Hearing Loss

Hearing loss can occur in one or both ears and results in deafness. Hearing loss does not have to be total because often a person can hear if you speak louder than normal. Sometimes it may be hard to detect in children, who just don’t seem to pay attention when you speak to them. If, however, they are not startled by loud noises, then their hearing should definitely be checked out. In older people, not being able to hear as well as they could often results in feelings of isolation and loneliness.

There are different kinds of hearing loss – conductive deafness and sensorineural deafness. While most people suffer from one kind or the other, some people do suffer from both.

Conductive Deafness

Hearing loss categorized as conductive deafness can be temporary or permanent. It results from interference to the sound waves that reach either the outer or middle ear. The most common cause if this type of hearing loss is a build up of ear wax and once the patient has his/her ears syringed, normal hearing resumes. An infection in the middle ear can also cause conductive deafness and recurring infections almost always lead to having tubes placed in the ears to prevent infection. You can also experience conductive deafness when you are flying in an airplane because of the pressure changes.

Semineural Deafness

Semineural deafness results from damage to the nerves in the inner ear or even the brain. The nerve impulses cannot send the appropriate messages to the brain. The most common cause of this type of hearing loss is childhood diseases, such as chicken pox, and measles. However, it can also be caused by Meniere’s Disease, meningitis or mononucleosis. Sometimes children are born with this form of deafness, if the mother contracted German measles while she was pregnant.

Some forms of this deafness can be treated with surgery, while others require the use of a hearing aid. The hearing aids only amplify the sound making it possible for people to hear and do not treat the hearing loss itself.