Hearing Problems : Advice For Those Concerned

| Monday, April 11, 2011
By Mark Walters


Anybody of any age can endure hearing loss or hearing disorders. The majority of hearing disorders are caused by things such as overexposure to very loud noises, genetic predispositions to ear problems and aging. Some other kinds of hearing problems can be a result of wax buildup, a ruptured eardrum, or possibly even a severe ear infection. A person who experiences hearing problems should consult a specialist doctor, who can diagnose the condition and prescribe the proper medication, supply hearing aids, or give advice on the prevention of possible future problems.

There are 3 core types of hearing disorders, with each type affecting a different section of a person's ear. These 3 disorders can be categorized as either conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss or mixed hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss comes as a result of problems in a person's middle and outer ear. Sensorineural hearing loss, on the other hand, develops as a consequence of some type of injury to a person's inner ear. If both types of hearing loss are experienced, it is known as mixed hearing loss.

When sound that is transmitted from the outer ear, through the middle ear to the ear drum, is restricted due to some sort of blockage, it is known as conductive hearing loss. The most common causes of conductive hearing loss are infections, excessive wax build up, common colds and the presence of foreign objects. More serious forms of conductive hearing loss could be caused by damage to the ear drum or Eustachian canal, or a tumor.

Problems that stem from conditions affecting the inner ear and nerves leading to the brain are categorized as forms of sensorineural hearing loss. The most common cause of hearing loss in this local area is abnormalities in the hair cells that are located in the organ of Corti in the cochlea, though it can also be caused as a result of injury to any area of the inner ear and the eighth cranial nerve. Many people experience this form of hearing loss from listening to loud music for extended periods of time.

In a situation where sensorineural and conductive hearing loss is present, a patient is said to be suffering from mixed hearing loss. This kind of condition usually comes about as a result of severe trauma to the ear, most commonly as a result of an accident, or physical attack. While sensorineural hearing loss can be improved with the help of a hearing aid, it is not easy to treat the direct cause and as such, doctors tend to concentrate on the treatment of conductive hearing loss before anything else.




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