Home : health : Hearing Loss – Types, Symptoms, Causes, And Risks
Hearing loss – Types, symptoms, causes, and risks

Hearing loss – Types, symptoms, causes, and risks

While hearing loss is usually associated with aging, partial or total hearing loss can affect people of all ages if it occurs due to inner ear or nerve damage, among other causes. In fact, two-thirds of all people with hearing loss are aged below 65 years. In most people, using a hearing aid can help treat the issue, or it can be treated with surgery. This article is a basic overview of everything you need to know about hearing loss.

Types of hearing loss
Based on the part of the ear that is damaged, hearing loss can be categorized into three types:

  • Sensorineural hearing
    The most common type of hearing loss, it makes up 90% of the total hearing loss cases. It is usually associated with causes like inner ear infections, congenital deformities, or head trauma.
  • Conductive hearing
    This type of hearing loss occurs when there’s a buildup of earwax or one has a perforated or defective eardrum, and it is treatable in most cases.
  • Mixed hearing loss
    This type of hearing loss is a combination of the first two types and is caused due to long-term ear infections that cause damage to the eardrum as well as the ossicles.

Symptoms of hearing loss
There are several symptoms associated with hearing loss, some of which are:

  • Problems with understanding words, especially in a noisy or crowded area
  • Problems with hearing consonants
  • Have to ask the other to speak slowly and more clearly
  • Have to increase the volume of television or radio

Causes of hearing loss
Before looking at the causes of hearing loss, let’s understand the process of hearing.

The ear is made up of three major parts: the outer, middle, and the inner ear. The process of hearing starts with the sound waves passing through the outer part of the ear and causing vibrations in the eardrum. Three small bones placed in the middle ear, along with the eardrum, increase these vibrations before they travel to the inner ear. Then, the vibrations travel through the cochlea, a structure found inside the inner ear.
The nerve cells in the cochlea have thousands of hair strands that convert sound vibrations into electrical signals, which are then transmitted to the brain. And the brain processes these signals and converts them into sound.

Now that we know how sounds travel in the ear, let’s look at the common factors that can cause hearing loss:

  • Damage caused due to aging and loud noise
  • A buildup of earwax
  • Ear infection
  • Abnormal growth of hair
  • Tumors
  • A ruptured eardrum

Risk factors associated with hearing loss
Several risk factors can be linked to loss of hearing, including the following:

  • Aging
    The degenerative effects of aging can damage the inner part of the ear and cause hearing loss.
  • Loud noises
    Exposure to loud noises can cause damage to the cells in the inner ear, causing mild to severe hearing loss.
  • Genetics
    If hearing loss runs in the family, it makes one more susceptible to ear damage and partial or even total hearing loss.

Top Reads

Top Tags

Popular Reads

All you need to know about kidney and liver failure
health

All you need to know about kidney and liver failure

Hepatorenal syndrome is a condition that is identified as a type of kidney failure that occurs in people who have serious damage caused to the liver, commonly due to cirrhosis. When the kidney stops functioning, toxins begin to accumulate in the body which leads to liver failure as well. Therefore, kidney and liver failures are co-dependent in this case. This condition is of two types: 1 and 2. In Type 1 the kidney failure is more rapid, while type 2 patients tend to move gradually toward renal failure and the symptoms are less aggressive. Symptoms The symptoms caused by the hepatorenal syndrome are a cause of medical emergency in most cases. If any of the symptoms associated with the condition occur, the patient must be rushed to a doctor without any delay. The common symptoms associated with the condition include Nausea Increase in body weight Confusion Reduced urination Change in the color of urine, which usually becomes dark-colored Swelling in the abdomen area Jaundice Dementia Vomiting Delirium Causes and risk factors In most cases, the hepatorenal syndrome is a complication associated with liver disease. Almost in all patients, the condition is caused as a result of liver cirrhosis. When a person suffers from cirrhosis of the liver, there are several factors that can cause the hepatorenal syndrome, such as Infections, especially the ones that affect the kidneys Digestive tract disorders such as gastrointestinal bleeding Use of diuretics, the substance used for increased production of urine The primary reason behind the condition is mostly any kind of disease related to the liver.
Read More

