Hearing Aids

Hearing problems can generally be countered with the help of the right kind of hearing aids. These include many kinds of digital devices that are popular among people these days, which can be mounted behind your ears (BTE), put inside the ears (ITE), fitted inside your canals (CIC), or the two part receiver in the ear (RITE) and the receiver in canal(RIC) machines. All of these devices come with the functionality with which you can alter the amount of amplification for different frequencies of sound. Thus allowing you to adjust and tinker with the sound until you have absolute clarity. Attached along with it is also a sound regulate to assist in simpler tweaking wherever necessary.

In some cases however, the ear is too far damaged for these kinds of hearing aids to be of much use. The problem may be caused because of a highly degraded inner ear where the cochlear hair may have lost its ability to convert sound vibrations into electrical impulses by a suitable degree, or due to bone damage or a problem with your ear canal that obstructs the conductive hearing.

To counter these problems you can make use of one of the several hi-tech implants that are readily available in the market these days. These are precision devices which counter the problems at their root cause. To begin with we have the bone anchored hearing aids, more commonly known as BAHA which are used to bypass the outer and middle ear when they do not pass on the sounds suitably well. Such a device is anchored to your head close behind the ear from where it reads the sound with the help of a sound processor subsequently passing it onwards to the titanium implant to stimulate the nerve fibres suitably. These devices provide high clarity high quality hearing.

To counter high level cochlear hair problem, the highly prolific cochlear implants are in use these days.  These include a battery powered sound processor which initially converts the vibrations into a digital code that is subsequently converted into electrical impulses by the ear thus leading to enhanced hearing. It makes up wherever the hair in your ear is unable to create sufficient amount of signals to be read by the brain.

As compared to these a relatively new variety of hearing implants referred to as the electro-acoustic hearing implants. These are a mixture of the aforementioned cochlear implants and your usual hearing aids. Especially employed when the sufferer only has the problem of reduced impulse conversion for sounds high frequencies. The hearing aid part of the implant simply amplifies the sounds of the low frequencies while the other part suitably boosts the creation of the impulses of the sounds of higher frequencies.

Whatever be the nature of your hearing problems, chances are that a very viable solution is waiting for you. One visit to the doctor should be enough to figure out the exact problem and its associated solution. No point waiting then folks, restore your hearing to levels you are used to at the earliest.

With the wide advent of an increase in the number of cases of hearing loss, technology and research has also jumped forward by leaps and bounds. Here is a brief look at the numerous hearing aids and implants that are prevalent in the market today to help you restore your hearing.

To start with came the analog hearing aids which simply amplified the sounds as they fell upon your ear. These have one obvious limitation, that it increases the level of intensity of all the sounds equally. To make you a little more aware of how these things work, as a person’s hearing recedes more in some frequencies than others, thus an equal increase does not fulfil the purpose as it amplifies some sounds that do not require amplification, thus causing discomfort of some sort.

In an attempt to tackle this problem the digital hearing aids came into existence. These have the unique functionality of a selective increase in the amount of amplification of selective frequencies.  This device divides the different frequencies of sounds into different bands or channels which can be tuned and tinkered with, to ensure the greatest clarity possible. These devices have largely replaced the analog ones due to the superior results they offer.

All of these hearing aids also come with a volume regulator which can be used to increase or decrease the volume of the sound as per requirement.

Many different hearing aids are available in the market today. The most common one of these is the Behind the ear device.  In this kind of hearing aid the sound is sent to the inner part of the ear by making use of a thin plastic tube that runs from the main housing behind your ear. These machines are the most powerful amplifiers of sound as compared to all of their other cousins.

In addition to these, widely popular are the more easily disguisable in the ear hearing aids. Though these do not amplify these sounds to the same level as the other behind the ear hearing aids, they have the added advantage of being easy to camouflage. Similar to these are in the canal hearing aids that are all the more fulfilling in this regard because these easily fit into your canal and sufficiently amplify the sounds.

Apart from these two highly successful types of hearing aids are receiver in canal (RIC) and the receiver in the ear (RITE) machines. In both of these the external housing is separated from the receiver and both the parts are connected with the help of a wire. The sound transmission and amplification in these devices is extensive, moreover due to this separation of the two fundamental parts the size of these aids is sufficiently reduced. You get almost the same nature of sound amplification as obtained with the help of behind the ear devices and without the encumbrance of the large size.

Now that you know, go out and pick up the appropriate hearing aid that suit your needs.

HOW NOISE CAUSES HEARING LOSS

We hear sounds everyday, sounds like those of traffic, television, radio and other surroundings.  Usually we hear these sounds at very controlled volumes so that it’s comfortable for our ears to receive it. But when the sound is too loud or a loud sound is played for too long, sensitive parts of our ear are exposed to these sounds, which damages them, thus causing Noise-induced Hearing Loss (NIHL), one of the more common types of hearing loss found in the modern world.

These harmful sounds, which are called noises, harm hair cells present in our ears. Hair cells are responsible for converting sound energy to electrical energy, which is then sent to the brain. These hair cells are very sensitive and once damaged cannot grow back again.

The cause can be exposure to either a very impulsive loud sound such as an explosion, which has a hard-hitting effect, or continuous exposure to loud sounds over a period of time, such as noise generated in mining and woodworking areas. To understand the nature of the sounds, which cause NIHL, we need to understand the nature of sound. Sound is measured in decibels. The noise from a refrigerator is 45 decibels, an average conversation is 60 decibels and heavy traffic noise can go up-to 90 decibels. According to a study, sound of more than 75 decibels can cause NIHL. Sounds such as that of a firecracker, motorcycles or small firearms, which come in the range of 120-150 decibels, are known to cause NIHL. Sound’s which are less than 75 decibels, even after a long exposure do not hold a threat.

Exposure to such sounds not only causes damage to the hair cells but also damages auditory organs of the ear. The subtlest effect of NIHL is the occurrence of tinnitus-a ringing, buzzing or roaring in the ears- which might become severe with time. And this may occur in one or both ears together.

