Hearing Loss - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Pradeep Chauhan
July 11, 2008
Impairments in hearing can happen in either frequency or intensity, or both. Hearing loss severity is based on how well a person can hear the frequencies or intensities most often associated with speech. Severity can be described as mild, moderate, severe, or profound. The term "deaf" is sometimes used to describe someone who has an approximately 90 dB or greater hearing loss or who cannot use hearing to process speech and language information, even with the use of hearing aids.
Causes of Hearing Loss
How you hear
Hearing occurs when sound waves reach the structures inside your ear, where the sound wave vibrations are converted into nerve signals that your brain recognizes as sound.
Middle ear fluid
Serious infections, such as meningitis
Head injury
Listening to very loud music, especially through headphones
Repeated exposure to loud sounds, such as machinery
Common causes of deafness in children include inherited conditions, infection during pregnancy, meningitis, head injury and glue ear.
Common temporary causes include earwax, infection, glue ear and foreign body obstruction.
Hearing Loss Symptoms
If hearing loss is sudden, it may be from trauma or a problem with blood circulation. A gradual onset is suggestive of other causes such as aging or a tumor.
Some people may have a hearing problem without realizing it. Others might think they have a problem, but are too embarrassed to tell their doctor, friends, or family. You can help identify a possible hearing problem by asking yourself some key questions and, if necessary, having your hearing checked by a doctor.
The first sign of a noise-induced hearing loss is not hearing high-pitched sounds, like the singing of birds, or not understanding speech when in a crowd or an area with a lot of background noise. If the damage goes on, hearing declines further, and lower pitched sounds become hard to understand.
Treatment of Hearing Loss
When a hearing aid does not give enough amplification, as with profound deafness, a cochlear implant - sometimes known as a bionic ear - may help.
This device transmits sound directly into the auditory nerve via electrodes which are surgically implanted into the cochlea. The results of a cochlear implant vary between people, and it is hard to tell how useful it will be before it is implanted.
Home Care
Wax build-up can frequently be flushed out of the ear (gently) with ear syringes (available in drug stores) and warm water. Wax softeners (like Cerumenex) may be needed if the wax is hard and impacted.
Care should be taken when removing foreign bodies. Unless it is easy to get to, have your health care provider remove the object. Don't use sharp instruments to remove foreign bodies.
Hearing Loss Prevention
Protect your ears in the workplace. Specially designed earmuffs that resemble earphones can protect your ears by bringing most loud sounds down to an acceptable level. Foam, pre-formed, or custom-molded earplugs made of plastic or rubber also can effectively protect your ears from damaging noise.
Read About Women Body Building
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Body Building Guide
and Women Body Building
Causes of Hearing Loss
How you hear
Hearing occurs when sound waves reach the structures inside your ear, where the sound wave vibrations are converted into nerve signals that your brain recognizes as sound.
Middle ear fluid
Serious infections, such as meningitis
Head injury
Listening to very loud music, especially through headphones
Repeated exposure to loud sounds, such as machinery
Common causes of deafness in children include inherited conditions, infection during pregnancy, meningitis, head injury and glue ear.
Common temporary causes include earwax, infection, glue ear and foreign body obstruction.
Hearing Loss Symptoms
If hearing loss is sudden, it may be from trauma or a problem with blood circulation. A gradual onset is suggestive of other causes such as aging or a tumor.
Some people may have a hearing problem without realizing it. Others might think they have a problem, but are too embarrassed to tell their doctor, friends, or family. You can help identify a possible hearing problem by asking yourself some key questions and, if necessary, having your hearing checked by a doctor.
The first sign of a noise-induced hearing loss is not hearing high-pitched sounds, like the singing of birds, or not understanding speech when in a crowd or an area with a lot of background noise. If the damage goes on, hearing declines further, and lower pitched sounds become hard to understand.
Treatment of Hearing Loss
When a hearing aid does not give enough amplification, as with profound deafness, a cochlear implant - sometimes known as a bionic ear - may help.
This device transmits sound directly into the auditory nerve via electrodes which are surgically implanted into the cochlea. The results of a cochlear implant vary between people, and it is hard to tell how useful it will be before it is implanted.
Home Care
Wax build-up can frequently be flushed out of the ear (gently) with ear syringes (available in drug stores) and warm water. Wax softeners (like Cerumenex) may be needed if the wax is hard and impacted.
Care should be taken when removing foreign bodies. Unless it is easy to get to, have your health care provider remove the object. Don't use sharp instruments to remove foreign bodies.
Hearing Loss Prevention
Protect your ears in the workplace. Specially designed earmuffs that resemble earphones can protect your ears by bringing most loud sounds down to an acceptable level. Foam, pre-formed, or custom-molded earplugs made of plastic or rubber also can effectively protect your ears from damaging noise.
Read About Women Body Building
Guide Also read about Women
Body Building Guide
and Women Body Building
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