Hearing Loss: Why Does Deafness Occur and What Treatments Are Available for This Condition?

Man relies on the five fundamental senses in his daily activities: sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. These senses allow him to carry out his daily tasks and detect potential dangers. Among these, hearing plays an essential role. Sounds captured by the ear are transmitted to the brain, where they are interpreted and recognized or perceived for the first time.

The absence of hearing, also known as hearing loss or deafness, has many unpleasant consequences. These include difficulty protecting ourselves from certain dangers and the inability to communicate effectively with other people. This problem can affect one ear or both. Regardless, the effects of impaired hearing are extremely inconvenient.

Hearing loss is often linked to the aging process, when our senses begin to diminish. However, children or young adults can also be affected by deafness. Therefore, it is essential to know the signs and types of this condition, as well as the available treatment methods for hearing problems. The article below explores deafness in detail, addressing all these aspects.

Hearing Loss – Definition, Causes, and Categories of Affected Individuals

In general, hearing loss or deafness is a condition that affects one or both ears, manifesting as a decrease in hearing or even complete loss of it. This condition can be caused by various factors and may occur suddenly or develop gradually. Its progression includes several stages, and the age at which it sets in plays an essential role.

Hearing loss can affect both adults and children and presents in various forms. In older children and adults, the first signs of hearing loss will, of course, be the sensation of poor hearing. However, in newborns, deafness may be discovered later. To correctly diagnose hearing loss, various investigations are necessary.

What is Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss is popularly known as deafness and represents a decrease in auditory acuity in both adults and children. It can occur suddenly or slowly and can progress in several ways. When it is not congenital, i.e., inherited, it can be remedied by various methods, depending on its causes. Therefore, one of the frequent questions related to this condition is what we can do to maintain healthy hearing.

Ear health is essential in preventing hearing loss. The easiest way to have good hearing is to ensure a diet appropriate for our age. One of the products that contribute to hearing well-being is omega 3, which is associated with a lower risk of losing auditory acuity. Omega 3 is found in fish, nuts, chia seeds, and flax seeds. Since these cannot always be consumed in sufficient quantities, we can also resort to various supplements.

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One such supplement is Premium OMEGA 3-6-9 Vegan 60 Softgels. As the name suggests, it contains all 3 omega fatty acids, contributing not only to auditory health but also to eye health. Thus, two of our most important senses will be stimulated to function correctly. Derived from pumpkin seed oil, flaxseed, and evening primrose oil, the product has beneficial effects on the entire body. From the heart to hair and skin, it acts both internally and externally.

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Deafness and the Causes of its Onset

Why does deafness occur? It can be caused by a variety of factors, which vary by age. In most cases, the triggering factors can be internal or external. How can we identify if we suffer from hearing loss? Starting from normal hearing values, measured in decibels (dB), and analyzing the noise level required to perceive sounds.

Thus:

• normal hearing limits are between 0 and 30 dB;
• mild hearing loss values are between 30 and 50 dB;
• moderate hearing loss starts from 50 to 70 dB;
• severe hearing loss is recorded between 70 – 90 dB;
• profound hearing loss sets in above 90 dB;
• the last stage of deafness is profound or cochlear loss.

These values are used to determine auditory acuity in both adults and children.

Hearing Loss in Children

Children are special cases when it comes to hearing loss, as they can acquire it from birth. Thus, for those under 3 years of age, the effects of deafness can be quite severe. Among these are speech disorders and developmental delays.

Hearing loss in children is often detected in the first month of life through screening. In the absence of screening, it can be diagnosed after one and a half years of age, when treatment should already begin. However, for a correct diagnosis, it is very important to establish the determining factors.

What Causes Hearing Loss?

To make a correct diagnosis, it is good to know the determining factors of hearing loss, depending on the period of life we are in.

Hearing loss can set in during the prenatal stage or during childbirth due to the following causes:

• genetics, if one or both parents suffer from deafness or if there are cases of hearing loss among close relatives;
• intrauterine infections during pregnancy with rubella or cytomegalovirus;
• lack of oxygen or asphyxiation at birth;
• severe jaundice or hyperbilirubinemia immediately after birth;
• low birth weight.

In older children, hearing loss can occur due to the following causes:

• chronic infections of one or both ears, leading to suppurative otitis media;
• other ear conditions, such as seromucous otitis media or infantile otosclerosis;
• meningitis or encephalitis.

In adults, regardless of age, deafness can be caused by:

• conditions such as otosclerosis and Meniere’s disease;
• smoking;
• neurosensory degeneration;
• various tumors, including vestibular schwannoma.

Adults are also the ones who often suffer from sudden hearing loss.

Why Does Sudden Hearing Loss Occur?

Sudden hearing loss can occur at any time in adulthood and is caused by several factors. Among the most common are:

• head and brain trauma affecting the temporal bone;
• exposure to extremely loud noises, including listening to music through headphones at high volume, has become a contributing factor to the sudden onset of deafness;
• exposure to certain toxic substances;
• use of sensitizing medications;
• various ear infections;
• diet deficient in essential nutrients;
• progressive genetic hearing loss;
• the common earwax buildup in the ear.

