Hearing loss: Major Causes & Types
Hearing loss or hearing impairment generally stands for partial or total inability of hearing sounds. This is a very common problem found in people of any age. It can be caused by many reasons. However, hearing loss can be treated by the proper hearing test in Bulleen. In this blog, we are going to share with you the major causes & types of hearing loss. Let’s start the discussion below.
What are the causes of hearing loss?
According to the research, hearing loss is caused by many reasons. Generally, it depends upon age. Some, major causes of hearing loss include:
- Diabetes
- Chicken pox
- Mumps
- Cytomegalovirus
- Sickle cell disease
- Meningitis
- Lyme disease
- Syphilis
- Arthritis
- Cancers
- Hypothyroidism
Research shows most of the diabetic patients generally have hearing loss problems. Nowadays, this is a very common problem. People at any age can suffer from hearing loss.
Types of hearing loss
According to medical studies & research, hearing loss is classified into 4 different types. They are conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, mixed hearing loss & auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder. Let’s take a closer look at these types.
Conductive hearing loss:
This is a common type of hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss means the vibration is passing improperly from the outer to inner ear or cochlea. The reasons behind conductive hearing loss are:
- Presence of excessive earwax
- Defective eardrum
- Ossicles malfunction
- Perforated eardrum
- Ear inflammation
- Fluid buildup
Ear infections generally leave the scar tissues. These tissues mainly decrease the eardrum function. However, conductive hearing loss can be treated by surgery & medicine.
Sensorineural hearing loss:
Sensorineural hearing loss is generally caused by inner ear dysfunctionality, brain, & auditory nerve damage. Damaged hair cells in cochlea are also responsible for this hearing loss. Apart from that, high-frequency sounds and loud noises can damage the hair cells. Some medical studies also show that sensorineural hearing loss is also caused by inner ear infections, congenital deformities & head trauma.
Mixed Hearing Loss
Mixed Hearing Loss is a combination of sensorineural hearing loss and conductive hearing loss. Basically, long term & frequent ear infections damage the ossicles & the eardrum. The causes of this hearing loss mainly include both sensorineural & conductive hearing loss. Though many surgeries and medicines are available, sometimes they are not effective.
Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder
Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder or ANSD is a common hearing loss which generally occurs when the inner ear normally receives the sounds but due to the damaged nerve, the brain can’t perfectly catch the sounds. Premature birth, Hyperbilirubinemia, & Neurological disorders are the main causes of this loss.
Early diagnosis & medical treatment can help to fix this problem. If you are suffering from hearing loss, don’t hesitate to consult with your nearest clinic in Bulleen. The specialist will definitely suggest you the right medicine & hearing treatment.