Types and Causes
There are three main types of hearing loss: Conductive, Sensorineural and Mixed
Conductive Hearing Loss
This occurs when there is a problem with the outer or middle ear.
Causes Conductive Hearing Loss
- Malformation of outer and middle ear structures
- Could be hereditary or can occur during an accident
- Accumulation of fluid in the ear canal
- Ear infections like otitis media
- Perforated eardrum(s)
- Allergies
- Benign tumors
- Impacted earwax obstructing passage of sound
- Infection of the ear canal
- Presence of foreign bodies
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Sensorineural hearing loss can occur due to damage to the nerves in the inner ear or due to damage to the cochlea. It cannot be reversed or treated.Noise induced hearing loss is caused due to exposure to high intensity noise which causes permanent nerve damage.
CAUSES Sensorineural Hearing Loss
- Before or during birth
- Lack of oxygen at the time of birth
- Heredity
- Infections such as rubella, herpes, toxoplasmosis, syphilis, cytomegalovirus (CMV)
- Later onset
- Bacterial meningitis
- Drug-induced ototoxicity
- Intense noise
- Physical damage to the head or ear
MIXED Hearing Loss
This could occur because of problems associated with both the inner and outer or middle ear.
Hearing loss can have a heavy impact on our lifestyle because we rely on our hearing abilities for our day-to-day tasks. A consult an ENT & Audiologist to rule out the cause of hearing loss. If your hearing loss is due to a problem in outer or middle ear it is medically treated either with medicine or surgery. If the problem is in the inner ear along with medicine you should use hearing aids so that your condition does not get worse. Using good-quality hearing aids will help you listen better and take good care of your hearing health. This will prevent your mild hearing loss from getting converted into moderate, severe, or profound hearing loss.
While choosing or shortlisting hearing aids, remember that not all hearing aids deal with the type of hearing loss you might be suffering from at the moment. Hearing aids offer multiple features, and you should compare them while selecting a hearing aid. Talk to an Audiologist and learn about your condition before you start looking for hearing aids. Random selection, in this case, is not going to help you.
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