Hearing loss, hearing loss in adults and what you need to know

The article was professionally consulted with Doctor Tran Quoc Tuan - Head of Resuscitation Unit - ICU - Emergency Resuscitation Department - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital.

Hearing loss, also known as hearing loss, is a sudden or gradual loss of hearing that can progress gradually over time. People with hearing loss, if not detected in time and have reasonable hearing restoration methods, will easily lead to chronic hearing loss or even deafness. Therefore, hearing loss can be called the first stage of deafness.
According to a statistic on The Gerontologist, there are currently more than 1.3 billion people in the world who have hearing loss, of which about 13% of people aged 40 - 49 years have hearing loss. , up to 45% of people with hearing loss between the ages of 60 and 69 years old and 90% of people over 80 years old have hearing loss. This number is increasing due to the rapidly aging population. And another study has shown that people with hearing loss have a higher risk of depression than those without hearing loss.

Causes and risk factors that increase the likelihood of hearing loss are common in clinical practice:
Old age: it is the most common cause of hearing loss in clinical practice today. Like other organs and organs, the auditory nerve fibers will also be degraded over time or even completely destroyed, the number of hair cells in the inner ear structure will also be reduced gradually. This reduces the ability of the ears to receive and transmit information, which causes hearing loss. According to clinical research, 1 in 3 people aged 65 - 74 years old will have hearing loss. And every 75 years, the number of people with the disease increases to 1 to 2 people. Noise: the essence of the hearing process is the vibration and displacement along with the sound of structures in the ear such as the eardrum, cilia, fluid in the cochlea... Institute for Prevention and Education France's national health has set the threshold for dangerous sound levels to be between 85 decibels. Therefore, any loud and prolonged sound can cause structural damage in the ear leading to hearing loss. A person who listens to 120dB of sound can experience ear pain, and 130dB can lead to permanent deafness. Medications: Some drugs can cause side effects that lead to hearing loss or loss of balance such as antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, aspirin, diuretics, erectile dysfunction drugs or drugs to treat diseases. fever. Due to diseases: the most common are inflammatory diseases of the ear such as otitis media, inner ear infection or meningitis ... In addition, some other diseases also have a high risk of affecting common hearing such as: Heart conditions, blood pressure, and diabetes can all interfere with blood flow to the ears.

Due to trauma: it can be caused by direct trauma to the ear area, perforating the eardrum or by trauma causing craniocerebral fissure, which will also affect hearing. Due to improper ear cleaning, too much earwax can clog the ear canal, reduce the ability to hear or even damage the ear and eardrum during ear cleaning. Clinically, hearing loss is divided into 3 different types:
Conductive hearing loss: involving the outer and middle ear. Receptive hearing loss: directly related to the inner ear. Mixed hearing loss: involving both the outer, middle, and inner ears. Manifestations of hearing loss in adults:
Difficulty hearing more than usual, hearing voices or other sounds are lower than normal. Sometimes do not understand what others say or hear wrongly, hear the wrong sound, especially in crowded and noisy places. Frequently ask others to speak slowly, clearly and loudly. Increase the volume of the phone, radio or radio when listening. Some cases tend to avoid social activities, withdraw themselves from conversations due to hearing loss.

Based on the patient's hearing ability, people divide hearing loss into different levels as follows:
Mild hearing loss: can still hear when talking with only 2 people together, if there is background noise, it will harder to hear. Moderate hearing loss: often have to ask the other person to repeat sentences when communicating. Severe hearing loss: unable to hear normal conversations without hearing aids. Severe hearing loss: completely unable to hear another person without the help of a hearing aid or cochlear implant.

To limit the risk of hearing loss, it is necessary to note a few things as follows:
Have a reasonable diet and rest, limit sugar and do not add too much fat, increase vitamins and minerals needed essential for the body. Get enough sleep to ensure the health of the whole body as well as the functioning of the brain. Take care, clean your ears regularly and properly clean them according to the instructions of your doctor. Do not arbitrarily pick up earwax with sharp objects because it can cause damage to the structure of the ear, especially perforation of the eardrum. Take measures to protect your ears when going out or in noisy places with loud sounds by using noise-canceling earplugs.

Avoid activities that put you at risk of ear injury. Check and check hearing often, do not listen to loud sounds for a long time. If you find that your ears have hearing loss, you need to see a doctor immediately for advice as well as treatment advice from a doctor. Exercise regularly and control your weight. Limit the use of stimulants such as alcohol, tobacco... Thoroughly treat other systemic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease or diseases in the ear and brain area. Hard of hearing, hearing loss has always been a dilemma, occurring frequently in old age. People with hearing loss tend to be prone to depression due to reduced ability to hear and understand in social communication. This creates negative thoughts in the patient's psyche. Therefore, go to the doctor as soon as you see signs of hearing loss for timely treatment advice, limiting the risk of permanent deafness.
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