Hearing Loss

Hearing Loss Treatment & Diagnostics in Sadashiv Peth, Pune

Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is a condition when you start losing your hearing. Generally, it is a common condition as you age and occurs between the ages of 65-75. Although you may not completely lose your hearing, you will see a slight decline. Hearing loss can be categorized into three segments;

• Conductive – It involves outer and middle ear
• Sensorineural – It involves the inner ear
• Mixed – It is the combination of conductive and sensorineural

Most people experience hearing loss because of aging or because of exposure to loud noises. Excess earwax can also cause hearing loss temporarily. Hearing loss isn’t a reversible condition. But there are steps you can take to improve the condition.

Symptoms

• Clumsiness in speech or other sounds
• Unable to understand words, mainly if there is background noise or you are in the crowd.
• Difficulty in understanding constants
• You end up asking other people to talk slowly, clearly, or even loudly
• The volume of television or radio is always high
• You tend to withdraw from conversations as you find it difficult to understand and hence you also tend to avoid any social gathering
• Sudden loss of hearing in one ear. If you experience this symptom, it is important to contact your doctor immediately.

Request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Pune

Call 1860-500-2244 to book an appointment

Causes

Our ear is made of three areas and they are the inner ear, outer ear, and middle ear. The sound waves that travel through the outer ear first lead to vibrations in the eardrums present in the middle ear and then the amplified vibrations travel to the inner ear. In the inner ear, there are nerve cells attached to a plethora of tiny hair, which translates these vibrations into an electrical signal and is transmitted to the brain. Hearing loss can occur when;

• There is damage to the inner ear
• The buildup of excessive earwax
• Ear infections
• Ruptured eardrum

Diagnosis

To help identify if there is any hearing loss, your doctor may;

Conduct a physical exam: Here, your doctor will take a look inside the ear to see if you might be experiencing hearing loss due to excess earwax or any abnormal growth or infection.

Screening tests: A whisper test may be conducted to check your level of hearing where you close one ear and see how well you hear the words that are being spoken. Other app-based tests might also be conducted, where medical mobile apps are made use of.

Treatment If you have hearing loss, the below-mentioned treatment methods might be recommended.

Removal of wax: If your hearing loss is because of excess wax then your doctor will clear the earwax blockage that is interfering with your hearing. This is done using a small tool in the doctor’s office. If the earwax has hardened, your doctor might prescribe eardrops for a few days, post which the wax removal will take place. Surgical procedure: When there are abnormalities of the eardrum or the bones, it can generally be treated with a surgical procedure.

Hearing aid: If you are experiencing hearing loss because of damage in the inner ear, your doctor might prescribe a hearing aid to help with your hearing.

Cochlear implants: If the hearing loss is severe, then you might benefit from cochlear implants, which bypass the non-working sections of the ear to help improve your hearing.

Home Remedies

There are no home remedies when it comes to hearing loss. However, practicing a few things can make it easier for you. They are;

• Tell your friends and family about your condition so that they know they need to be a little louder and clearer
• Face the person you are talking to as it makes it easier to hear
• While conversing, turn off any background noise that can interfere with your hearing