Symptoms of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is a medical condition characterized by the decreasing ability of ears to understand and detect sounds. This problem is caused by a combination of environmental and biological factors. Common causes include earwax blockage, cochlear damage and ear infection. In addition, the presence of tumors and abnormal bone growths can also lead to hearing impairment. Here is a closer look at the different treatments, diagnosis as well as the minor and major symptoms of hearing loss.
Signs of Hearing Loss
People suffering from the signs of hearing loss usually manifest major and minor symptoms. Early signs of this medical problem include withdrawal from conversations, difficulty in understanding words as well as muffled speech quality. Furthermore, patients commonly avoid social settings, increase the volume of radios and televisions as well as ask other people to speak in a louder, clearer and slower manner.
Various factors contribute to this kind of hearing loss or damage. One of the key factors is aging. Older people have inflicted more damage to their ears rather than younger people, which resulted in the declining ability of their ears to function normally. Loud noises can also cause damage. This is especially true for people who are exposed to occupational noise including those who are involved in factories, construction and farming. Certain illnesses, the use of some medications and heredity are amongst the other risk factors of this serious health problem.
Hearing Loss Diagnosis
Doctors will normally conduct general screening tests on hearing loss patients. For a better understanding of the different ear problems and conditions, it is best for patients to consult hearing specialists referred to as audiologists. They will perform special hearing tests on patients for a highly accurate diagnosis of their hearing problems.
Hearing Loss Treatment
Thanks to the rapid advancement of technology, life is much easier and more convenient for people suffering from hearing loss. Today, cochlear implants are readily available, which work by compensating for the nonworking or damaged parts of the inner ear. Furthermore, a variety of hearing aids can help solve the hearing problems of people. They come in various styles, shapes and sizes, which make it easier to find items that would best fit the different needs of people. Basic components of hearing aids include a battery, an earpiece, an amplifier and a microphone.
For those suffering from earwax blockage, the solution is simpler. All they need to do is to loosen the wax with the help of glycerin, mineral oil or baby oil. Once the earwax is loose, a curette can be used to scoop the wax out of the ears. As an alternative, doctors do have suction devices to help suck the wax out of the ears.
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