What should I do if my hearing deteriorates? 8 cases when you should see a doctor

What should I do if my hearing deteriorates? 8 cases when you should see a doctor

This concerns not only the elderly.

Why does hearing deteriorate? Let’s deal with the doctor.

Otorhinolaryngologist-otolaryngologist-otosurgeon at the FNAC FMBA of Russia

Hearing loss is a steady decrease in a person’s ability to perceive sounds. Depending on the part of the ear in which the damage is localized, there are conductive hearing loss (caused by a violation arising in the sound-conducting part of the ear), neurosensory (this type affects the sound-receiving part of the ear, that is, the inner ear) and mixed form.

In addition, there is both congenital and acquired hearing loss. Pathology can occur at any age, but about 80% of cases are diagnosed with an acquired disorder of perception of sounds of the world around. In this case, it is most often detected in elderly people.

The main clinical manifestation of hearing loss is a decrease in hearing. A person begins to regularly interrogate the interlocutor and asks to repeat what was said, increases the volume of the TV or radio, gets closer to the interlocutor to hear better, involuntarily raises his voice during a conversation.

It may also cause a feeling of stuffiness in the ears, in some cases there is tinnitus and ringing in the ears, dizziness and loss of balance.

If any of these symptoms appear, it is necessary to consult an otorhinolaryngologist and undergo an examination.

There are many causes that can provoke hearing loss.

1. Sulphur plug – the accumulation of excessive amounts of sulphur in the ear canal, which prevents the normal passage of sound waves. This is considered the most common cause.
2. Otitis media (inflammatory diseases of various parts of the ear) can also cause hearing loss.
3. Acute infectious diseases (acute respiratory viral infections, influenza, tonsillitis, meningitis and others).
4. Prolonged intake of certain medications, such as certain types of antibiotics.
5. Damage to the ear.
6. Trauma to the skull.
7. Atherosclerosis (chronic focal lesions of the arteries, vascular pathology).
8. Otosclerosis (focal lesion of the bony capsule of the labyrinth of the inner ear labyrinth).

Only a specialist is able to determine exactly what caused hearing loss and prescribe the correct treatment.

The main advice for preventing hearing loss is to avoid noise as much as possible. It is not recommended to stay in noisy rooms for a long time, listen to loud music with headphones. At work, accompanied by loud noise, you should be sure to use earplugs.

You should also not neglect preventive examinations and periodically check your hearing.