Before each sound is registered and understood by us, it has to go quite a long way. It all starts, of course, with the pinna and ends in the brain. At each step of the way, anomalies can occur that prevent a certain sound from being heard properly and sometimes not even being heard at all. This is called hearing loss or deafness. One of the causes of this condition may be diseases and injuries.
Hearing Loss – Types
Most of all, hearing loss can be gradual or happen suddenly. There are also reports of sensorineural hearing loss, which is most often the result of the aging of the body and damage to the hair cells, and conductive hearing loss, which occurs as a result of damage to the structures of the outer or middle ear. This can come from very different causes, and certain diseases and injuries can contribute to it. As complete deafness usually begins with a hearing loss, systematic prevention is essential, e.g., hearing aids or hearing test online, which will allow you to identify the first abnormalities. What diseases and injuries can cause hearing loss?
Diseases That Can Cause Hearing Loss
Many diseases can contribute to partial or complete hearing loss, so even a small change in the hearing should make us visit a doctor. It is also worth regularly performing an online hearing test as prophylaxis. The most dangerous diseases include, first of all, acute, exudative, or chronic otitis. However, even a runny nose can contribute to this disease, so it is important not to neglect even such ordinary colds.
Other diseases that can cause hearing loss include otosclerosis, which is manifested by ossicular dysfunction and is sometimes related to pregnancy. Tumors – benign and malignant, as well as some viral diseases such as measles, mumps, and shingles, can lead to permanent damage to the hearing organ. People who have diabetes, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, or thrombosis are also at risk of hearing loss. Therefore, it is even more important to perform an online hearing test for preventive purposes.
Head Injuries and Hearing Loss
Not only diseases but also head injuries can contribute to partial or even complete hearing loss. Both direct and indirect head injuries can be dangerous. The direct injuries include, among others, being hit by high voltage current or lightning and indirect injuries include dislocation of the cervical vertebrae. Also, all mechanical injuries within the auricle, which may have occurred, for example, as a result of a traffic accident, require observation and a visit to the doctor because they can have dangerous consequences. Acoustic trauma, always caused by excessive noise, can also contribute to hearing loss. It can be sudden and chronic. The first one may be the result of, for example, an explosion, and the second one may be caused by prolonged exposure to moderate noise, e.g., at work.