Maintaining our balance and allowing us to hear are the two primary functions of our ears. As we get older we have to accept that our ability to hear deteriorates, and the deterioration will usually be in our perception of audible frequency range and the ability to hear quiet sounds. In fact, one of three adults over the age of 65 has a hearing loss and as many as half of seniors over the age of 75 have a hearing loss. Hearing impairment may also occur from another cause we have not yet mentioned, and that is from a genetic malfunction, and these can often affect us as we grow old. Such loss of hearing may happen even for those that have always avoided excessive exposure to noise.
Detection of a hearing problem is usually very easy and the signs are as follows:-
1) If the range of notes you hear are restricted as is often described as fuzzy or muffled hearing
2) Your understanding fails although you think you can hear what is said
3) Despite paying attention to a speaker you find you must repeatedly request that things be repeated more clearly
4) You complain that the programmes you hear are difficult to listen too, actors and presenters speak too quietly, and you need to turn up the dial.
If you suffer from any of the above, combined with a desire to withdraw from conversations or avoid social settings, it is highly likely that you are suffering from a loss of hearing. Damage within the cochlea is the most common cause of hearing difficulties. The cochlea is the coiled structure within the inner ear within which hearing takes place. Exposure to loud sounds, that is above 85 decibels is damaging to it after a period of time. A common way to show decibels is to refer in written text to dBs.
Sound intensity damage is not the only means of damage, of course, and others are:-
1) Diseases of the ear, such as can be during child illnesses
2) Damage to the tiny sensitive bones of the ear
3) Outer or middle ear tumour growth
4) Ruptured ear drums.
Other non-age related causes for deafness include Auditory Neuropathy, Meniere's Disease, Noise Ostosclerosis and Usher's Syndrome.
These boil down to 3 basic hearing loss types:-
A) Conductive Damage to Hearing
In this type the sound is unable to pass by conduction properly to the middle-ear. Causes vary, but can be due to fluid, presence of wax, result from present or past infection, foreign particles, or some sort of physical lack of proper formation.
B) Neural and Sensor Type Deafness
This condition occurs when there is damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or to the nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain. Disease, birth injury, drugs or genetic syndromes can also be causes of Sensorineural hearing loss. Additional causes may include noise exposure, viruses, head trauma, aging and tumors.
Lumped ito this category are also all difficulties experienced within the brain in interpreting the sound signals when these are relayed neurally.
C) Combined Deafness Causes
Combine A) and B) and you have this unfortunate type of loss or deafness. Thankfully, this is not a common event.
Our list is now complete having added the combined hearing loss type.
Loss of the ability to hear may be unique to one ear or may be present in both ears. It may be long term, or may be rapidly amicable to being cured. Deafness may strike quite quickly and be resolved equally speedily when infections of the ears occur.
This article must not be used as a substitute for expert advice obtained from qualified medical experts. If you think after reading this that you have an impairment make an appointement with your Doctor/advisor.
Don't hesitate to look out for a good hearing aid if you have a hearing problem. The current models really are much better than those available in the past, but choose carefully.
Steve Evans is the writer of the http:/www.besthearingaids.info web site. Visit his web site for more information and hints on hearing aids. Click here to visit the Hearing Aids Site.
