Hearing loss and deafness

Causes of hearing loss

External ear
- Impacted cerumen
- Foreign bodies
- External otitis
Middle ear
- Otitis media
- Serous otitis
- Otosclerosis
- Tympanic membrane trauma
- Cholesteatoma
- Acoustic neuroma
Inner ear
- Ménière’s disease
- Noise-induced hearing loss
- Presbycusis
- Ototoxicity

Types of hearing loss

Conductive hearing loss
- Sound transmission to inner ear impaired
  - Patients actually hear better in noisy environments
  - Patient often speaks softly
  - Identify and treat cause
  - Suggest hearing aid
- Caused by
  - Otitis media with effusion
  - Impacted cerumen
  - Perforation of TM
  - Otosclerosis
  - Narrowing of the external auditory canal
Sensorineural hearing loss
- Results in ability to hear sound but inability to understand speech
  - Can lead to misunderstanding by others
  - Hearing aids make sounds louder but not clearer
- Caused by
  - Impairment of the inner ear
  - Vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII) damage
  - Congenital and hereditary factors
  - Noise trauma
  - Aging (presbycusis)
  - Meniere’s disease
- Ototoxic drugs
  - Aspirin
  - NSAIDs
  - Antibiotics
  - Loop diuretics
  - Chemotherapy drugs
Mixed hearing loss
- Central and functional hearing loss

Flu and People with Asthma

For Everyone SEPT. 5, 2024 ESPAÑOL AT A GLANCE Asthma is a lung disease that is caused by chronic inflammation of the airways. People with

Medical Robots to the Rescue

New Technologies to Help Our Health En español Send us your comments (link sends e-mail) What do you think of when you hear the word

Get Active Together

Social Support Can Help Keep You Moving En español Send us your comments (link sends e-mail) Physical activity has many benefits. Walking, running, biking, swimming,