What is Hearing Loss?
Sound waves collected by the ear canal come to the eardrum from the ear canal and vibrate the eardrum. The vibrations of the membrane are amplified by the ear ossicles and transmitted to the oval window. Sound vibrations in the oval window pass into the fluid in the cochlea. Sound vibrations are transferred from the fluid in the cochlea to the auditory sensory cells and then to the nerves. The sound received by the nerves is transmitted to the brain and hearing is achieved. A perfect human ear hears sounds between 20-20,000 Hz. The human voice is approximately between 500-3000 Hz.
Types of Hearing Loss
Hearing is measured in decibels (dB). Hearing levels between 0-20 dB are considered normal. The percentage expression of hearing loss in decibels is approximately as follows:
* 20-25 dB – 0%
* 30 – dB – 8%
* 35 – dB –
* 45 – dB – 30%
* 55 – dB – 45%
* 65 – dB – 60%
* 75 – dB – 75%
* 85 – dB – 90%
While the outer and middle ear structures transmit sound, the inner ear structures detect sound. While conductive hearing loss occurs in outer and middle ear diseases, nerve type (sensory-neural) hearing loss occurs in inner ear diseases. If the middle and inner ear are affected together, it causes mixed hearing loss.
Conduction Type Loss: It occurs due to factors obstructing the external auditory canal, perforation of the membrane, middle ear infections and diseases of the middle ear ossicles. These are usually recoverable losses.
Sensori Noral Type Loss: It occurs as a result of impaired inner ear blood circulation, increased fluid pressure, or impaired nerve conduction. The most common cause is the deterioration of nerve endings due to aging. Although it is an irreversible loss, it rarely results in deafness.
Hearing Loss in One Ear
Patients with hearing loss in one ear cannot perceive the direction of sound. It becomes difficult to understand sounds and conversations coming from the affected ear, especially in noisy environments. If the loss is conductive type, a good hearing balance is usually achieved with surgery. In cases of nerve-type loss, this balance can be achieved with hearing aids.
Treatment
First of all, with a complete ear, nose and throat examination and hearing test, the cause and type of loss should be revealed and treatment should be planned.
The treatment option may be curative, preventive, adaptive, medical, surgical, or a combination of these. In hearing rehabilitation, lip reading, hearing training, positioning equalization, and hearing aid training can be performed. The method to be chosen is determined by the patient.
Hearing Aids
These are devices that pick up the sound in the environment, amplify it and transfer it to the ear. They are divided into two groups: those used mainly at ear level and those attached to the body. Devices at the ear level are of two types: bone conduction devices and air conduction devices, and air conduction devices are used in three different types: behind the ear, in the ear or in the ear canal. Body-worn devices generally have the ability to increase sound intensity and are preferred in cases of severe hearing loss.
There are devices that are applied to both ears simultaneously. The main advantages of using devices in both ears compared to using them in one ear:
* Provide balanced hearing in which the sound is heard at the same intensity in both ears,
* Enables the perception of the direction of sound,
* Increasing the ability to understand sounds in a noisy environment,
* It is the capacity to increase the intensity of the sound further.
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The information on this page varies from person to person.
Kenan Selçuk TUNCAY
Otolaryngologist