Posted by Melissa Somarriba on Fri, Jun 25, 2010 @ 12:35 PM
Hearing loss is a common problem amoung older individuals. Approximately 25% to 40% of adults older than 65 years have some degree of hearing loss, and it is estimated that 40% to 66% of people 75 years or older have hearing loss. Hearing loss is the third most common chronic health condition among older Americans after high blood pressure and arthritis. The July 4, 2007 issue of JAMA includes an article about hearing loss caused by a particular kind of tumor. This patient page is based on one previously published in the April 16, 2003, issue of JAMA.
Types of Hearing Loss:
There are two major forms of hearing loss: conductive and sensorineural. A clinical examination by an otolaryngologist (a doctor specializng in the ear, nose and throat) and a hearing test by an audiologist (an expert in hearing testing and hearing aids) can determine the type of hearing loss.
Conductive hearing loss is usually due to abnormalities in the middle or external ear such as a punctured eardrum, presence of fluid in the middle ear, or accumulation of cerumen (ear wax) in the external ear canal.
Sensorineural hearing loss is usually caused by damage to the tiny hair hair cells inside the inner ear that are crucial for picking up sound vibrations and translating them into nerve impulses. These impulses are relayed to the brain, which interprets them as sound. Sensorineural hearing loss accounts for about 90% of hearing loss in adults. Patients with sensorineural hearing loss often have a hard time filtering out background noises and so may have difficulty following conversations. Other symptoms include tinnitus (ringing in the ear). Limiting exposure to loud noise can minimize hearing loss related to aging. Ear protection, such as ear plugs, should be worn to dampen sound if loud noise is unavoidable. sensorineural hearing loss that occurs with aging (presbycusis) or that occurs from noise damage usually ocurs in both ears and is gradual.
If the pattern of sensorineural hearing loss is not typical, a magnetic response imaging (MRI) study may be performed to determine if a tumor or other disease requiring specific treatment is causing the hearing loss. Otherwise, treatment may involve the use of sound amplification devices like hearing aids. In cases of severe sensorineural hearing loss, a surgical procedure called cochlear implantation may be suggested. This procedure allows sound vibrations to bypass the hair cells and directly stimulate the nerve that transports sound signals to the brain.
Sources: Natoinal Instituite on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, American Academy of Audiology, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Sharon Parmet, MS, Writer
Cassio Lynm, MA, Illustrator
Richard M. Glass, MD, Editor
JAMA, July 4, 2007 - Vol 298, No.1
Posted by Melissa Somarriba on Mon, Jun 14, 2010 @ 08:55 AM
The consequences of an untreated hearing loss are real. Since we collect sound with our ears and process the sound in our brain, over time and without hearing assistance, we can lose the ability to understand the spoken word. This document process is called "auditory deprivation."
According to Teri James Bellis, PhD, in her landmark book Auditory Processing Disorder, When the Brain Can't Hear, "As sound travels through an imperfect auditory pathway, words spoken to the afflicted listener may become jumbled, distorting original meaning and rendering unintelligible."
When you think about a conversation with all the sounds, the inflections and tempo changes, it makes communication extremely complicated. When hearing loss has been present and untreated, the ability to follow the conversation can become extremely difficult.
Without receiving the appropriate stimuli, the brain stops processing sounds like background noise and can no longer filter speech clearly. You may answer a question incorrectly, withdraw, smile and pretend you understood the conversation. This can be particularly troublesome when you are visiting the doctor, and important information is being relayed. In some cases, people have been "misdiagnosed" with Alzheimer's disease because they were unable to follow the conversation.
According to world renowned Otolaryngologist, Dr. John Shea Jr., of the famed Shea Ear Clinic, "If a person is hard of hearing they don't get amplification, they are not hearing and lose the ability to understand." Once familiar sounds, slowly fade like the hum of a refrigerator and become unrecognizable noise, competing with spoken words.
Dr. Shea went on to say, "When presented with amplification, or hearing aids, speech understanding becomes clearer. However, it is a continual process of improvement. Stimulating the brain with sound may help to overcome the auditory deprivation process, and getting help early is critical to a long term success."
Now, the goal is to do every thing we can to maintain the speech recognition you have. You need to wear the best hearing aids you can afford, full time in both ears to hear correctly. Hearing aids solve the problems people have with communication, and they help to preserve and protect the brain's ability to recognize speech.
Hearing loss ranks number three behind hypertension and arthiritis. Often called the invisible disability, hearing loss happens slowly over time and may go unnoticed for years. According to an article in Post Graduate Medicine, by Dr.'s Shohet and Bent, "Loss of hearing is a national health problem with significant physical and psychological repercussions. Although there is no cure for certain forms of hearing loss, many patients can be helped, especially when the problem is recognized early."
Wearing amplification (hearing aids) has been shown to help preserve the remaining hearing and speech clarity. If you think you may have hearing loss, the most important first step is to have your hearing tested. Your results will identify which frequencies or pitches you do or do not hear. And, if you do have a hearing loss, getting help has never been easier and with today's advanced technology - you will get clear, crisp, more natural sound.
By: Susan Good-Smith, Au.D.
