Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a partial hearing loss. People with this disease can perceive sounds, but with difficulty. This can be caused by various reasons such as damage to the ear, age-related changes, infectious diseases or damage from loud sounds.
Classification of hearing loss
Types:
- Neurosensory;
- sudden;
- conductive;
- mixed;
- acute;
- chronic.
There are 4 degrees of hearing loss:
- The patient does not perceive sounds over 26-40 dB.
- The patient does not perceive sounds over 41-55 dB.
- The patient does not perceive sounds over 56-70 dB.
- The patient does not perceive sounds with a power of over 71-90 dB.
If a person cannot perceive sounds above 90 dB, he/she is diagnosed with deafness.
The main causes of the hearing loss
- Older age – with age people’s senses become less sensitive, by the age of 50 about 20% of people have hearing impairment, by the age of 70 this figure increases to 30%;
- injuries and diseases of the ears;
- constant strong noise – modern people are constantly faced with loud sounds at work, on the street, while listening to music, which adversely affects the hearing organs;
- wax plugs – the probability of their formation increases with poor hygiene, when people clean their ears with cotton swabs and push the wax deep inside, pressing it, as a result, over time, the ear canal is completely blocked, hearing decreases;
- hereditary predisposition;
- scarring of the membrane – formed after infections, interferes with the normal function of the membrane, resulting in hearing loss;
- congenital – usually the result of a genetic malfunction or exposure of the fetus to unfavorable factors while in the womb.
Treatment of hearing loss
Treatment of hearing loss depends primarily on the form and causes of the disease.
Conductive hearing loss, which is caused by impaired conduction of sound through the outer and middle ear, is easier to treat.
- Wax plugs and foreign bodies are removed by washing the ear. After this simple procedure, hearing is fully restored.
- In acute external and middle otitis media prescribe antifungal agents, antibiotics, drops and ointments with anti-inflammatory effect, conduct physical therapy. Such treatment can last several weeks, but persistent hearing loss as a result rarely develops.
- Chronic purulent otitis media is characterized by a long course with alternating periods of deterioration and quiescence. Exacerbations usually occur due to hypothermia or accidental ingress of water into the ear. Hearing loss can reach 3-4 degrees and has a persistent character. It is difficult to completely get rid of this disease. In some cases, surgery – tympanoplasty – may help.
- Hearing loss in otosclerosis is persistent and prone to progression. This disease can give a positive effect of surgery – stapedoplasty, but it is not shown to all patients. The conclusion on its necessity is given by an otosurgeon. One of the main complaints in otosclerosis is a sharp noise in the ears. Often the most effective help in this disease is wearing hearing aids, which not only restore hearing, but also reduce the intensity of tinnitus.
Much worse is the treatment of hearing loss associated with impaired sound perception, where the disease affects the inner ear, the auditory nerve and the brain structures of the auditory system. They are often lumped together under the name chronic sensorineural hearing loss.
The disease has two key characteristics: the progressive nature and the irreversibility of the resulting hearing loss.
There are many treatments:
- Various medications are prescribed: neuroprotectors, nootropics, antioxidants, antihypoxants, agents that improve cerebral blood flow and microcirculation in the inner ear.
- Physical therapy is used – magneto- and laser therapy, electrical stimulation, hyperbaric oxygenation.
- Sometimes methods of traditional medicine are used, such as acupuncture or hirudotherapy.
In fact, this variety of treatments almost always indicates that the problem is far from being solved.
Unfortunately, there is currently no way to restore the lost hair cells in the cochlea, and all the above-mentioned remedies have an indirect effect, for example, by activating the brain. And since the resulting hearing loss is almost irreversible, the main goal of treatment at the present stage is to slow down the progression of the disease.
Taking into account the long duration of the so-called “hearing-preserving” treatment courses, as well as its very modest and unobvious effect, the choice of drugs is made taking into account their maximum harmlessness for the patient.
Prevention
To reduce the likelihood of developing the disease, it is necessary to observe the following recommendations:
- regularly undergo preventive examinations (especially for people from risk groups) – this will help to detect possible pathological changes at early stages, which will greatly facilitate subsequent treatment and improve the prognosis;
- strengthen immune defense;
- treat respiratory tract pathologies in a timely manner;
- avoid prolonged exposure of the ears to loud sounds;
- use protective equipment (earplugs, headphones) when working in harmful industries;
- refuse to abuse alcohol, smoking;
- regularly sanitize foci of chronic infection in the body;
- observe hygiene, timely and properly clean the ears from wax and other deposits.
Conclusion
The treatment of sensorineural hearing loss is a complex and multifaceted process that requires an individualized approach depending on the cause and form of the disease. Modern treatment methods, such as the use of medications, physical therapy and hearing aids, help to slow the progression of the disease and improve the quality of life of patients. However, in the case of chronic sensorineural hearing loss, restoration of lost hearing function remains impossible, and the main goal is to prevent further hearing loss. It is important to remember that timely diagnosis and prevention play a key role in maintaining hearing and preventing the disease from progressing.
