Hearing loss: causes, symptoms and treatment of 1, 2, 3 degrees
Hearing loss is a condition caused by a gradual loss of hearing. The deterioration in the ability to hear sounds and speech can be either a temporary phenomenon or a result of a serious illness.
The hearing loss can develop against the background of taking certain medications, against the background of the transferred diseases with complications, as well as as a result of pathologies and noise effects.
Lately, hearing loss has become a problem not only for the elderly, but also for young people due to the increase in noise pollution, which is especially noticeable in large cities.
The following types of hearing loss are identified depending on the causes of the lesion:
2) Sensorineural hearing loss develops due to the death of hair cells in the cochlea, which are responsible for the perception of sounds. To the death of hair cells leads a number of diseases of a viral and bacterial nature, as well as autoimmune and allergic diseases. Sensorineural hearing loss may also cause some medications. In addition, this type of hearing loss often occurs as a result of injuries, including acoustic injuries. Often, the death of hair cells, which leads to hearing loss, is a process that is irreversible.
Mixed hearing loss combines conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.
In rare cases, a person may develop sudden deafness. The causes of this condition can be the effects of viruses, trauma, tumors, various diseases and circulatory disorders. Most often, sudden deafness disappears after a while, self-healing occurs, but for some victims this condition can be irreversible.
In addition, hearing loss can be acute, which develops rapidly in a few hours or days, or chronic, which is characterized by a gradual decrease in hearing.
Normally, a person can distinguish sounds ranging from 10-30 dB and further, that is, a person hears whispers at a distance of several meters, is able to distinguish between the rustle of leaves and the ticking of clocks. But with a deafness the threshold, after which a person begins to hear sounds, increases.
So, hearing loss can be:
In the diagnosis of hearing loss, a large role is assigned to identifying the causes of development of hearing loss and determining the possibility of reversing the process in order to fully restore hearing. Otolaryngologists, audiologists and hearing therapists are specialists in the field of hearing loss and related diseases.
To assess the extent of hearing loss and to diagnose hearing loss, sets of tuning forks with multiple frequencies are used. With their help, it is possible to determine both the bone and air sound conduction of a person's ear. Very often the method of audiometry is used, which allows the most accurate measurement of a person's hearing.
With the help of an audiometer - an electroacoustic device that emits sounds of varying intensity, the doctor is able to build an audiogram, which is important in the diagnosis of hearing loss due to its informative nature.
In addition, the doctor must rely not only on the test results, but also on the results of external examination. With the help of it, it is possible to determine some of the causes of hearing loss, for example, the presence of sulfur plug, tumor, trauma or pathology, which in many cases is reversible.
Read also the symptoms of Meniere's disease.
Depending on the type and degree of deafness, this or that scheme of treatment is prescribed.
In many cases, hearing loss develops under the influence of a disease, for example, acute, chronic or external otitis media. For this reason, the use of traditional methods of treatment is quite appropriate. To date, there are many recipes that can heal deafness. The most commonly used tincture of propolis and olive oil. It is necessary to mix these ingredients in a proportion of one to four. The resulting mixture is thoroughly mixed, and then with cotton wool or a piece of bandage is laid in the ear for a day. The procedure can be repeated every other day, if it did not immediately produce tangible results.
If the hearing loss is caused by a sulfur plug, then onion tincture can be used to relieve the condition. In the core of a fresh bulb you need to put the seeds of dill, and bake the bulb in the oven. It will be ready when it becomes soft and will turn brown. The baked bulb must be wrung out, and the resulting solution drips into the ears three times a day for five to eight drops.
Quite successfully it is possible to cure hearing loss due to tincture on pine nuts. This recipe is suitable for those who suffer from chronic hearing loss. The tincture is made on vodka in the proportion of one to one, that is, one glass of nuts and one glass of vodka.
The mixture should be infused for about a month, but for immediate treatment it is better to buy a ready tincture or choose another prescription for treatment. The received tincture to take inside ten drops once a day.
Well helps in the treatment of deafness of viburnum with honey. It is necessary to squeeze out the juice of ten berries of viburnum and mix it with honey. The mixture is impregnated with cotton swabs, which are inserted into the ears at night. The procedure can be carried out ten times on average.
The main method of prophylaxis of hearing loss is regular examination in an ENT doctor. It is very important not to engage in self-medication and not to start diseases that can cause hearing loss.
If a person's work is associated with constant noise, then an adequate continuous use of personal protective equipment that will avoid acoustic injuries. In addition, it is worth while in everyday life to beware of noise, which implies the refusal to visit concerts, where the volume of music is uncomfortable.
To prevent infectious diseases, a person should adhere to a healthy lifestyle with a refusal to smoke and drink alcohol.
The hearing loss can develop against the background of taking certain medications, against the background of the transferred diseases with complications, as well as as a result of pathologies and noise effects.
Lately, hearing loss has become a problem not only for the elderly, but also for young people due to the increase in noise pollution, which is especially noticeable in large cities.
Symptoms of hearing loss
The following types of hearing loss are identified depending on the causes of the lesion:
- is conductive.
- sensorineural.
- mixed hearing loss.
- sudden deafness.
