Hearing Impairment
Introduction
Source: NHS
In this topic (8)
Hearing loss is a common problem that often develops with age oris caused by repeated exposure to loud noises.
Action on Hearing Loss estimates that there are more than 10 million (about 1 in 6) people in the UKwith some degree of hearing impairmentor deafness.
Hearing loss can occur suddenly, but usually develops gradually. General signs of hearing loss can include:
- difficulty hearing other people clearly and misunderstanding what they say
- asking people to repeat themselves
- listening to music or watching television with the volume turned up higher than other people require
There aretwomain types of hearing loss, depending on where the problem lies:
- sensorineural hearing loss causedby damage to the sensitive hair cells inside the inner ear or damage to the auditory nerve; this occurs naturally with age or as a result of injury
- conductive hearing loss when sounds are unable to pass from your outer ear to your inner ear, often because of a blockage such as earwax , glue ear or a build-up of fluid from an ear infection , or because of a perforated ear drum or disorder of the hearing bones
It's also possible to have both these types of hearing loss. This is known as mixed hearing loss.
Somepeople are born with hearing loss, but most cases develop as you get older.
This includes not having music or the television on at aloud volume at home and usingear protection at loud music events or in noisy work environments.
You should also seeyour GP ifyou have signs of an ear infection, such as flu -like symptoms, severe earache , dischargeor hearing loss.
In cases of sensorineural hearing loss, there are several options that may help to improve a persons ability to hear and communicate. These include:
- digitalhearing aids which areavailable through the NHS
- bone anchored implants suitable forpeople who are unable to use hearing aids and for some levels of sensorineural hearing loss
- middle ear implants suitable forsome people who are unable to use hearing aids
- cochlear implants for people who find hearing aids aren't powerful enough
- lip reading and/or sign language such as British Sign Language (BSL)
Conductive hearing loss is sometimes temporary and can be treated with medication or minor surgery, if necessary. However, more major surgery may be required to fix the ear drum or hearing bones. If conventional hearing aids don't work, there are also some implantable devices for this type of hearing loss, such as a Bone Anchored Hearing Aids (BAHAs).
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Articles for Hearing Impairment
Causes of hearing loss
Age and loud noises are the most common causes of sensorineural hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss occurs when sounds are unable to pass into the inner ear
Diagnosing hearing loss
See your GP if you're having problems with your hearing. They'll examine your ears and carry out some simple hearing tests
Introduction
Hearing loss is a common problem that often develops with age or is caused by repeated exposure to loud noises.
Patient story: "20 years ago, deaf people would have found it difficult to get into this sort of job."
Susan is a community mental health nurse helping deaf people with mental illnesses. She talks about how attitudes to deafness have changed and says deafness
Patient story: "Through performing, I've managed to grow as a person."
Millies hearing started deteriorating when she was a child. She talks about learning to cope with the hearing loss and shows that it hasn't stopped her doing
Preventing hearing loss
The ears are fragile structures that can be damaged in many ways, so it's not always possible to prevent hearing loss.
Signs of hearing loss
Hearing loss is sometimes sudden, but often it's gradual and you may not notice it at first. Being aware of the early signs can help you identify the problem quickly.
Treating hearing loss
How hearing loss is treated depends on the underlying cause of the condition.