Another side effect of NIHL is temporary occurrence of hearing loss. If a person regains hearing after a certain time, it is called the temporary threshold shift, which in most cases disappears within12-38 hours of occurrence.

The symptoms are not very clear and one has to observe with time as they increase gradually. With time the person starts hearing distorted and muffled sounds and might find it hard to interpret speech. In some cases the affected might not even realize. The best method is to conduct a hearing test

As this is a hearing loss disorder there is no specific age of the affected people.  Sports and recreational activities such as shooting, hunting, woodworking or other activities such as standing too close to speakers in a concert or performing in a live band might also cause Noise induced hearing loss.

NIHL’s prevention and cure are sorely dependent upon how careful an individual is. People should enthrall good hearing habits in their everyday life o as to have a healthy life.  Some of the precautions that can be taken are

• One should know which noises cause it
• One should be alert to such noises
• One should wear earplugs and other safety equipment while visiting areas with higher noise exposure risks
• Spread the awareness, inform others

Get equipped to counter hearing loss

Hearing loss is a common ailment, and it affects almost 50 % of the people as they get older. Most of the conditions that are acquired with age are a result of damage to the hair in the inner ear and are categorised as Sensorinueral hearing loss. These kinds of ailments cannot be corrected surgically or with medications. Even common digital hearing aids can only have mediocre effects as they’d just amplify the sound and wouldn’t increase the degree of impulses transferred to the brain.  Just like this particular ailment, hearing loss can also be suffered as a result of damage to ear canal, ear drum or the bones in the middle ear.  the point to be made note of is that though it looks like one particular ailment because the end condition is same, hearing loss can be triggered by many different problems and thus it is necessary to correct these specifically rather than taking a broad approach which would be like shooting an arrow in the dark.

To correct damage to the inner hair a cochlear implant may be positioned. This is simply a tiny device that once installed reads the sound vibrations transmitted to it and transforms them to electrical impulses. The sensory nerves, subsequently, takes these sounds onwards to the brain.

Another common condition studied has thrown up people who lose the ability to register and understand sounds of higher frequencies. These people can hear sounds of low intensity pretty well but hear muffled noises when subjected to loud noises, or when trying to listen to something while many concurrent sounds are being produced. An electro acoustic hearing implant is the answer to this problem. Such an implant captures higher frequencies and carries out the creation of the electrical impulses when the inner hair is incapable of doing so.  This machine is especially helpful in hearing things in a crowd, such as a restaurant or in a cinema hall.

Another condition commonly observed in people is damage to the middle ear, which restricts the passage of sound to the inner parts. A small sound processor is used to read these sounds in the form of vibrations. This device, also known as a bone anchored hearing aids, are attached to the back of your head close to the ear.  the vibrations are passed on to the cochlear area without having to pass through the outer parts thus restoring your hearing.

When nothing else works the good old hearing aids are the option that most counsellors fall back on. These new digital devices divide sound frequencies into channels, and these frequencies can have a specifically set amplification. These channels can then be adjusted according to your exact requirement and hence can provide quite precise solutions. The sound before going into the ear is amplified sufficiently and then let in for further processing.  All of these hearing aids when used effectively have gone a long way in aiding people in correcting their hearing problems, all you need to know is what your problem exactly is.

Hearing Aids

Hearing aids of all sizes and functioning capabilities are easily available in the market nowadays. Though deciding the right hearing aid for you would require many points to be taken into consideration like the actual nature and extent of your hearing loss, the shape of your ear and of the canal, and of course your own inclination as to where you want to wear the hearing aids. Taking these few points into account the following few devices have been implemented and used by people across the globe.

Behind-the-ear hearing aids

(BTE)

As the name suggests the hearing aid is mounted behind your ear and passes the amplified sound to the body part via a thin plastic tube that runs from the device to the ear.  This device is employed when confronted by severe loss or if the entrance to your ear canal is too small to facilitate the use of another device that can be put in the ear. This is a very popularly used machine and comes with a volume button mounted on it.

In-the-ear hearing aid

(ITE)

This is a smaller device that is put up inside your ear. The electrical components of the aid are fitted inside a small plastic body that can be directly put into your ear. The sound is properly amplified and then passes onwards. Due to their smaller size they can only take care of medium severity hearing losses.

Completely-in-canal hearing aids

(CIC)

This particular device is extremely small. All of the electrical components are combined in a small body which is then pressed into the canal. For treating mild hearing loss these are very effective and have a special benefit as far as the aesthetics are concerned as due to its extremely small size it can conveniently be inserted deep out of sight. A small cord attached along with is useful in pulling it out whenever it gets uncomfortable.

Receiver-in-canal hearing aids

(RIC)

This device is a variation of the simpler BTE hearing aids. Over here the housing is mounted behind the ear while the receiver is connected with it with the help of a thin ear wire. These are extremely powerful bits of machinery without the encumbrance of the behind-the-ears devices and can be employed to correct severe hearing loss.  The housing involved is very small component which is much easier to camouflage.

Receiver-in-the-ear hearing aids

(RITE)

Similar to the BTE this assistive device is mounted on to the ear and is used to help you correct severe hearing losses. Similar to RIC the receiver is installed away from the initial housing where it is connected to it with the help of a wire.  These are much smaller devices and hence could be hidden completely from people if necessary.
You have read about just a few of the many hearing aids that you may readily find in the market. Get your condition properly gauged by an Ear specialist and then wear the device which is just right for you.

Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is a very common ailment that is encountered in people worldwide. An increase in your hearing loss is the most prominent side effect of ageing, along with this some people may also lose their hearing due to accidents or as a result of some other medical condition while others suffering from it may have hereditary defects. The reasons for your problems may be varied but there are solutions provided at all levels for all kinds of hearing problems today. In this post I’m going to take a look at some of the highly popular assistive hearing devices that are making the rounds of the markets today.

