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Today, a range of hearing issues impact individuals across the globe, affecting the way they communicate and navigate throughout their daily lives. However, when referring to such individuals dealing with hearing issues, "deafness" doesn't quite characterize what they experience or what they might be affected by. That's why we want to spread awareness of the different hearing problems so that others can understand the context of our mission.
What kinds of Hearing Issues Exist?
What kinds of Hearing Issues Exist?
According to the World Health Organization, more than 1.5 billion people live with hearing loss today with 430 million of them having disabling hearing loss. Although the severity of hearing issues differs from person to person, here are some common issues that reside in most individuals.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL): A type of hearing loss that occurs when there is damage or dysfunction in the inner ear (cochlea) or the auditory nerve pathways leading to the brain. This type of hearing loss is typically permanent and can affect a person's ability to hear sounds clearly, including speech and environmental noises
Causes(present at birth):
The mother has diabetes
Complications linked to Rh factor in the blood
Genetic factors and syndromes the child has at birth
A condition that is inherited.
The mother has an infection such as toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes, or syphilis
Causes(acquired after birth):
Exposure to loud noise.
Damage from certain medicines that can be harmful to the ears
Infections and Injuries
Low birth weight or prematurity
"Types of Hearing Loss in Children" by Stanford Medicine Children's Health
Conductive Hearing Loss: The most common type of hearing loss in children; results from problems from the outer or middle ear where sound waves are not sent to the inner ear correctly. It often develops after birth.
Causes(present at birth):
Problems with the outer ear
Problems with the eardrum
Problems with the outside ear canal
Problems with the 3 tiny bones that send sound waves to the middle ear (ossicles)
Causes(acquired after birth):
Ear Infections
Raptured Eardrums
Outside objects getting stuck in the Ear Canal.
Excessive Ear Wax
Middle Ear Tumors
Mixed Hearing Loss: A combination of both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss. Just generally caused by damage to the outer, middle, or inner ear, or the auditory nerve.
"Types of Hearing Loss in Children" by Stanford Medicine Children's Health
Tinnitus: Characterized by persistent ringing or phantom noises in one or both ears, tinnitus is another common problem. The noise that a person with this disease hears is not caused by outside sounds, so it is usually not heard by other people. Tinnitus is a common problem, affecting about 15-20% of the population, and is especially common in older adults.
Causes(Tinnitus is usually acquired)
Noise exposure
Hearing loss.
Certain Medications especially at high doses. Ex: ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin, certain antibiotics, anti-cancer drugs, anti-malaria medications, and antidepressants.
Earwax or an ear infection.
Head or neck injuries that damage the structures of the ear
Ménière’s disease: an inner ear disorder that can also cause balance problems and hearing loss.
"Tinnitus" by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders 2023
Auditory processing disorder (APD): Although not a form of hearing loss, it still is regarded as a hearing issue as individuals with this condition have difficulty with hearing-related tasks. APD is a disorder of the auditory system, in an area called the auditory cortex. Individuals with this condition typically have disruptions in how their brain understands what they are hearing. This often makes it difficult when trying to understand speech in noisy environments.
Causes(present at birth):
Inherited from parents
Causes(acquired after birth):
Ongoing middle ear infections
Concussions or head injuries
Neurological issues and seizures
Lyme disease
Lead poisoning
"What is an Auditory Processing Disorder?" by the Nationwide Children's
"Auditory Processing Disorder" by Boston Children's Hospital 2023
Hope for a better future
Hope for a better future
Although it is disheartening to hear that millions of individuals deal with such issues on a daily basis, advances in technology have led to innovative solutions like hearing aids, cochlear implants, and assistive listening devices that offer support and improve the lives of those facing these diverse hearing challenges. By spreading awareness and supporting our cause, we are able to support those brave individuals facing battles with hearing every single day.
Sources:
Sources:
Stanford Medicine Children’s Health. (n.d.). https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=hearing-loss-in-children-90 P02037#:~:text=There%20are%203%20main%20types,(both%20sensorineural%20and%20conductive).
World Health Organization: WHO. (2019). "Deafness and hearing loss." www.who.int. https://www.who.int/health-topics/hearing-loss#tab=tab_2
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: NIDCD (2023, May 1) "What is tinnitus? — Causes and treatment." https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/tinnitus
Nationwide Children's. (n.d.)."What is an Auditory Processing Disorder?". https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/conditions/auditory-processing-disorder#:~:text=What%20is%20an%20Auditory%20Processing,difficulty%20with%20hearing-related%20tasks.
Boston Children’s Hospital. (2023). "Auditory Processing Disorder". https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions/auditory-processing-disorder
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