Hearing problems are not uncommon these days. And in recent decades, the number of people who go to doctors because their hearing has deteriorated began to increase rapidly. And not only bad ecology is to blame for this. Being constantly busy does not allow us to eat properly. The constant use of mobile phones and other gadgets through headphones can also negatively affect hearing. And if you do not pay attention to this in time, the disease gradually develops - hearing loss.
What it is
Unfortunately, many do not understand what hearing loss is, believing that this diagnosis is made only with a congenital disease. But it can also be acquired when hearing gradually or suddenly decreases in a previously completely healthy person. In the medical sense, hearing loss is a persistent hearing loss that does not go away on its own and needs treatment.
In the modern classification, there are three main types of hearing loss:
- Conductive, resulting from damage to organs that conduct sound.
- Sensorineural, in which the organs responsible for the perception of sound are damaged.
- Mixed when both of these problems are present at the same time.
Sensorineural hearing loss occurs most frequently in adults. But there is good news - this type of disease at an early stage responds better to treatment than conductive or mixed.
Causes of the disease
The main problem due to which sensorineural hearing loss occurs is the lack of perception of the incoming sound by the brain or nerve endings. There are many reasons for its occurrence. The most significant of them:
defects of the genetic apparatus, causing congenital hearing anomalies, inherited;- exposure to negative factors during pregnancy, which lead to intrauterine defects in the development of the hearing aid;
- the consequence of cranial trauma or mechanical damage to the ears or individual parts of the hearing aid;
- intoxication of the body, which can cause alcohol, drugs or strong drugs (for example, antibiotics);
- exposure to viruses or infections, a consequence of chronic or previous severe illnesses;
- acute and chronic inflammatory processes: otitis media, sinusitis, meningitis, etc.;
- any neoplasms that damage the inner ear or areas of the brain that are responsible for sound perception;
- autoimmune and some other systemic diseases: syphilis, lupus, AIDS, etc.
defects of the genetic apparatus, causing congenital hearing anomalies, inherited;Typically, once the underlying causes have been identified and addressed, sensory hearing loss resolves completely, or hearing improves significantly. That is why it is so important to see a doctor at the very first stage of the disease.
The main symptoms
When is sensorineural hearing loss diagnosed, what is it and how can it be diagnosed? It is impossible to do this at home, since only a specialist can identify the type of disease after a series of studies. The following symptoms will help to suspect hearing loss:
- hearing loss and noise in the ear;
- loss of stability and / or orientation;
- a feeling of congestion in the ears;
- dizziness, nausea;
- ringing or squeaking in the ears.
It is necessary to go to the doctor immediately if there was a sudden loss of hearing, especially after an injury or illness.
After the initial examination of the ear, the otolaryngologist will make an audiogram, which will accurately determine the degree of hearing loss, and also, using a special test, find out what is impaired: the perception of sound, its conduction, or both.
Treatment methods
The method of treating sensorineural hearing loss is selected individually and directly depends on the cause of the disease. Unfortunately, the congenital and hereditary disease is practically not amenable to treatment. In this case, hearing can be improved with hearing aids, implant placement, or fitting a hearing aid.
If the ear hurts and does not hear well, then the reason is most likely in an acute inflammatory process, which can be quickly stopped by prescribing the patient a course of antibiotic treatment. Physiotherapeutic procedures help to remove residual effects: ultrasound, electrophoresis, reflexology, etc.
Sensorineural hearing loss can be unilateral or bilateral. When the ear hears poorly on only one side, for example, the left ear, and the right one is perfectly healthy, the cause of the disease may be banal otitis media, which arose from hypothermia or prolonged exposure to a draft. After an adequate course of treatment, hearing is usually fully restored. Bilateral sensorineural hearing loss has more serious causes. It requires long-term complex treatment, and in case of hearing loss of grade 3 or higher, the use of a hearing aid.
If sensorineural hearing loss of 3-4 degrees does not heal for a long time, then the patient can be assigned to the 2nd group of disability. Lack of treatment allows the disease to progress and usually leads to deafness.
Disease prevention
To avoid sensorineural hearing loss and other serious ear diseases, following simple rules will help:
- do not go without a hat in cold, damp or windy weather;
- complete treatment to the end of all viral and infectious diseases;
- do not use antibiotics and other ototoxic drugs without a doctor's prescription: aspirin, furosemide, methotrixat and others;
- when working in a noisy production, be sure to use personal protective equipment (headphones, earplugs);
- when listening to music through headphones, do not turn it on at full volume;
- if water or a foreign body gets into the ear, immediately remove them, and if you cannot do it yourself, contact a medical facility;
- do not sit for a long time in a draft or under a running air conditioner.
A timely visit to a doctor with complaints of the type: “I have difficulty hearing in one ear” or “there is tinnitus” is a guarantee that the disease will be detected and stopped at the earliest stage.
Therefore, there is no need to postpone the visit if the symptoms listed above appear. Even if there is no serious cause for concern, it is better to make sure of this than to get an appointment when irreversible changes have occurred in the hearing aid.
