Hearing problems
Learn more about the most common hearing problems
Hearing is one of the 5 senses of the human being, through it we perceive the world around us.
Sometimes we are born with them, sometimes we acquire them during our life, learn more about:
Hearing Diseases
Now let's know a little more about them, their names, characteristics, how to avoid them and possible corrections.
Every day we go through various sound experiences, your alarm clock ringing, the noise of traffic, the phone calling, the computer keyboard, your co-workers, the children when they arrive from school, these and all other situations that are experienced daily they are picked up by the ears, translated into electrical impulses and sent by the nerves to our brain.
When there is difficulty listening to television, listening to someone on the phone or talking to a group of colleagues, there is a possibility that you are suffering from hearing loss.
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OTITIS
Otitis is an infection located in the middle ear, which is the space with air and which is located behind the eardrum. It is usually caused by viruses or bacteria that lodge in the ear and start inflammation.
It can affect one or both ears, the infection is usually painful because of the inflammation and the accumulation of secretion.
Children and young people are the most affected due to lower immunity and the still incomplete positioning of anatomical structures related to hearing. However, anyone can present this disease.
It usually causes pain, of mild onset, which gets worse with infection, redness, swelling and difficulty in hearing.
Although otitis is easily treated, it can become chronic and lead to hearing loss. In extreme cases, surgery that drains the fluid and considerably improves the patient's hearing is recommended.
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MENE'S DISEASE
It is related to a failure in the lymphatic system, therefore, in the mechanism that regulates the production, circulation and / or absorption of liquid from the inner ear, preventing drainage from occurring correctly. Thus, it can cause infections and allergies that damage the organ.
Symptoms are hearing loss, pressure, swelling and tinnitus. If left untreated, the condition even affects the patient's balance, leading to complaints of dizziness and nausea.
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OTOSCLEROSIS
It is a disease that causes the resorption and abnormal growth of bone tissue, this prevents the movement of the hearing ossicles and interferes in the conduction of this sound to the inner ear. Thus, by preventing the structures from functioning properly, there is interference in the ability to hear.
Although it is a hereditary disease, there are reports of cases of patients who do not have a family history of otosclerosis. Depending on the case, treatment may be surgical or with a hearing aid.
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TINNITUS
Tinnitus is nothing more than a persistent tinnitus that has nothing to do with psychic changes. It can be in the head, in one or both ears. Tinnitus can be temporary, as in cases where the person is exposed to loud sound for a long time, as in a show. In such cases, the individual hears the tinnitus for a few hours and then it passes. In the chronicle, it is as if the patient hears a bell, horn, whistle, etc. for 24 hours a day, which creates a great inconvenience. The primary and most common cause of this disease is hearing loss, but it can also be caused by other factors, such as drugs, other comorbidities, stress and head injuries. Side effects of tinnitus include stress, fatigue and depression.
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OTOTOXITY
Several medications contain substances that are toxic to the ears, causing damage to them. The effects can be temporary or permanent, reversible or irreversible.
Below are some examples of drugs with this consequence:
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Aminoglycoside antibiotics,
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Diuretics,
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Arsenic,
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Alcohol,
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Tobacco,
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Lead,
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Carbon monoxide,
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Mercury,
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Aspirin,
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Quinine,
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Nitrogen mustard,
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Canomycin,
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Vancomycin,
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Animal,
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Gentamicin,
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Neomycin
Symptoms can be vertigo, tinnitus and hearing loss. Therefore, the doctor assesses the risk and benefit of using the drug for each patient's condition.
It is worth remembering that the dose, duration of treatment, infusion rate, genetic susceptibility and other factors influence the ototoxicity of a medication.
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ACOUSTIC NEUROMA
Although it is considered a tumor, the acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma) is not malignant, in addition to being relatively rare. Its origin is in the vestibular nerve, also known as the balance nerve, located in the inner ear.
Symptoms vary between persistent tinnitus (tinnitus), dizziness and dizziness, headaches and double vision. As the tumor grows, there are also problems with motor coordination and even hearing loss. The treatment is done with surgical removal of the tumor and if the hearing loss remains as a sequel, the treatment will be with the hearing aid.
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OTHERS
Some diseases that are not directly related to the ears can also cause hearing loss, many times, the patient does not even imagine that the illness he has is the cause of hearing problems, among them we find mainly:
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
The inner ear is very sensitive to the flow of blood vessels. Therefore, any change related to the cardiovascular system affects hearing health, since trauma can occur in the small vessels in this area, causing damage to the organ.
HYPERTENSION
Hypertension is characterized by increased blood pressure within the vessels. Thus, the whole body suffers from the impact caused by the flow of blood on the wall of veins, arteries and capillaries, including those of the inner ear, and thus leading to gradual hearing loss.
DIABETES
Diabetes is a disease that results in high blood glucose levels. This condition, like hypertension, damages blood vessels, damaging the body as a whole, including the inner ear, leading to hearing problems.
OSTEOPOROSIS
Osteoporosis is the demineralization of bones that makes them more fragile and affects their functions. The middle ear contains 3 small bones that receive vibrations from the eardrum and send them to the inner ear which, through the auditory nerve, carries sound information to the brain. In this way, changes in these bones also impair hearing.
Hearing diseases directly affect health and quality of life. In addition to them, there are others that are not directly connected to the ears, but that also cause hearing problems, which is why seeking assistance from a speech therapist in the first signs is essential for the successful treatment of hearing loss.