Critical illness cover and Alzheimer’s disease
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Hearing loss
Presbycusis is the scientific name for the hearing loss that occurs gradually with age. It is very common, with almost half the world’s population over 65 suffering from hearing loss to some degree.
Presbycusis can affect the outer or middle ear (called conductive hearing loss), or the inner ear (sensorineural). Some people may have mixed hearing loss, which is a combination of both.
Hearing loss occurs as a result of aging, as well as exposure to loud noises. It can also be triggered by other factors, like excessive earwax.
Most hearing loss is irreversible. However, medical technology today is often able to help people hear more clearly.
Symptoms:
Since hearing loss occurs gradually, many people take a long time to notice the symptoms.
If someone is constantly asking people to speak more slowly and clearly, often withdrawing from conversations, or avoiding social settings due to noise, they may be suffering from early stages of hearing loss.
When hearing loss starts to occur, one will hear speech and other sounds as muffled. They may have trouble hearing consonants, and difficulty understanding words.
If someone experiences a sudden loss of hearing, it is important to seek medical attention immediately.
When someone notices that their level of hearing is starting to impair daily tasks in their life, it may be time to see a doctor to discuss options.
Causes:
Physically speaking, in order for a person to hear, soundwaves must travel through the outer ear, to the eardrum. The eardrum, along with three small bones (middle ear), amplifies the soundwaves and passes them through the inner ear, to a snail-shaped structure called the cochlea. The cochlea has many nerves that helps translate vibrations and send signals to the brain.
Damage to the inner ear is one of the most causes of hearing loss. When the cochlea begins to deteriorate, due to ageing and exposure to loud noises, the nerves cannot effectively send signals to the brain, and sounds are not heard clearly. Usually, higher pitched tones will become harder to detect at first. Eventually, all sounds can become muffled.
Ear infections, tumours, and raptured eardrums can also cause hearing loss. Excessive earwax can also impair one’s ability to hear. In such a case, the removal of earwax may restore hearing.
Risk factors:
As mentioned above, hearing loss is caused gradually over time, and is aggravated by exposure to loud noises. For this reason, people who work in loud environments, such as factory work, or working in the construction or entertainment industry, may have a higher risk of developing hearing loss.
Listening to music at high volumes can also agitate your ears, causing hearing loss over time. It is recommended to listen to music at only low to medium volume when using headphones. One should also limit their exposure to events and places that are exceedingly loud, such as rock concerts and firing ranges.
Some people may also be more genetically inclined to lose their hearing as they age.
There are a few diseases that can affect the cochlea, and thus cause hearing loss. These are usually illnesses that result in high fevers, such as meningitis. Likewise, some drugs, including specific antibiotics and Viagra, may damage the inner ear. Very high doses of Aspirin or other pain relievers have also been known to cause temporary hearing impairment.
Diagnosis
There are a number of tests that one can undergo in order to assess one’s hearing and diagnose hearing loss. A physical exam may be performed by a doctor to check for inflammation, excessive earwax, or infections that may cause hearing loss. They may also use the ‘whisper test’, in which they ask how well you hear words spoken at different volumes in either ear (the accuracy of this test is limited).
There are also some applications that allow you to test for moderate hearing loss at home. These work by playing sounds at different frequencies, allowing you to assess your hearing from your mobile device.
The most accurate test, however, is performed by using an audiometer. These tests are conducted by audiologists, who will place special earphones on the patient. A series of sounds is played in each ear at different tones, and the way that the ear responds is recorded.
Treatment:
In rare cases, the cause of hearing impairment is something that can be fixed. For example, if hearing loss is caused by excessive wax build up, a doctor can remove earwax with a special tool. Likewise, irregularities in the eardrum or ear bones can sometimes be corrected with surgical procedures.
However, sadly the majority of hearing loss is irreversible.
In these cases, hearing aids can be extremely helpful. They contain small microphones to collect sounds, computer chips to analyze said sounds, and speakers to play them into one’s ear with more amplification. An audiologist will recommend an appropriate hearing aid to their patient, based on the patient’s personal needs.
In the case of severe damage to the cochlea, a hearing aid might not be enough. A cochlea implant may be a suitable substitute. A cochlea implant is a small electronic device, which, unlike a hearing aid, does not amplify sounds. Rather, it delivers sounds directly to the auditory nerve, bypassing damaged areas of the ear. The signals that the brain receives from this tool are different to natural hearing, and it may take up to 6 months for someone to be able to understand speech with a cochlea implant.
Statistics
- More than 747000 Canadians suffer from Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.
In 2020, 15 out of every 100,000 Canadians died of Alzheimer’s Disease
1 in 5 Canadians have experience caring for someone who has Alzheimer’s or other forms of Dementia.
We estimate that by 2030, over 912000 Canadians will be living with Dementia, including Alzheimer’s Disease
56% of Canadians are concerned about being affected by Alzheimer’s disease
Conclusion
Hearing loss is something that affects many people worldwide. With our modern medical technology, most people who suffer from hearing loss will be able to use tools to help them retain the use of their ears.
At Canadian Insurance Centre, we can help make sure that you have the most advanced auditory care at your disposal. Reach out to us now for a free consultation.
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