Treatment for hearing loss

First in line come the cochlear implants, which as their name suggests are used to help in bettering your hearing when the inner hair is damaged beyond recovery. A prolonged exposure to loud sounds leads to a permanent hearing problems to these hair that are employed to convert the sound vibrations into electrical signals that can be transferred to and processed by the brain . For this to function, a sound processor would have to be carried around with you. This generally consists of a small device that is mounted around chest height to register the sounds initially and digitally codes it so that it can be processed by the implant adequately. In some cases a medical condition or an accident may lead to damage to the ear canal area or the three bones in the middle ear. As a result of this damage the sound is not properly transmitted to the inner ear and hence the hair has difficulty in reading sound and converting them to impulses to be transmitted.

Hearing Aids for Hearing Loss

If a sound at increased volume, such as those provided by a hearing aid, is passed to the ear it would only create muffled voices due to some parts of the sound waves getting lost before it passes on to the inner ear.  This can be taken care of by using a bone conduction implant, more popularly known as Bone anchored hearing aids (BAHA). This falls back on the old theory that sound can be conducted thorough solids with lesser loss as opposed to when it travels through air. What happens over here is that this device is directly mounted behind your ear in contact with the skull. When a sound hits it some vibrations are produced. These vibrations are then sent directly through your skull to the inner ear, and it thus bypasses the outer and the inner ear. Thus there is no loss in the sound transmitted as the sound does not need to go through the damaged area. It should be noted that these devices are advised for specific conditions and cannot be used interchangeably. Just like a hearing aid can only be of limited use if the hearing loss occurs because the inner hair is damaged, implanting a cochlear device wouldn’t help if the canal is damaged. Ask a doctor to analyse your condition and then use the device that is the best for your usage.

Sound travels through many mediums before you can hear it, post its origination it makes its
way inwards from the outer ear, bouncing of the walls of the ear canal, the vibrations then being
absorbed by the bones in your middle ear and then passed on to the inner ear where they are
subsequently converted into impulses to be suitably transmitted to the brain. Consider this
movement and it won’t be difficult to fathom what all can go wrong in your hearing that would
make it harder for you to understand these sounds, which is directly related to hearing loss problems.

The most common ailment people suffer from is problems with the ear canal. More often than not,
it is just plain old ear wax that gets in the way of sound as it tries to reach your eardrum. If you do
not clean your ears for a long time then this wax can solidify into impacted wax that can get hard
to remove without taking the aid of an ear solution to loosen the wax a little. Doctors generally
prescribe these for a short period of time after which the wax either comes out little by little from
where it can be wiped clean, or it may have to be physically removed , a task that should best be left
to the doctor.

A usual infection can cause some sort of allergy to develop over these thus obstructing the suitable
motion of sound. These would have to be countered with an ear spray or an orally consumed
medicine. Once the surface of the canal is restored to its previous form sound reception becomes
clearer. Other problems can arise if your ear is subjected to a direct shock accidentally. Exposure to a
sharp blast of sound can damage the ear, apart from this when subjected to a straight impact in the
form of a force the middle ear bones may get fractured or pushed out of alignment. These again can
be set right with adequate medication if the damage is not severe, in cases of more marked damage
a minor surgery should be useful.

All of the above mentioned ailments are covered in conduction hearing loss, in addition to this
there is a more permanent form of hearing loss encountered in people that are referred to as
Sensorinueral hearing loss. These occur due to damage to the cochlear hair which can reduce your
sound reception permanently. When this hair loses its ability to suitably convert sound to impulses
it understandably results in reduced hearing. The only unfortunate part is that this condition cannot
be corrected with the help of medicines or even any kind of surgery and usually requires an implant
to ensure complete hearing, or the use of hearing aids.

 These include a cochlear implant that is used directly in the inner ear,
an electro-acoustic hearing aid which can be used to amplify sounds of certain frequencies, or bone
anchored hearing aids that can be installed behind the ear to bypass the outer and middle ear.

Hearing is a process that depends upon many factors, each of which is tentatively balanced. The
availability of these options allow to restore this balance in case something goes away.

Hearing loss: Why it happens and how to set it right!

Before embarking upon the study of hearing impairment lets us first take a brief view at how the
hearing process actually works. Whenever a sound wave is produced it travels through your ear
canal and eventually strikes the ear drum. The ear drum and the canal together constitute the outer
ear. Moving inwards, this sound is passed from the vibrations of the ear drum to three bones that
reside just behind this region, bone conduction of the sound takes place over here and the sound
is carefully delivered to the inner ear or cochlear region. The inner ear is lined with millions of tiny
hair which amplifies the sound signals that it receives, amplifies it and then converts it into electrical
impulses that can be transferred to the brain with the help of the auditory nerves; all of these parts
constitute the inner ear.

Thus it becomes self-evident that problems to your hearing may be encountered on these three
specified parts. When the sound does not get the necessary passage through the canal to the ear
drum as a result of some sort of infection, swelling or ear wax, a person may experience reduced
hearing. These issues are the easiest to deal with and can be quickly set right, though some
infections can turn tricky if you let them get out of hand hence ensure that you strictly adhere to
your medication schedule.

Problems in the middle ear would involve malfunctioning of the bones which may be a cause
of incomplete development at the time of birth or damage incurred during an accident. These
problems may require simple surgeries to realign these bones. In case of excessive damage to these
bone conduction implants can be used which consist of a small device that can be attached behind
your ear; this device directly delivers the sound to the inner ear through your skull rather than going
thru the damaged region.

The issues with the inner ear are the hardest to correct. These are caused by the damage to
the hair thus reducing their ability to read sounds or generate the adequate electrical impulses.
Such conditions generally arise as a result of continuous exposure to loud noises such as those
experienced by people who work with heavy machinery for years without adequate ear coverage.
Consumption of ototoxic medications may also affect your auditory nerves. These issues can be
handled by using electroacoustic transplants to compensate for the reduction in sound amplification
and transmission capability of the cellular hair.