Depending on the causes, hearing loss can be of several types.

Hearing Loss – Types and Essential Information for Understanding Them

There are several types of hearing loss, the condition being classified according to its causes and location. For an accurate diagnosis, it is important to consult a doctor at the first signs of hearing loss. Although this is the most common symptom of an ear condition, there may be other signs. Based on these symptoms, a specialist doctor can establish a correct diagnosis and identify the type of hearing loss.

Deafness can be divided into:

• neurosensory or perceptive hearing loss, which primarily affects the elderly;
• conductive deafness, most often caused by various infections;
• congenital hearing loss, which affects those with a family medical history.

Based on presentation, hearing loss can be bilateral or unilateral, affecting both ears or only one.

Neurosensory Deafness

Neurosensory hearing loss has two main causes:

• genetic cause;
• trauma.

This type of deafness occurs when the sensory hair cells of the cochlea are absent or destroyed. It is often encountered in children, but also in adults, being a normal process of organism aging.

Also known as perceptive hearing loss, its main symptom is decreased hearing in one or both ears in adults. For children, various tests are necessary to establish the diagnosis.

Conductive Hearing Loss

Conductive hearing loss is another type of hearing loss frequently encountered in adults. It occurs when sounds are no longer perceived clearly, as a result of a condition of the middle or outer ear. Most often, it occurs as a result of:

• infections, including various types of otitis;
• earwax accumulation;
• eardrum trauma.

There are also cases where conductive and neurosensory deafness coexist, being called mixed hearing loss. Its causes are often trauma, and it can affect both adults and children.

Both types can be cases of sudden hearing loss, so seeing a doctor is necessary at the first signs of impaired hearing.

Congenital Deafness

Congenital or hereditary deafness is one of the most common types of hearing loss in children. It is of several types, in turn, being classified according to the age at which it is discovered. Thus:

• pre-speech or pre-lingual hearing loss, which occurs in the first months of life and up to the age of 3-4 years, before speech development;
• peri-speech or peri-lingual hearing loss, which occurs between the ages of 2-4 years, during the speech development process.

Besides these, there is also post-speech or post-lingual hearing loss or sudden deafness which occurs in older children. This can affect both young people and the elderly.

Hearing loss, regardless of its type, can affect both ears or only one.

Bilateral and Unilateral Deafness

Another classification criterion for hearing loss is by the degree of involvement. Individuals may experience deafness in either one ear or both. Unilateral deafness often results from trauma, otitis, or other ear infections, and more.

Bilateral deafness is associated with congenital hearing loss, but it can also occur as a result of head trauma. Also, both types can range from mild to severe forms. Only an ENT doctor can make the correct diagnosis.

Hearing Loss – Diagnosis and Treatment

Because it is of several types, the diagnosis of deafness is made through various tests, as well as through patient history. First, the symptoms will be considered. Although hearing loss is the most important, there are other signs of ENT conditions.

Symptoms of Hearing Loss

When suffering from a form of deafness, in addition to hearing loss, we may have other signs. Among the most common are:

• a feeling of pressure or a plugged ear is a first sign of hearing loss caused by earwax buildup;
• intense ear pain with an echoing sensation of hearing is often a symptom of deafness caused by otitis;
• sudden hearing loss in one ear accompanied by tinnitus or ringing in the ears occurs after trauma;
• gradual hearing loss is associated with aging, also called presbycusis.

For each of these symptoms, various tests will be performed, after which a diagnosis will be made and the necessary treatment will be provided.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Hearing Loss

Specific tests for diagnosing deafness include:

• anamnesis, which helps rule out congenital hearing loss;
• physical examination of the ear;
• audiometry, which checks hearing acuity;
• tympanometry, which measures eardrum mobility.

In addition to these, CT scans or MRIs can be performed if the results of the initial investigations are inconclusive. This can be the case for head injuries affecting the ear.

Regarding the treatment of hearing loss, the protocol is established based on the test results. Most often, it consists of:

• ear irrigations or aspirations in the simplest case of earwax blockage;
• administration of anti-inflammatory drugs and/or antibiotics in case of otitis;
• wearing a hearing aid in cases of presbycusis in the elderly.

In more complex cases, such as sudden hearing loss, treatment will consist of the intravenous administration of corticosteroids and vasodilators. The condition must be treated within the first 3 days of its onset, so it is imperative to see a doctor immediately in this situation.

In conclusion, hearing loss is a condition of one or both ears, with the main sign being mild, moderate, or total hearing loss. It is of several types, and can be acquired genetically, as well as caused by other factors. Sometimes, diseases such as otitis or head trauma can cause conductive and neurosensory or mixed deafness. Symptoms can range from pain to a feeling of pressure and an echoing sound, so diagnosis will be based on them. Treatment may consist of ear washes or wearing hearing aids in the simplest cases. In more complex conditions, drug treatment is the solution for improving hearing loss.

References:

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/symptoms-causes/syc-20373072

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8284562/

www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/249285#unilateral-and-bilateral-deafness

www.lobe.ca/en/treatment/hypoacusis

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