Hearing Loss Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Hearing loss is a health disorder that is generally caused by age or because of frequent exposure to loud sounds. Hearing can be said to be disturbed if the voice signal fails to reach the brain. Usually, hearing loss develops gradually, but hearing loss can appear suddenly. The following are the hearing loss causes, symptoms, and treatment.
Hearing Loss Causes
There are several things that can trigger hearing loss. Here are the hearing loss causes.
- Age factor. Most people will begin hearing loss due to increasing age. Hearing loss due to age is known as presbycusis
- Loud voice. Hearing a loud voice, whether you hear a very loud and sudden sound, such as the sound of an explosion or the sound of an airplane for a long time can cause hearing loss
- Infection or dirt. This condition can clog the ear cavity
- Trauma. It is especially cracks of the ear bones or rupture of the eardrum
- Drugs. Some medications can cause temporary or permanent disorders, including aspirin, antibiotics streptomycins, and chemotherapy drugs like cisplatin and cyclophosphamide
- Disease. Heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes can interfere with the blood supply to the ear
If hearing loss causes are distinguished from the affected part of the ear, there are two types of this condition.
- Sensorineural hearing loss. This condition is caused by damage to sensory hair cells in the inner ear or damage to the auditory nerve. Some triggers for sensorineural hearing loss are heredity, head injury, stroke, aging, drugs, and hearing loud sounds
- Conductive hearing loss. It occurs when sound waves cannot enter the inner ear. Some of the causes are ruptured or perforated eardrums, wall swelling or dysfunction of the Eustachian tubes, earwax or benign tumors that clog, infection, and the entry of foreign objects into the ear
Hearing Loss Symptoms
After knowing the hearing loss causes, there are many symptoms of it. Hearing loss can occur suddenly, but often occurs gradually and is not realized at first. Immediately consult a doctor if you experience the symptoms below. Some of the early signs and symptoms are:
- Asking someone else to repeat his words
- Always tired or stressed out because you have to concentrate when listening
- Withdraw from the conversation
- Difficulty hearing the telephone ring or doorbell
- Avoid some social situations
- Difficulty listening to other people's words clearly, especially when discussing with many people or in a crowd
- Difficulty listening to consonants such as "S", "F", and "T"
- Listen to music or watch television with a loud volume than others
- Difficulty in determining the direction of the sound source
The symptoms in infants and children differ slightly from adults. Some of the hearing loss symptoms in infant and children are:
- Not surprised when heard a loud voice
- For babies less than 4 months, does not turn towards the sound source
- Cannot say a single word at the age of one year
- Be aware of someone's presence, but indifferent when the patient is called his name
- Slow when learning to speak or not clear when talking
- Answering something not in accordance with the question
- Often speak loudly or set the TV volume aloud
- Pay attention to other people to imitate what is ordered because he does not hear anything instructed
Hearing Loss Treatment
The hearing loss treatment depends on the cause and severity. Usually, people with hearing loss are dealt with:
- Cleanse the ear clogging dirt
- Surgery. This step might be done if the patient has an ear injury or recurrent infection
- Hearing aids. This tool can make the sound heard by the patient become stronger and easier
- The cochlear implant. It is a hearing aid planted under the skin behind the patient's ear
- Learn sign language and read lips. If the patient has a severe hearing loss or has deafness from birth can interfere with communication with others. It is advisable to understand sign language and read lips to facilitate communication with others
Conclusion
There are many hearing loss causes that can trigger to this condition. Usually, hearing loss develops gradually, but hearing loss can appear suddenly. If you are experiencing the symptoms above for a long time, it is better to see a doctor.