The conditions of the outer and middle ear are called conduction hearing loss, while issues with the
inner ear are referred to as Sensorinueral hear loss. Though some conditions may be a little difficult
to take care of as compared to others, almost all forms of hearing problems have a solution; all you
need to do is look for it. Preventive measure to forestall further worsening of the condition and
correct rehabilitation processes ensure that your hearing can be restored completely in due course
of time.

The market is teeming with numerous forms of assistive hearing devices to help augment your
hearing loss in case you are suffering from an impairment that lowers your ability to register sounds or
differ between many concurrent sounds. Coming a long way from the age old hearing devices which
just increased the volume of sound as it fell on to the machine before passing it on to the brain,
though effective in its own right, it could only solve the problem on a very broad level, to take an
example, muffled and unclear sounds could still not be understood as merely increasing the volume
did not help in making it clearer. The innovations in the field ensure today that you get the perfect
solutions for your condition in the most specialized of forms, by the time you are done reading this
article you’d by and large know about most of them.

First in line are the cochlear implants. These small devices when implanted in the inner ear
compensate for the inactivity of the hair and assists in the creation of the electrical impulses to be
sent to the brain via the sensory nerves. A sound processor converts the sound into a digital signal
which is subsequently converted into their electrical counterparts in the implants.

A person may sometimes suffer from partial deafness, which is caused by his or her inability to pick
out sounds of higher frequencies, this problem may show itself in the form of a problem in differing
between sounds when many noises are being produced at the same time, such as while watching
a movie. These problems are best handled by an implant that transfers these sound vibrations of
higher frequencies into impulses by the virtue of an electroacoustic device. This device is carefully
implanted into the inner ear where it functions to replace a part of the cellular hair.

Bone conduction implants fall back to the old principles of physics that maintain that sound
propagates faster through solids than through air. When parts of your outer or middle ear are
irreparably damaged, so much so that no amount of rehabilitation or reconstruction can restore it to
its health, a simple bone conduction implant fused near the ear on the back of your head can solve
the problem. This device registers the sound in the form of vibrations and then then transmits them
to the inner ear directly through the skull, hence deriving its name the bone conduction implant.
These sounds after bypassing the outer two parts of the ear are directly taken by the cochlear and
passed on to the brain through the electrical impulses.

Whatever problems these specialized devices may fail to take care of, the new avatars of the hearing aids fulfill the rest. These devices come with an adjustable volume switch that can regulate the sound
levels that enter your ear, this occurs after it is initially read by a small microphone. Now you can
easily put your hearing troubles to rest, find out the nature of your problem and get the device that
can serve you best.

When babies are born with hearing loss this may have a more pronounced effect on their
growth and lifestyle as compared to people who develop the condition in later years. Trouble in
hearing directly transforms to difficulty in learning to speak for the child as without registering
the proper sounds it gets difficult to formulate adequate vocal responses. A person who has
undeveloped or partially developed speech would most certainly have trouble in all the future
phases of life as communication would end up being an uphill task be it schooling, playing in the
park, or the usual communication a person encounters in the market or on the road.

Most of this can be avoided by spotting the signs of difficulty in hearing in your child and taking
appropriate measures early on in the life of the kid. You should look out for signs of inattentiveness
from the baby, such as if he fails to notice you when you speak to them, or if they look here
and there on listening to a sound thus showing signs of trouble in finding the source . A kid with
hampered hearing would have trouble focusing upon one voice when several people are speaking
and may also ask you to repeat what you say multiple times. Always remember, getting an ear
check-up carried out couldn’t possibly hurt your kid, but ignoring it only for the condition to get
worse definitely will.

Problems in this regard directly transgress in other facets of the child’s behaviour. Kids with such
difficulties often end up becoming reserved and shy and tend to withdraw from the social circles.
This also shows up in his or her performance at school as the kid may not be able to hear the
instructions well enough. In addition, as is highly evident it would lead to the child losing confidence
in him or herself and ending up being sad or exhausted most of the time

Therefore it is extremely important for you to spot the signs of hearing impairment early on, and go
for adequate treatment plans with a doctor. Keep cleaning the child’s ears gently and thoroughly
on a regular basis to prevent from impacted was to accumulate over and around the ear drum. Do
not ignore any complaints of this nature from your child as it could actually be a genuine problem,
consult a doctor if your child persistently asks you to repeat things or complains of ear pain. Once
diagnosed ensure that the treatment process is followed completely to its conclusion until the
course ends and the condition improves and monitor the condition consistently to ascertain that the
issues do not get worse, this could become a trying task especially in the case of kids below the age
of 2 -3 years as they can’t properly express themselves.

Work in tandem with the doctor to push back these early signs and ensure your kid has a fun filled
childhood and a healthy life.

Correcting hearing loss
Most of your hearing ailments can easily be corrected today, but in order to do so you need to figure out the exact nature of your ailment as treatment for a perforated eardrum would hardly help you if all you suffer from is accumulation of ear wax. Visit the doctor to understand the extent of damage and he’ll figure out the rest. Here is a brief look at the different problems people generally encounter with their hearing and the commonly prescribed solutions for all of these problems.
Starting with ear wax, it is best prevented by cleaning your ears periodically with a soft cloth or a cotton ear bud; however, you should take special care in the process as poking too hard at the ear drum can permanently damage the eardrum. In case the wax is too stubborn you can go off to see a doctor who’ll then simply use forceps to remove the wax, sometimes the wax may become too hard and thus be difficult to remove without causing pain,-doctors generally prescribe a solvent for the purpose- to be poured in the ear for a week or so until the wax becomes loose and then can be removed by syringing.
Allergies that cause an accumulation of fluids in your middle ear can be treated by an intake of antibiotics that directly work upon the microbes that cause your condition.  These medications may also be used to treat defects in your eardrum when encountered. When a problem with the bones in the middle ear are encountered then a quick surgery, to align them in line with the ear canal again, is carried out, all of such operations have a high rate of success.
Using of some medicine can affect the functioning of your auditory nerves thus making it difficult to listen; a prolonged usage of these medicines may also make the damage permanent. Consult your doctor and address the issues of hearing loss when you begin the consumption of these medications, discontinue the usage if the intake threatens to do excessive harm.  In some extreme cases development of tumours can also obstruct the flow the sound to the inner areas; your ear doctor would most probably refer you to a neurosurgeon to discuss the advantages and the disadvantages of undergoing a surgery to remove the tumour.
If none of these works for you then choosing from a wide assortment of assistive hearing devices should solve the problem. The most common hearing aids work by amplifying the sound that falls on the microphone thus making it easier to hear things by increasing or decreasing the volume. More sophisticated devices like an electroacoustic implant may be used which specifically works to make up for reduced hair reaction in the inner ear. When the damage is more extensive such that suitable passage through the outer and middle ear is not possible, a bone conduction implant to bypass these portions and directly activate the inner ear may be used.
However, the first step to any treatment would be a close analysis of the problem. Talk to your doctor and follow the correct treatment process and in all probabilities your condition will be reversed in a short while taken due care.