2) Sensorineural hearing loss develops due to the death of hair cells in the cochlea, which are responsible for the perception of sounds. To the death of hair cells leads a number of diseases of a viral and bacterial nature, as well as autoimmune and allergic diseases. Sensorineural hearing loss may also cause some medications. In addition, this type of hearing loss often occurs as a result of injuries, including acoustic injuries. Often, the death of hair cells, which leads to hearing loss, is a process that is irreversible.
Mixed hearing loss combines conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.
In rare cases, a person may develop sudden deafness. The causes of this condition can be the effects of viruses, trauma, tumors, various diseases and circulatory disorders. Most often, sudden deafness disappears after a while, self-healing occurs, but for some victims this condition can be irreversible.
In addition, hearing loss can be acute, which develops rapidly in a few hours or days, or chronic, which is characterized by a gradual decrease in hearing.
Bradyaconality 1, 2, 3 degrees - symptoms
Normally, a person can distinguish sounds ranging from 10-30 dB and further, that is, a person hears whispers at a distance of several meters, is able to distinguish between the rustle of leaves and the ticking of clocks. But with a deafness the threshold, after which a person begins to hear sounds, increases.
So, hearing loss can be:
- is light, at which the threshold of hearing is above 50dB;
- average, at which the threshold of audibility is higher than 50-60 dB;
- heavy, at which the threshold of audibility is above 70 dB;
Diagnosis of hearing loss
In the diagnosis of hearing loss, a large role is assigned to identifying the causes of development of hearing loss and determining the possibility of reversing the process in order to fully restore hearing. Otolaryngologists, audiologists and hearing therapists are specialists in the field of hearing loss and related diseases.
To assess the extent of hearing loss and to diagnose hearing loss, sets of tuning forks with multiple frequencies are used. With their help, it is possible to determine both the bone and air sound conduction of a person's ear. Very often the method of audiometry is used, which allows the most accurate measurement of a person's hearing.
With the help of an audiometer - an electroacoustic device that emits sounds of varying intensity, the doctor is able to build an audiogram, which is important in the diagnosis of hearing loss due to its informative nature.
In addition, the doctor must rely not only on the test results, but also on the results of external examination. With the help of it, it is possible to determine some of the causes of hearing loss, for example, the presence of sulfur plug, tumor, trauma or pathology, which in many cases is reversible.
Read also the symptoms of Meniere's disease.
Treatment of hearing loss
Depending on the type and degree of deafness, this or that scheme of treatment is prescribed.
- The conductive hearing loss of can often be cured, especially if it results from an injury or illness. To date, the possibilities of surgical treatment and prosthetics allow you to replace auditory ossicles, successfully get rid of the consequences of injuries, and also remove tumors and pathologies. Drug therapy also in most cases has a beneficial effect with conductive hearing loss.
- Treatment of with sensorineural hearing loss is more difficult, since the death of hair cells is an irreversible process. At the initial stages of the disease, drug therapy is used in combination with physiotherapy and electrostimulation, which allows to stop further cell death. Heavy forms of sensorineural hearing loss do not respond to treatment, so the only way to find hearing is hearing care.
- Mixed type Hearing Aids are treated depending on the causes, symptoms and severity of the condition. In a number of cases, it is possible to keep the hearing or reverse the process of hearing loss.
Treatment of hearing loss by folk methods
In many cases, hearing loss develops under the influence of a disease, for example, acute, chronic or external otitis media. For this reason, the use of traditional methods of treatment is quite appropriate. To date, there are many recipes that can heal deafness. The most commonly used tincture of propolis and olive oil. It is necessary to mix these ingredients in a proportion of one to four. The resulting mixture is thoroughly mixed, and then with cotton wool or a piece of bandage is laid in the ear for a day. The procedure can be repeated every other day, if it did not immediately produce tangible results.
If the hearing loss is caused by a sulfur plug, then onion tincture can be used to relieve the condition. In the core of a fresh bulb you need to put the seeds of dill, and bake the bulb in the oven. It will be ready when it becomes soft and will turn brown. The baked bulb must be wrung out, and the resulting solution drips into the ears three times a day for five to eight drops.
Quite successfully it is possible to cure hearing loss due to tincture on pine nuts. This recipe is suitable for those who suffer from chronic hearing loss. The tincture is made on vodka in the proportion of one to one, that is, one glass of nuts and one glass of vodka.
The mixture should be infused for about a month, but for immediate treatment it is better to buy a ready tincture or choose another prescription for treatment. The received tincture to take inside ten drops once a day.
Well helps in the treatment of deafness of viburnum with honey. It is necessary to squeeze out the juice of ten berries of viburnum and mix it with honey. The mixture is impregnated with cotton swabs, which are inserted into the ears at night. The procedure can be carried out ten times on average.
Prevention
The main method of prophylaxis of hearing loss is regular examination in an ENT doctor. It is very important not to engage in self-medication and not to start diseases that can cause hearing loss.
If a person's work is associated with constant noise, then an adequate continuous use of personal protective equipment that will avoid acoustic injuries. In addition, it is worth while in everyday life to beware of noise, which implies the refusal to visit concerts, where the volume of music is uncomfortable.
To prevent infectious diseases, a person should adhere to a healthy lifestyle with a refusal to smoke and drink alcohol.