The inability to hear in a person could be triggered by different reasons, and of course, they are classified based on the causes and their triggers. For the sake of this post, I will be writing about Mixed hearing loss, sounds like a combination, right? Of course, it is a combination of different types of hearing loss.
source
Briefly describing the human ear.
The human ear is divided into three, we have the outer, middle, and inner ear. The outer ear is made up of the ear canal, the region we see on the sides of our heads which is the pinna, then we have the eardrum sometimes called the tympanic membrane separating the outer from the middle ear.
The middle ear is made up of the eardrum, and the three small bones called the tympanic membrane which is a separating factor for the outer and middle ear.
The inner ear is made up of nerves that go into the brain, snail snail-shaped organ for hearing called the cochlea, and the semicircular canals that help with balance.
While our aim today is to focus on mixed hearing loss, we need to touch on the other existing hearing losses.
Conductive hearing loss is caused by something that makes it impossible for sounds to get through to the middle or outer ear, such hearing loss can be treated with medicine and surgery.
Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is an issue with the way the inner ear or hearing nerve functions.
Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder is a hearing loss that happens when sound enters the ear normally, but because the damage has been done to the hearing nerve, the sound is not organized in a way the brain will be able to understand.
Mixed hearing loss is when there is difficulty hearing in the middle ear, known as sensorineural hearing loss, and the outer ear known as conductive hearing loss. Primarily, the symptoms of mixed hearing loss include the inability to hear soft sounds, and difficulty understanding speech, especially when the environment is noisy. There are different reasons why hearing loss could happen, but basically, it is a combination of factors that affect different parts of the ear.
source
Mixed hearing loss can be caused by;
Trauma: When there is an injury to the head, including skull fractures.
Infections: Infection of the ear can cause inflammation and the buildup of fluid in the middle ear, which will result in a conducive hearing loss. Infections can also lead to damage to the inner ear.
Exposure to Noise: If you stay around very loud sounds for a very long time, or there is a sudden loud noise, it can cause damage to the tiny hair cells inside the ear that makes hearing possible.
Age-related hearing loss: With an advancement in age, it is only normal for hearing ability to get worse. This is called presbycusis and it usually causes sensorineural hearing loss.
There are risk factors that will increase the likelihood of mixed hearing loss;
Smoking tobacco is connected to an increased chance of hearing loss.
hearing loss can run in families, some people will be born with a higher chance of having issues with their hearing ability simply because of their genes.
Attending concerts regularly staying close to loudspeakers, and the use of increased volume of headphones could greatly contribute to sensorineural hearing loss.
Some occupational noises like construction, and factory work can greatly increase the chances of developing sensorineural hearing loss.
Other descriptions of hearing losses;
Unilateral, affects just one ear while bilateral affects both ears.
Pre-lingual happens before a person learns how to talk, while post-lingual happens after a person has learned to talk.
Symmetrical hearing loss affects both ears or when the level of hearing loss is different in each ear, it is called asymmetrical.
Progressive ear loss gets worse over time or happens suddenly.
Some ear losses could either get better or get worse over time.
Not every type of mixed hearing loss can be prevented, several steps can be taken to reduce the risk of occurrence when it comes to those that are preventable.
Ensure you do your best to protect your ears especially when exposed to loud noises, whether you are at work or during recreational activities. Try not to insert objects into the ear canal as it is a risk of infection, and if you suspect an ear infection or notice a sudden change in your hearing, consult a professional as soon as you can.
Fast medical attention is important as a case of untreated mixed hearing loss can result in complications, and the ability to communicate will become even more challenging. Untreated hearing loss will put individuals at risk of depression, isolation, and a decline in cognitive function.
References.
https://www.baptisthealth.com/care-services/conditions-treatments/mixed-hearing-loss
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hearingloss/types.html
https://www.hearingloss.org/hearing-help/hearing-loss-basics/types-causes-and-treatment/
