Hearing is one of the five important human senses that we rely on to communicate with others and understand the sounds of the world. Hearing is an important sense that enables us to communicate with others and navigate the world around us. If our hearing impaired, it can seriously affect our daily life. To protect our hearing health, it is necessary to understand the different types of hearing loss and their causes, and know how to properly treat and prevent hearing loss.

What Are the Main Types and Causes of Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss generally falls into three main categories, each with its own characteristics and underlying causes:

Hearing loss is generally divided into three broad categories, all of which have different causes and symptoms:

Conductive Hearing Loss

This type of hearing loss generally refers to a problem with the auditory system in which sound cannot be effectively conducted from the outside to the inner ear. This type of hearing loss usually occurs in the outer ear canal, the eardrum, or the middle ear. Its common causes and symptoms include:

1. Earwax Buildup: A buildup of earwax prevents sound waves from travelling through the ear canal, which can lead to hearing loss.

2. Ear Infections: Typically, an infection of the outer ear canal and otitis media. An infection of the outer ear canal is caused by a bacterial or fungal infection that causes the ear canal to swell, which interferes with the passage of sound into the canal, while an otitis media infection is usually common in children and results in a buildup of fluid or pus in the middle ear, which interferes with the normal vibration of the eardrum.

3. Damage to the Eardrum: A perforated or ruptured eardrum can prevent the eardrum from vibrating effectively, affecting hearing.

4. Structural Abnormalities or Loss of the Ear Canal: There are two types of conditions: congenital atresia or abnormalities of the ear canal, or due to the entry of tumours and foreign bodies into the ear canal at a later stage of life.

• Diminished or blurred hearing

• Ears feel swollen

• You can hear your echoes when you speak

• It is easier to hear through headphones than through an open-air environment

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

This type of hearing loss is usually permanent and is caused by damage to the hair cells in the inner ear (cochlea) or damage to the auditory nerve, which prevents sound signals from being accurately perceived and transmitted to the brain. This type of hearing loss is common in middle-aged and older people and is the most common type of hearing loss. Its common causes and symptoms include:

1. Ageing: The natural degeneration of the hair cells in the cochlea as a result of ageing is one of the most common causes of hearing loss, and usually leads to high-frequency hearing loss.

2. Noise Exposure: Prolonged or sudden exposure to loud noises can damage the sound-sensing cells in the cochlea, which can lead to a decreased perception of sound and subsequent hearing loss.

3. Viral or bacterial Infections: Symptoms such as mumps, measles, and meningitis can directly affect the cochlea and hearing nerve.

4. Hereditary Hearing Loss: Hearing loss that occurs congenitally or gradually during adolescence due to a genetic mutation.

5. Auditory Neuroma: a slow-growing benign tumour in the auditory nerve that compresses the auditory nerve and tends to trigger unilateral hearing loss.

6. Head Loss: Head injury or craniocerebral injury resulting in cochlear haemorrhage and damage to nerve pathways, etc., can cause hearing loss.

• Hearing but unable to hear, difficult to understand speech

• Decreased perception of high-frequency sounds, such as children's voices, birdsong, doorbells, etc.

• Tinnitus, a persistent buzzing in the ears

• Asymmetry of hearing in both ears

Mixed Hearing Loss

Mixed hearing loss refers to both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. It usually means that sound is not only blocked in the conduction process, but also the processing of sound by the inner ear and nerves is impaired. This type of hearing loss is very complex and requires a comprehensive approach to judgment and treatment.

The common cause of mixed hearing loss is the simultaneous presence of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss in the ear. Its causes are generally more complex and difficult to determine easily, and professional assistance is needed to diagnose it. Here are a few of the more common causes:

1. Chronic otitis media causes structural loss of the middle ear + degeneration of the inner ear from infections: long-term ear infections can puncture the eardrum and simultaneously irritate the inner ear, leading to double damage.

2. Severe head trauma: A severe head injury may destroy both the structure of the middle ear and the hair cells or nerve tissue of the inner ear.

3. Middle ear sclerosis + age-related degeneration: middle ear sclerosis can lead to restricted sound conduction, while the cochlea deteriorates with age, leading to the brain's inability to process sound information properly

4. Congenital malformation of the ear canal combined with hereditary hearing loss: this usually occurs due to a genetic mutation.

• Greatly reduced clarity and volume of sound

• Persistent tinnitus accompanied by significant hearing loss

• Can't hear other people's voices or your own when you speak

• Can't hear sound

Can Different Types of Hearing Loss Be Reversed or Treated?

Whether or not hearing loss is reversible usually depends on the type of hearing loss and the underlying cause of hearing loss:

Conductive hearing loss is usually reversible if it is caused by earwax buildup, which can be cleaned using safe and scientifically proven earwax cleaning tools; if it is due to other causes, it can usually be treated with medications, medical interventions, and minor surgeries such as tympanic membrane repair or auditory chain reconstruction surgery

Sensorineural hearing loss is usually irreversible, but it can usually be managed. Hearing aids can be used to amplify external sounds, and cochlear implants can be used to improve hearing loss in severe cases.

Some of the mixed hearing loss can be treated with a combination of medication and assistive devices, while some of the more severe loss, both inside and outside the ear, is difficult to reverse. Early detection can greatly improve the outcome, especially for people over 50 or at risk of hearing loss, and regular visits to the doctor for hearing checks are recommended.

How Can Hearing Loss Be Prevented?

• Clean Your Ears Safely: You can clean your ears at home with safe ear cleaner tools. You can use an ear wax removal with a camera, which not only allows you to directly inspect the inside of the ear canal, but also removes earwax safely and prevents it from building up.

• Limit Exposure to Loud Sounds: Use professional ear protection in noisy environments such as construction; use headphones at a volume that is not too high.

• Avoid Inserting Objects into the Ear: Avoid inserting foreign objects such as cotton swabs and bobby pins into the ear, as this can easily damage the ear canal.

• Manage Chronic Diseases: Diseases such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease can also affect your hearing.

• Have Your Hearing Checked Regularly: Especially if you notice any early signs of hearing changes.

• See Your Doctor: If you notice any hearing abnormality, it is important to seek the help of a professional doctor or audiologist. Early detection and early treatment are the only ways to maintain the health of our ears.

Conclusion

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