All you need to know about hearing loss

Hearing loss is a very common malady encountered in people across the globe, so much more so because of the extensive amounts of noise pollution predominant today in all the circles of life. All kinds of hearing loss can broadly be divided into two categories that are:-

• Conductive hearing loss
• Sensorineural hearing loss

By the time you finish reading the article you’d know more about these two basic kinds of hearing defects, the common reasons for them setting in, the precautions you could take to save yourself from these and of course the treatment options available to you should you be unfortunate enough to develop the affliction.

Conductive hearing loss is comes into play when the sound waves that pass through your ear canal hits the ear drum. From there onwards the sound travels through three small bones on towards the inner cochlear. Now if any form of condition arises that inhibits the process in some manner or the other the person undergoes a loss in his or her hearing. These conditions may arise from many varied causes ranging from accumulation of ear wax, infections in the ear canal that leads to its swelling and reduces the area for the passage of sound and damage to the ear drum may be another reason- especially holes or scars or some other forms of bruises. In addition to all of this, a sudden force on the ear may also move the bones out of alignment and can temporarily/permanently wreck them; this would affect your hearing as the pathway for the conduction of the sound is broken.

Sensorineural hearing loss damages result in the form of deterioration of the hair in the inner ear that sends the electrical impulses to the brain via the auditory nerves. A continuous exposure to loud music for a very prolonged period of time is a result of the hair getting damaged permanently, in addition to this, short sudden blasts of noise can also cause issues like this. Some ototoxic medicines are known to affect the auditory nerves in the ear thus reducing the number of impulses being passed to the brain. Most of these defects once incurred are hard to correct by medicines and can only be set right by using some sort of implants or assistive hearing devices.

Losses due to insufficient conduction can be set right by using some adequate medicines (in case of allergies) or by undergoing a surgery (to correct misaligned bones in the middle ear). Though these defects may be countered suitably, no amount of medication or surgeries can make the hair in the inner ear functional again once they are damaged. The only answer to this problem is a small implant that reads the sounds that hit it and transforms them into electrical impulses to be carried forward to the brains by the auditory nerves. Consult your doctor to analyse the nature of your problem and then get a specialized solution for your condition.

Figuring out hearing loss: the most common reasons for your difficulty in listening

Birth defects

Three in every thousand children are born with hearing impairment making it the most common birth defect. These defects may arise due to some infections that may have ailed the mother while she was carrying the child; harmful medications when taken carelessly in such a condition can result in permanently reduced hearing in the child after birth. Prematurely born children also sometimes undergo impairment of this type because of partially developed ear structures. Other kinds of hereditary ailments may also pass on to the child resulting in a reduced hearing, not to mention injuries sustained by mother can also cause defects.

Infections and other ear inflammations

Apart from these a person may acquire the ailment at some point of time due to harmful ear infections, head injuries sustained in accidents, continued usage of harmful toxic medicines that directly affect your auditory nerves and reduce your hearing. Illnesses such as chicken pox and mumps also leave lasting effects on the patient as far as hearing is concerned.

Ear infections such as acute otitis media results in hampered hearing and are also a reason for pain and discomfort in little children. In this condition the area behind the eardrum gets inflamed, or a fluid might get collected in the place. This condition is very common and every kid undergoes it at least sometime at some point of time or the other, if the condition prolongs for a longer period of time the hearing loss could be permanent.

Loud noises

Exposure to loud music over extended periods of time also results in hearing loss. Noises over the sound range of 80 decibels when sustained for longer periods can damage the hair on the inner ear. Short blasting sounds with sound intensities greater than 150 decibels can do instantaneous damage to the ear drum that can get hard to correct. It is therefore advisable to avoid exposure to loud noises at all times such as those caused by standing too close to a bursting fire cracker, hand drills, chain saws and other machine equipment etc. workers who work in extremely loud noise environments should wear protective coverings over their ears while at work, or there is a good chance you will end up wearing hearing aids.

Intake of ototoxic medications

Some particular medications have been known to register harmful effects on the ears and the auditory nerves that link the ear with the brain; a harmful effect takes place on the sensory nerves that can longer fulfill their function of hearing and balancing. There are more than a hundred crucial medicines that are vital in treatment of many diseases such as cancer and tumors of many kinds, avoiding these medicines in the face of the illness isn’t always possible hence sometimes doctors take a call between the right amount of these medicines to take so as to avoid permanent damage. The effects of such drugs sometimes go away once the consumption is stopped , having said that, prolonged usage may leave a permanently impaired hearing.

Some simple steps can go long way in keeping your ears in good condition and your hearing intact for years to come. The first step is to keep them clean, this process should however be carried out very carefully. Regularly cleaning your ear prevents the ear wax from collecting in your ear and reducing sound conduction through the canals which can lead to hearing loss. You can also use some sorts of solutions to loosen impacted wax so that it comes out itself of its own accord. Be very careful in the cleaning process as poking the ear bud too hard or too far into your ear can cause irreparable damage to your ear drum leading to permanent hearing problems.

