Hearing Loss - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Hearing Loss Overview

To understand hearing loss it is important to understand how normal hearing takes place. There are 2 different pathways by which sound waves produce the sensation of hearing: air conduction and bone conduction.

In air conduction, sound waves move through the air in the external auditory canal (the "ear canal" between the outside air and your eardrum). The sound waves hit the tympanic membrane (eardrum) and cause the tympanic membrane to move.

The bones in the middle ear are connected to the tympanic membrane. When the tympanic membrane moves, this movement is transmitted to the bones. These 3 bones are called the malleus, the incus, and the stapes. Movement of the stapes causes pressure waves in the fluid-filled inner ear.

Causes and Symptoms

Some possible causes and symptoms of hearing loss at each of the above stages are as follows:

External ear. The auditory canal may become blocked with ear wax, foreign objects, infection, or a tumor. A tumor is a mass of cels that forms a lump somewhere in the body. This blockage prevents all or some of a group of sound waves from passing down the auditory canal.

Noise. Noise-induced hearing loss can affect people of all ages and most often develops gradually over many years. Over a long period of time, the noise you experience at work, during recreation (such as listening to very loud music), or even during common chores (such as using a power lawn mower) can lead to hearing loss.

Age. In age-related hearing loss (presbycusis), changes in the inner ear that occur as you grow older cause a gradual but steady hearing loss. The loss may be mild or severe, but it is always permanent.

Middle ear. The tympanic membrane and ossicles can be damaged by injury or infection. A sharp object inserted into the ear can break the membrane. A blow to the head may damage the membrane or the ossicles. High water pressure caused by a deep-sea dive can also damage the middle ear. Infection of the middle ear may be caused when fluids from the throat pass down the Eustachian (pronounced you-STAY-shee-un) tube into the middle ear. The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear with the back of the throat. A disease called otosclerosis (pronounced oh-toe-skle-RO-suss) can cause the ossicles to bind to each other. When that happens, they are not able to vibrate properly.

What are the treatment options?

Ear examination

Your GP, ENT doctor or Audiologist will be able to advise on the appropriate treatment for your hearing loss depending on its cause. Some conductive hearing losses can be treated with medication or by surgery. For example, antibiotics can be used for infection, blocked ears can be cleared and damaged eardrums or fused ossicular bones can be repaired by surgery.

However, most cases of sensorineural hearing loss and some conductive losses are permanent and cannot be resolved through medical or surgical intervention. If this is the case, hearing aids worn in one or both ears can be beneficial for most people suffering a hearing loss that cannot be cured.

Corrective Options

Hearing aids and cochlear implants are two options available for some children, depending on their degree of hearing loss.

In general, children with mild to severe hearing loss are candidates for using hearing aids. For more information on hearing aids, please read Hearing Aids.

If your child has a severe to profound hearing loss and doesn't obtain adequate benefit from hearing aids, he or she may be a candidate for a cochlear implant. To learn more, please visit the Cochlear Implant section.

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