March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 49 F

The Common Causes of Deafness and How To Deal With Them

Deafness is a medical condition characterized by the lost ability to hear sounds either in one or both ears. It is common as people age, although there are other causes of deafness that can make people deaf at their young ages. It can be tough to manage deafness but it can help if you understand the common causes of deafness and how to deal with them.

Ear Blockages

While cerumen is naturally secreted by the ear canal to help lubricate the ear and its tissues and prevent the entry of  dust and other foreign objects into the ear. Unfortunately, a build-up of wax in the ear can block the ear canal resulting in short-term hearing loss. This can easily be resolved by clearing the build-up. Likewise, the entry of foreign objects into your can also cause hearing impairment. An object such as a tip of a cotton bud can cause temporary hearing loss. Your hearing can however be restored once the item is taken out of your ear. Excess mucus can also contribute to hearing loss. When you have a common cold, a bout of flu, allergies and hay fever your body can excrete excess mucus which may end up blocking the eustachian tube in your ear hence barring sound transfers.

Ear Infections

Ear infections like otitis externa and otitis media are common ear infections that result in the production of fluids and pus which obstruct full sound conduction. If not treated on time, these infections can damage your hearing permanently and cause you irreversible deafness. If you are confronted with hearing loss, medics recommend that you get the appropriate Starkey hearing aids based on the level of hearing loss you experience. Remember there are different types of hearing aids designed for different levels of hearing loss. Your doctor can only determine the ideal hearing aids for you after subjecting you to a hearing test.

Genetic And Heredity Disorders

Many hereditary disorders can result in hearing loss. This means that parents can pass affected and unhealthy genes to their children increasing their chances of becoming deaf either in their early childhood or early adulthood. Hereditary hearing loss often results from malformations in the inner ear. Simultaneously, genetic disorders can occur when genetic mutations happen and the outcome of these mutations can result in hearing impairment. As the mother’s egg and the father’s sperms join at conception, the resulting genes can be malformed.  Such genetic disorders as osteogenesis imperfecta,  Treacher collins syndrome, and Patau syndrome are common genetic disorders that can lead to deafness. While you may not be in a position to prevent deafness caused by genetic disorders, regular ear tests can reveal the deafness while it is in its initial stages. At the initial stages, hearing loss can be restored so ensure you take your children for frequent ear tests.

Prenatal Exposures To Diseases

There are high chances that a baby can be born deaf if the baby is exposed to certain diseases before the baby is born.  Diseases like rubella, influenza, and mumps can cause deafness in babies both before they are born and in their early childhood. You should ensure your baby is vaccinated against these diseases. Mothers can also lower the chances of giving birth to children with hearing impairments by reducing exposure to medications like quinine, mercury, and methyl.

Noise

Loud noises from gunshots, explosions, rock concerts, and firecrackers can increase your chances of becoming deaf especially if you have prolonged exposure to these noises. Whether you engage in such activities for recreation or you work in environments that predispose you to such noises, you should limit your exposure to them as the longer you expose your ears to the noises the more your delicate ear mechanisms are damaged and the most likely outcome is deafness. You can wear protective barriers like earplugs and earmuffs if you have to work in a noisy environment to prevent damage to your ears.

Deafness can be caused by many things including traumas like perforation of your eardrum, changes in air pressure, and a fractured skull can all increase your chances of becoming deaf. Diseases like meningitis, mumps, influenza, rubella, chickenpox, and severe jaundice can lead to hearing impairments. Excess noise can also damage your eardrum and cause hearing loss. There is also deafness that comes with a person growing old. Exposure to loud music can also lead to hearing loss. To manage deafness, you should go for frequent hearing tests. Use protective devices like earmuffs and earplugs anytime you are in a noisy environment. Talk to your doctor to know when you need hearing aids. Early detection of hearing loss can make it easy for your condition to be rectified so do not delay seeing your doctor.

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