For people who work in manufacturing industries especially where the sound levels are consistently over 80 to 90 decibels there is an extended risk of hearing impairment at later stages of life as the continuous exposure to the sounds weakens and partially destroys the hair in the inner ear. These people should ensure they wear adequate protection over their ears to reduce the sound levels that reach their ears.

The above given advice extends to musicians who are constantly exposed to very loud noises. It should be considered that being subjected to moderately loud noises over a period of time is worse than sudden blasts (though the blasts can do much damage of their own). Use of protective coverings on the ears is a must to ensure better hearing as the year’s progress.

What is the right sound level to listen to music when you are hooked on to your Ipod or while watching a movie? The advice from our side would be turn down the volume in case you cannot hear people speaking normally near you. It would also be wise to wear ear plugs to rock concerts or when you are out watching motor races, “where is the fun in that?” You might say, but trust me having a little less fun would go a long way in keeping your ears safe for a longer period of time. Remember, it will be a lot less fun if extreme hearing loss sets in and you are unable to hear anymore.

If you are regularly taking medicines of some sort then a wise thing to do would be to ensure that those medicines do not have a long term effect on the auditory nerves as it may impair your hearing. The correct thing to do would be to consult with your doctor over this at length before continuing the usage. Sometimes the seriousness of your other illnesses warrant the use of these medicines even with all the associated risks , discuss the right balance with the doc and closely regulate the conditions to ensure that no lasting damage is incurred.

And perhaps the most important advice of it all is to rest your ears periodically, especially if you have been listening to loud music for a long period. With the technology at hand, it is possible to treat and improve almost all hearing loss conditions such as those found at http://thehearingfix.com, but prevention is always the best method to keeping hearing loss at bay.

Hearing loss is one of the most common birth defects found in children across the globe, more than that, as we grow older almost one in every three humans encounter this problem at some level or the other, here is a brief look at the most common classifications of hearing loss.

Conductive hearing loss

This type of hearing impairment results from a reduced amount of conduction of sound from the canal, the eardrum or the muscles in the middle ear. These are generally encountered when the ear canal is restricted due to the presence of wax, a swelling in the canal, benign tumors that block the direct passage of the sound to the ear drum, problems with your ear drum or an infection in the ear canal. These kinds of issues can be corrected with the help of medications and surgeries.

Sensorineural hearing loss

These are the most common forms of permanent hearing loss encountered in people and they arise from damage to the inner hair that reads, amplifies and transmits the sounds to the brains. Damage to the nerve pathways also results in reduced amount of hearing. These defects are commonly hereditary, though these may affect people with no known history as well if they consume medicines that are harmful to the auditory nerves, or due to aging and listening to loud noises for extended periods of times. Most of such defects are not easy to treat surgically and thus end up being permanent in nature without specific treatment (the hearing fix).

Mixed hearing loss

At times a person suffers from some sort of conductive impairment at the same time as sensory damage. This kind of ailment is referred to as a mixed form of hearing loss. This could be set right with the right combination of medicine, surgery and assistive devices, to find the perfect solution you’d have to talk to a doctor about your problem.

Common forms of treatment

The common forms of treatment for these problems vary from medicines for infections and swelling (of the canal) to surgeries and where nothing else works many forms of assistive listening devices can be used to enhance your hearing capability. Hearing aids are the same as very small amplifiers that as their name suggests amplifies the sound making it easier for the patient to register and understand the sounds. These devices come with a volume changing mechanism that allows you to reduce or increase the level of amplification as per your requirement.

Damage to the inner ear hair can have more drastic effect on the patient as it may even result in an extended difficulty in speech among people. These defects can also be handled by the use of a cochlear implant that takes up the work of the inner hair and directly creates the electrical impulses required to transmit the sounds to the brain. Whatever your problem may be, if you feel you have a difficulty in hearing, talk to a doctor quickly and figure out if your condition is curable or not, whatever it may be, finding out quicker is definitely going to help you in the treatment process.

Imagine watching a silent movie, soundless and for us possibly expressionless as well. Imagine driving a car without your ‘horn’, considering the sheer number of cars on the roads these days this might actually sound more of a relief, but then the chaos on the roads would only multiply ten-folds. There are a thousand things we can talk about right now where hearing loss can turn the activity into one big disaster. Of course medical advancements ensure that we have sufficient aids on our side to counter most of these problems should they arise. Here is a brief overview at how hearing actually works and in what manner the most general forms of impairments arise.

To put it very simply, initially the sound wave travels through the air and strikes your eardrum producing vibrations, these vibrations are then transferred to a set of three bones namely incus, malleus and stapes, resting on the inside of the eardrum . The stapes then absorbs these vibrations and transmits them further inwards to the cochlea. This region is filled with liquids and the walls are lined with millions of tiny hair which picks up the sound, amplify it and then transfers them to the brain to be understood.

All the hearing problems originate from the inability of any of these three parts of hearing to function inadequately. To take an example a simple accumulation of wax in your ear canal inhibits sound waves from reaching your ear drum and thus results in a decreased hearing effect. Instances of infections may sometimes also result in affected hearing as the ear canal may swell thus resulting in a smaller passage for the sound to travel suitably.

Other defects may arise because of dislocation or damage to any of the three bones, it usually occurs due to physical damage incurred due to impact or a sharp sudden blast of sound. The point to be made note of is that most of these damages are curable by a simple and short surgery. Wax can be removed without complication and is a 5 minute process, though impacted wax (solidified) may have to be loosened with adequate ear meds before being flushed out. Canal infections can be treated with oral medicines as well as solutions to be periodically poured in to the ear. Bone damage, unless severe, can be corrected with minor surgeries and adequate medications.

