Help! I'm 45 years old and loose my hearing ability slightly each year. At my last hearing test I was told that my hearing was "socially un- acceptable" Yet no doctors seem to know why I'm going deaf. I've never been tested for allergies, but my head always feel congested, my ears feel stuffed, like when you get water in them while swimming. Any suggestions? ideas? anything? Please reply.
Answer -----------
Hearing loss is generally categorized into 3 broad categories:
1) conductive
2) neurosensory
3) mixed (a combination of 1 and 2)
Conductive hearing loss results from a disturbance in the transmission of sound waves before entering the inner ear. This type of hearing loss can occur because of physical obstruction in the ear canal such as ear wax or swelling such as occurs with "swimmer's ear". Conductive hearing loss can also occur because of perforations (holes) in the ear drum, infection in the middle ear with the accumulation of fluid behind the ear drum, or processes which cause the small bones in the middle ear to become stiffened thereby impairing the transmission of sound vibration into the inner ear.
Neurosensory (nerve) hearing loss results from processes which affect the inner ear. Genetic factors often contribute to neurosensory hearing loss particularly when it occurs at a young age. Acoustic trauma is a common cause of nerve hearing loss ( factory noise over many years, weapons fire exposure, loud rock music heard through head phones, etc.) Infection is an uncommon cause of nerve hearing loss and usually is related to severe infections such as meningitis. The most common cause of nerve hearing loss is simply related to the aging process and to some extent affects most humans variably in their 5th, 6th, 7th or higher decades.
The diagnosis of which type of hearing loss is present requires a careful history to search for possible causative factors (noise, heredity,infection, etc.), as well as a thorough physical examination including a comprehensive hearing test.
The treatment of hearing loss depends on the type. Most neurosensory hearing loss cannot be remedied by any other means than a hearing aid and/or assistive listening devices or techniques. Many types of conductive hearing loss can be cured or improved by medical intervention.
-- B
Steve Dankle, MD
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Milwaukee, Wis
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