buildup.
  • Fluid in middle ear.
  • Otitis Media(Infection in media).
  • Old age.
  • Inherited conditions(Genetics).
  • Diabetes.
  • Damage in the inner ear due to loud noise.
  • Tympanic membrane perforation(Ruputured eardrum).
  • Infection.
  • Illness
  • Stucking of any material in ear.
  • High blood pressure.
  • Heart disease

What are the symptoms of hearing loss?

Symptoms of Hearing Loss include:

In Babies:

  • No reaction towards the loud house.
  • Fail to turn towards the source of a sound after 6 months of age.
  • Delayed speech development (e.g., not saying “mama” or “dada” by age 1).
  • No response when their name is called.

In Older Children:                   

  • Frequent use of “huh” during conversation.
  • Language development is slow compared to peers.
  • Speech is not clear.
  • Difficulty following directions.

General Symptoms

  • Muffled speech and sounds.
  • Difficulty understanding words, particularly in noisy environments.
  • Frequent requests for slower, louder, and clearer speech.
  • Turning the TV or radio volume to excessive levels
  • Not interested in social activities or conversations.
  • Experiencing Tinnitus ( the perception of ringing, buzzing, or hissing sounds in the ears).
  • Fatigue or stress when try to listen and understand.

What are the stages of hearing loss?

Five stages of hearing loss include: 

An individual diagnosed with mild hearing loss can hear the quietest sound between 25 and 34 decibels (DB). Trouble in following time to time, particularly with loud background noise, struggling in hearing children voice and other sounds in the surrounding environment with water dripping or a ticking sound. Mild hearing loss is one of the early stages of hearing loss.

In this stage, hearing aids are recommended, and an individual can hear the quietest sound between 35 and 49 DB. People with stage 2 hearing loss struggle to fully participate in most conversations and miss hearing the parts of telephone conversations.

In the stage the ability to hear quietest sounds range between 50 and 64 DB, and  without any hearing aids it is difficult to hear most of the sound. With stage 3 hearing loss can’t even hear loud sound and can’t participate in conversational speech.

The quietest sound detected falls between 65 and 79 DB in severe hearing loss and can’t even hear loud speech and strong assisted hearing aid becomes necessary.

The quietest sound heard is 80DB or higher in this stage and powerful hearing aids or implants are required.

  • For communicating with others in stage 4 and 5 there is a depenceny on nonaural cues, such as sign language, lip reading or combinations of methods.

How is hearing loss diagnosed?

Tests for hearing loss diagnosis include:

Baseline Hearing Test: in this test, an adult’s hearing is checked at least once during an annual physical and the baseline hearing is recorded. Baseline hearing is used for comparison with future current hearing of an individual and severity of hearing loss can be assessed for appropriate treatment.           

Physical examination: The doctor will check the ear and look for signs of infection or other issues of hearing loss, like infection or earwax.

CT scan or MRI: if the ear is hurt or there is any chance of tumour, computed tomography(CT) SCAN or (MRI) is done.

Screening tests: this is a whisper test which shows how a person reacts to other sounds when one ear is covered at a time while listening to the words which are spoken at many volumes.

Audiometer test: through earphones, sounds and words are directed to each ear and to find the quietest sound the person can hear, each tone is repeated at a low level during the audiometer test.

Tympanometry: ruptured eardrum, wax in the ear canal, fluid in the middle ear and the eardrum movement can be diagnosed by tympanometry test.

Otoacoustic emission test(OAE): This test is done to check the functioning of the inner ear.

Hearing loss treatment

Hearing loss treatment includes:

Removing earwax: a suction or a small tool is used to remove the earwax that blocks the ear canal.

Hearing Aids: Hearing aids are recommended when the inner ear is damaged.

Cochlear implants: cochlear implants reaches the inner ear parts that don’t work and encourage the hearing nerve.

Antibiotics are recommended for treating ear infections  sometime a smalll tubes are put in ear for draining the fluid caused by repeated infection.

Surgery: Tympanoplasty is done for repairing ruptured eardrums. Surgery is also done for removing tumors.

For inserting ear tubes tympanostomy is used.

Medications: for reducing the swelling in cochlea hair cells corticosteroids are used.

Consult Dr. Mustafa Kapadia for Hearing loss treatment in Dubai

Dr. Mustafa Kapadia is an internationally renowned ENT doctor in Dubai with over 12 years of experience.

He is an expert in treating ear and sinus issues including hearing loss treatment.  He is also well-versed in a wide range of ENT , both emergency and elective procedures,

His facilities and methods are well- equipped and up-to-date and devotes ample time to listen patients for understanding their needs and compassionate care.

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