Other forms of defect may arise from damage to the hair on the cochlea. Depending upon the nature of the damage a person may be able to listen to only some particular levels of sounds or some kinds of sounds. This generally happens because of continuous exposure to loud sounds or due to the action of continuous pressure upon the ear drums such as in case of divers. Particular medicines may also sometimes affect the nerves that are involved in your hearing mechanisms if taken in large doses. An important point to conclude with, do not delay in consulting a doctor in case of a noticed difficulty in hearing, your problem may be correctable in all probabilities, though pushing it forward couldn’t possibly help.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_impairment

With the onset of old age; hearing loss is one of the things that most people experience. Around one-
third of the people in the age of 65 to 75 have this problem. Among people over 75 years, almost 50 per
cent have hearing problem to some extent. Though it is a common problem, it is not one of those things
that cannot be prevented. With the right treatment at right time it is possible to prevent hearing loss.

The first step in prevention of hearing loss is to be informed about the causes. Hearing loss is of three
types types – sensorineural, conductive and presbycusis. Sensorineural hearing loss occurs due to some
damage to auditory nerve or inside of the ear. It is permanent and cannot be treated. Though, most of the
times this is due to some injury, it may happen because of certain other reasons as well.

Another type of hearing loss called conductive is the loss in hearing due to eardrum puncture, increased
earwax or fluid inside the year. Hearing loss due to these can be treated. Hearing loss related to old age
is called presbycusis. Generally, people of over 50 years of age are affected by this. However, sometimes
this can also happen sue to a severe ear infective known as otitis media.

Other reason that may be harmful to your ear and can cause short or long term hearing loss can be
intake of certain medicines over a long period of time. Some of these medicines that can be harmful for
ear are ototoxic and a few antibiotics. Always make sure that you discuss with your doctor the side effects
of any medicine that you are taking. Another common cause of loss of hearing is exposure to very loud
noise. Loud noise can harm ear drums and can head to conductive hearing loss. In some cases, it may
also instigate presbycusis.

Now here are a few things that you can do to prevent hearing loss. The first thing is to prevent exposure
to loud noise. Do not listen to loud music on earphones. Keep the volume moderate. You should always
be careful about exposure to noise from firecrackers, firearms or other noise from around you.

You should also clean your ear regularly and get it done from a doctor once in a year. If you are doing
it yourself you may buy ear drops that are available over the counter and clean it according to the
instructions given there. However, if you think that the hearing loss is due to some damage to the
eardrum, then do not clean your ears on your own. Contact your doctor to get the damaged eardrum
treated.

You should also visit your doctor immediately if you develop sudden ear pain. This may be an indication
of an infection. Ear infections can result in long term hearing loss, if it is not treated at an early stage.
Keeping these in mind, you may be able to prevent hearing loss to some extent even in your old age.

Types of hearing loss

Hearing loss is the condition when the ability to hear of a person is impaired to some extent, which
means that his ears do not detect sounds very well. Here are the types of hearing loss and details about
their causes and symptoms:

1. Sensorineural hearing loss – This type of hearing loss occurs when there is some internal
damage occurs in the ear. It is possible to hurt the Cochlea or auditory nerve in the internal
damage. Cochlea has certain hair cells which when impaired can lead to hearing loss. Auditory
nerve detects the sound from the environment and helps in interpreting it. Though damage to this
nerve is not very common, but serious injuries can lead to the nerve damage and can affect the
hearing ability of a person.

2. Conductive hearing loss – This type of hearing loss is caused due to any damage to the outer or
middle section of the ear. These are usually mild in nature and can be easily retreated to restore
the normal hearing ability of the person. This type of hearing loss can occur due to excess wax
build up in the ear, presence of fluid in the ear or damage to the eardrum. Depending upon the
cause, you should see a doctor. Do not try to clean the ear with an ear bud or anything else when
you think that you have damaged your ear drum. Seek professional help in this case.

3. Loss due to Environment Noise – Exposure to loud noise is one of the common causes of
hearing loss in people. Exposure to very loud noise over a long period of time damages the
auditory nerve and impairs the hearing ability. To avoid this, you should not listen to music
on high volume. Always keep the volume of the earphone of moderate level. Be careful of
firecrackers and other things that cause a lot of noise.

4. Hereditary – Hearing loss can also be due to genetic reasons. It is possible to have hearing loss
illness pass from one generation to another. Though it is not necessary that every member of the
family will acquire it but the risk is more if you have such an illness running in the family. Some of
these can be evident right from the time of birth, while the other can appear later in life.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_aid
5. Medical reasons – hearing impairments can also be caused due to some illness or some
medicines. Illness such as measles and meningitis can affect the auditory nerve and lead to some
degree of hearing loss. Some other illnesses which affect the immune system of the body such
as AIDS can also result in hearing loss.

Certain medicines have also been proved to cause temporary or permanent hearing impairment
in people. Be sure of asking your doctor about side effects of any medicine before taking it.

Apart from these, old age is also a common cause of hearing loss. Though it cannot be fully prevented, it
can surely be controlled to some extent by the prevention methods mentioned above or hearing aids.

Hearing loss or hearing impairment is a condition when the ability of an individual to identify
the various frequencies of sound are partially or wholly impaired. In humans the use of a hearing
audiogram is done to establish the minimum threshold that an individual can hear. Hearing loss is
characterised by the reduction in sensitivity to certain frequencies of sound. About 1 in 3000 people
is born with a hearing impairment. Also, with the onset of adulthood, there is a progressive loss of
hearing ability as one grows older. Hearing loss can also be induced with the constant and exposure
to noise, chemicals, toxins and other disease causing organisms.

The human ear is made up of three main parts. The first is the outer ear, also known as pinna, picks
up the sound and transfers the waves to the inner ear through the ear canal. The sound reaches
the eardrum and hits it, producing vibrations in the eardrum. These vibrations of the eardrum
are amplified with the help of the arrangement of three bones, the hammer, the anvil and the
stirrup. These bones transfer the sound to the inner ear which is filled with liquefied and lined with
thousands of hair like cells. These hair cells serve to record and amplify the sounds.

