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Hearing loss It is the condition where a person finds difficulty in hearing which can be partial or total. Social stigma is always observed in India that only elderly people will have this problem but unfortunately, it can be found in any person of any age due to various reasons. As it is an internal impairment, it is ignored the most, unlike visual impairment. "Blindness cuts us off from things, but deafness cuts us off from people," -Helen Keller.
A problem in the outer and middle ear which prevents sounds to reach the inner ear
A problem in the inner ear which prevents sounds to reach the nerve and brain.
A problem in outer, middle and inner ear together. Degree of loss can range from minimal to profound According to Clark.
Degree of hearing loss -10 to 15 Normal 16 to 25 Minimal/slight 26 to 40 Mild 41 to 55 Moderate 56 to 70 Moderately severe 71 to 90 Severe More than 90 Profound.
The following are some other causes of hearing loss;
Mostly irreversible, surgery, steroid application, using hearing aids, the cochlear implant helps.
Exposing self to excess noise listening to songs at high volume, mostly found in the locomotor pilot, construction worker, traffic police, factory workers, DJ, etc.
With age, the inner ear starts deteriorating it's functioning, not preventable. A tumor (acoustic neuroma)
Some group of medicines which are toxic to ear like ototoxic drugs ex- cisplatin, carboplatin, gentamicin, streptomycin, quinine, a large amount of aspirin, etc.
People suffering from any kind of viral infection related to ear might experience hearing loss.
When you are suffering from any deformity of the ear whether it might be genetic or due to an accident then you may experience hearing loss.
As a problem in outer/middle and inner ear treatment for both show positive results.
If the child doesn't respond to loud sounds(clap from behind, drum beats), name-calling by mother then without wasting time get the help of hearing healthcare professional(Audiologist). Before cutting the birthday cake of your child, get the hearing test done of your child after 24 hrs of birth (DPOAE tests, done by Audiologist) or within 3 months of birth (BERA test done by Audiologist).
For older adults take a piece of paper, fold it and rub it near the ear don't touch, if u can not hear the soft scratch sound out of it, then consult Audiologist If you feel the hearing problem, pain, liquid coming out of the ear, block sensation or anything which is ear-related, don't waste time consult the ENT (otolaryngologist) and Audiologist (hearing specialist) Don't underestimate the advice given by them, follow those to help yourself.
Hearing tests include otoscopy, tuning fork test, pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry, special tests, immittance audiometry, otoacoustic emission, brain-stem evoked response audiometry, auditory steady-state response, etc. Don't get confused between ENT and Audiologist. ENT specialist should prescribe medicines and surgery if necessary, whereas Audiologist performs all the tests of hearing and management of sensorineural hearing loss by prescribing hearing aids,(always ask for digital programmable hearing aids) managing all the hearing related tests and management. ENT specialist and Audiologists work side by side. Get the disability certificate of disability percentage is more than 40% from the nearest government district hospital after the necessary process.
Annual Hearing check-up without fail is a must, so as to detect the problem at an early stage (early identification ) which leads to early intervention (treatment/management), ultimately it will be cost-effective, chances of positive results are more. Don't take this so lightly, the consequences can be life-threatening in some cases. For further information please consult an audiologist near by.