Root Causes of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is a condition whereby individuals are unable to perceive sound frequencies either fully or partially, when other members of the species can. Sound which is perceived by the ears is therefore unable to be used by the nerves and tracts that pass the messages to the auditory part of the brain. Sound will reach the ear as waves that cause vibrations, before they are sent to the brain so that they become meaningful sounds that we can understand.

The most common sign of this problem are inability to hear and understands, and experiencing pain in the ear or a continuous ringing in them. The easiest way to test for hearing abilities is through the response. A person with hearing problems will not react to any information given or may take time to do so. This is done by a tool called a behavioral audiogram.

Different people suffer from different levels of this problem. Even in the normal hearing, some people may perceive a certain sound as loud and others as quiet. Hearing impairment is therefore measured by the lack of audibility for normal sounds that are audible to others. It can also be measured by how much the volume needs to be increased so that a listener can detect it. Usually it is above the usual level.

Loss in hearing can also be described in terms of the clarity of sound. This means that if the person is able to interpret sound and understand it. The tests conducted are in speech perception rather than speech detection.

There are several causes of hearing loss. One of the major ones is blockage of the ear canal. This might be due to wax in the ear. If there is over production of wax, then it might block the ear canal. This condition is normally treated by an ear specialist who flushes the ear with water or uses special instruments to take out the wax. The other reason might be that there is a foreign body in the canal. There are people who have known to be attacked by insects in the ear canal. An insect like a cockroach can enter your ear while you are sleeping.

There are also diseases that contribute to hearing loss. Acoustic neuroma is also a condition where the ear develops a tumor. It mainly detected by reduction in hearing ability.

Otosclerosis is an infection of the ear whereby the three tiny bones are interfered with. It therefore affects the middle ear. This type will normally be treated through surgery.

Prolonged noise exposure is another major reason for loss in hearing. This is because the noise damages hair cells in the cochlea. It is hard to tell when you are getting this kind of problem because it is painless and gradual. If one happens also to be exposed to a very loud sound like an explosion, then he may also lose his hearing.