Any damage to any of the part of the ear may result in a hearing loss. Based on the reason of the
hearing loss, it may be classified as conductive hearing loss (problem with the inner or the middle
ear), sensory hearing loss (damage to the hair cells in the ear leading to problems of perception of
sound by the brain), mixed (mixture of sensory and consecutive reasons) and neural (problem in the
connection of the tiny hair cells with the brain).

One of the most common reason for the hearing loss is noise induced. The safe limit of noise is at
85dB for a period of 8 hours. However, it is at only 2 hours for a highly noisy environment of 91dB.
Common sources of these kind of noises are the radios, hi wattage speakers, loud speakers in cars,
children toys, power tools, machines and motorised appliances, hair drier, transportation and even
the crowd at the subway station.

Hearing loss can be inherited from your parents too. A dominant gene for deafness will persist and
will result in by birth hearing loss. A recessive gene may not result in a hearing loss, but it may be
passed on to the next generation.

Several diseases cause a temporary or permanent hearing loss. These include measles, meningitis,
auto immune diseases, mumps, AIDS and ARC, HIV, Chlamydia, alcohol syndrome, premature birth,
syphilis, chemotherapy for cancer, and other diseases of the spinal cord and the brain.

Some chemical may also cause hearing loss. These include lead, solvents such as toluene and
automobile exhaust fumes amongst many others. Several drugs such as anti viral and antibiotics,
diuretics etc. are known to cause hearing loss in humans.

Unlike popular belief, hearing loss is not just limited to people who are in their old age. It is also a common syndrome among children. The rising number of cases of hearing impairment is rising among the children these days. To prevent these, it is important that you know about the types of hearing loss, their causes and the methods to prevent it. Types – In children, sensorineural hearing loss is the most common type. This happens due to damage to the inner ear, which may be caused due to some injury, infection or it may be noise induced. This type of damage does not usually improve and the hearing loss is permanent in nature. Such type of hearing impairment does not become improve or become worse over the years. It generally remains the same. The only way of improving hearing ability under such cases is by use of hearing aids. Apart from this, there are other types of hearing losses such as conductive hearing loss or mixed hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss is usually caused due to some damage to the outer or middle ear. This can be due to blockage in the ear canal due to presence of fluids in the ear or excess ear wax.

This type of hearing loss may also occur due to damage to the eardrums. Such syndromes can be fixed by the doctor and a person’s hearing ability can be restored. There are also cases of hearing loss which is a mix of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss. Whether the condition can be treated or not will depend on individual cases and thus would have to be determined by the doctor after extensive examination of the ear. Causes – The most common cause of hearing loss in children is due to prolonged exposure to loud noise. Among this, loud music is one of the main reasons. If the volume is kept up, especially in earphones or headphones, the risk to hearing impairment increases considerably. Sometimes, noises from firecrackers or loud noises from environment can also cause damage to the ear. These syndromes may also be acquired if children play musical instruments very loudly. If children are a part of some orchestra or musical group in school and practice regularly for that, they have a risk of developing hearing impairment. Apart from these, injuries and medical problems like infections are one of the common reasons. Prevention – It is important that you and your children stay informed about the risk of noise induced hearing loss. You should teach your children to be cautious and avoid exposure to loud noise. The volume of the earphone should be kept at moderate. Use of earplugs can also help avoid exposure to loud noise and can cut down the risk considerably. In an event of sudden ear pain, you must take your children to the doctor at the earliest. Hearing loss due to infections can be controlled to a great extent if detected at an early stage.

Deafness and is a disability more common than we realize. Every case of hearing loss
impairment, however, can be differentiated based on a number of factors; such as
partial or complete loss of hearing, severity, causes of hearing loss, age if on-set etc. And depending on the type and
extent of the problem, some of them can be managed with the help of a hearing aids.

Hearing aids are electro-acoustic devices, which are fit inside or behind the ear. They
help the wearer in hearing better; by either modulating or amplifying the sound. They
come in a variety of models, which differ in circuitry, power, size, placement, battery life,
cost etc.

One of these is the BTE or behind-the-ear aid. It consists of a case, sitting behind the
ear, holding the amplification system. A tube, coming over the top of the ear, to the
front, connects the case to an ear mold. It also carries the sound from the case to the
receiver, which is inside the ear mold.

Then there are in-the-ear aids that are fit into the outer ear bowl. They are custom-
made for each ear. This makes them both, extremely comfortable to wear, as well as
suitable for children with hearing loss. The latter being because they would call for replacement, as a
child grew.

Receiver-in-the-ear or RITE aids are another kind on the offer. The speaker of this
device is fitted inside the ear canal; and against the acoustic tubes of a BTE, thin
electric wires are used. These aids are not only smaller in comparison to the BTE, but
provide a better hearing ability too; that is free of distortion which can cause a negative effect with hearing problems.

There is an even smaller version of the RITE hearing aids, the in-the-canal or ITC aids that
cover only the lower half of the outer ear. Also there are completely-in-the-canal or CIC
aids which are not visible unless one looks into the ear of the wearer. An IIC or invisible-
in-canal hearing aids beats the CIC aids too in terms of size. These are fit much further
in the canal; and are not visible even when looking at the wearer’s ear bowl directly.

These in-the-canal hearing aids are more expensive than the behind-the-ear versions. It
is so because the former are custom-molded to fit the wearer’s ear.

For people who find the task of maintaining and adjusting their hearing aid to
cumbersome, or consider the job of changing the batteries too much; they could well opt
for disposable hearing aids. They come with a non-replaceable battery. These batteries
are however, meant to last longer than the traditional batteries. They come in both ITC
and BTE versions.

As for those who wish to forego the task of wearing and removing their hearing aid
every day, they have a great option of extended wear aids. These are fit deep into the
ear canal, non-surgically. These are meant for continuous wear, for about 1-3 months at

a time, followed by replacement.

A number of other options in hearing aids are available, and are being made available,
to provide the wearer as much comfort and convenience as possible.