Menopause – Symptoms, causes, and risks

Menopause is a stage that marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycles and fertility, and it is diagnosed when a woman doesn’t menstruate for 12 consecutive months. Usually, menopause occurs in women between the ages of 40s and 50s, but in some cases, early onset may cause a woman to reach menopause in her late 30s as well. Menopause can lead to the development of several symptoms and can cause a lot of discomfort, but no medical attention is required in most cases. This article outlines what you need to know about menopause. Symptoms of menopause The time that leads up to menopause is also known as perimenopause, and it can be accompanied by various symptoms, including the following: Irregularities in the menstrual cycle Vaginal dryness Hot flashes and night sweats Cold chills Sleep-related problems Mood swings Increase in body weight Reduced metabolism Hair thinning Skin dryness Reduced breast fullness The symptoms caused by menopause, including the irregularities in the menstrual cycle, can vary from one woman to another. During perimenopause, it is common as well as expected for a woman’s menstrual cycles to be irregular or skipped. Some women do not get their cycles for several months, followed by normal cycles for a few months.
health

Symptoms, causes, and risk factors of mental health issues

Mental health is a term that is collectively used to understand illnesses that include symptoms that might have an impact on the thinking, mood, and behavior of a person. Mental health problems might make it difficult for people to concentrate on work or maintain a positive work-life balance. There might even be problems pertaining to relationships when a person is dealing with mental health problems. While mental health and stress have a complex but definite relationship, the latter can gravely be worsened by the former. What is the solution? While some people resort to counseling for mental health problems, some might turn to medication. A combination of both can also be a good and effective solution for some. Symptoms of mental health problems The symptoms of mental health illness can vary depending on the individual, the depth of the problem, and how a person is looking to cope with the problem. There can be emotional and behavioral repercussions of mental health illness, and the best way to cure is to identify it early on and support the person suffering from mental health issues as well as possible. Some of the known symptoms of mental health illnesses include: Feeling sad or low Inability to concentrate on the job or even on leisure activities like watching TV or reading the newspaper Extreme feeling of guilt Irrational fears or worries, especially about the future Mood swings Withdrawal from family, friends, and all sorts of social activities Detachment from the real world and a sense of delusion or hallucinations Inability to keep up with daily tasks or powerlessness in handling the stress of simple jobs Difficulty in understanding people and situations Excessive alcohol use Sudden change in eating habits Change in sex drive for the worse Change in temperament and sudden hostile behavior and loss of patience Suicidal thoughts Physical symptoms such as stomach ache, back pain, and headaches Causes of mental health problems Multiple causes can be associated with the occurrence of mental health illnesses.
health

Oral health issues – Causes and tips to prevent them

Although maintaining oral hygiene is important for overall health, several mouth and teeth diseases can make it difficult to have the pearly whites you desire. This makes it important to be careful about oral hygiene and make regular efforts to maintain oral health. This article discusses the symptoms and causes of mouth and teeth diseases, followed by a few tips to maintain good oral hygiene. Symptoms Several mouth and teeth problems can be caused by oral health issues. Here are some symptoms that you need to keep in mind to help prevent oral diseases: Foul breath Bleeding gums Loosening of teeth Aches in the tooth, jaw, or gum These are the most common symptoms that are often overlooked, but ignoring them can worsen the pain and aggravate mouth and teeth problems. It’s best to consult a dentist at the earliest if any of these symptoms manifest. Causes The causes of mouth and teeth problems may vary from person to person, but let’s look at the most common causes: Smoking Smoking causes several health issues, and mouth and teeth problems are just one among those. It harms the tissues of the gums and the nicotine also stains the teeth. Poor dental history in the family If your family has a poor dental record, you should take extra precautions to maintain oral health as you face a greater risk of developing mouth and teeth problems.
health

Major symptoms and causes of Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease is a common disease that affects the nervous system. The movements of a person suffering from Parkinson’s disease would gradually start slowing down. Patients even start experiencing tremors in one of their hands. According to studies, about 60,000 Americans are known to be suffering from Parkinson’s disease. To understand more about this disease, let us understand its symptoms, causes, and risk factors. Symptoms The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease may differ from person to person. It is very hard to tell since, in the early stages of the disease, these signs are mild and often go unnoticed. But here are some of the common symptoms that you should be paying attention to: Stiffness of the muscles This is something that could happen in any part of the body. As a result of the muscles getting rigid, the person finds it tougher to be flexible. This is a common sign that occurs mainly due to old age, but it could also be a sign of Parkinson’s disease. Slowing down of movements Another sign of Parkinson’s disease is that the speed of movements starts slowing down. This could occur in any part of the body. Over time, a person starts taking shorter steps than they previously did.
health