This book describes the Lows and Highs of Hearing Disorders, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases

Hearing is one of the most important human senses.

People use the hearing to take in the information around them and learn from their experiences.

To go through life without hearing is not easy but possible (especially with use of sign language).

Hearing refers to the ability to perceive noise and sounds.

The hearing is used to listen to music, talk to people around the person and assess social and environmental situations.

The sounds the person hears each day serve to make the life richer.

Birds chirping, a child laughing or the favorite song have sound value that is intangible, but still shapes the everyday life in manners that people often take for granted.

The hearing is also a teaching instrument, warning people of possible danger and permitting people to pick up on social cues.

The sound of fire alarms, a telephone ringing or a car horn can all be very important in a dangerous situation.

The Lows of Hearing: Hearing Loss

There are 2 main forms of hearing loss.

1. Conductive hearing loss - this happens when there is a problem in the transmission of sound waves from the external ear, through the middle ear.

The disease processes can happen at any level along this part of the ear.

Conductive hearing loss (CHL) happens due to a mechanical problem in the outer or middle ear.

This may be because:

a. The three tiny bones of the ear (ossicles) are not conducting sound properly.

Otosclerosis

Prebysacusis

Otitis Media

b. The eardrum is not vibrating in reaction to sound.

Eardrum perforation

Wax in ear canal

2. Sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) - this indicates problems happening in the cochlea (the most frequent site of disease), cochlear nerve or brain stem, leading to abnormal or absent neurosensory impulses.

Sensorineural hearing loss is more frequent in adults.

Hearing loss can also be separated into categories to indicate the severity.

Mild hearing loss (20-40 dB HL): cannot hear whispers

Moderate hearing loss (41-70 dB HL): cannot hear conversational speech

Severe hearing loss (71-95 dB HL): cannot hear shouting, need a hearing aid

Profound hearing loss (95 dB HL or more): cannot hear sounds that would be painful to listen to for a hearing person

Hearing loss can be acquired (due to injury or infection) or a result of genetics and congenital disorders.

Hearing loss is treatable, but the sooner it is treated, the better.

Highs of Hearing: Hypersensitivity to Sound

Hypersensitivity to sound can be equally a symptom and a source of anxiety.

People talking, honking of car horns, clanking of pans, and printers printing can become quite a nuisance as each tiny noise is an added injury to the brain.

In dangerous situations, noise hypersensitivity may be advantageous.

Those that have felt trauma may also become more sensitive to sound.

Decreased sound tolerance follow tinnitus in 60% of patients

Hyperacusis is a collapsed tolerance to normal environmental sounds.

Misophonia (hatred of sound) is an adverse response to sound at any volume.

It is possible to achieve the cure for both hyperacusis and misophonia with tinnitus retraining therapy and sound desensitization.

The ability to hear is important to all healthy persons.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Introduction

Chapter 1 Hearing Disorders

Chapter 2 Hearing Loss (Deafness)

Chapter 3 Otosclerosis

Chapter 4 Prebyacusis

Chapter 5 Tinnitus (Updated)

Chapter 6 Hyperacusis (Updated)

Chapter 7 Misophonia (Updated)

Chapter 8 Meniere’s Disease (Updated)

Epilogue