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A partial or complete loss of hearing in one or both ears. It is classified as conductive, sensory, or central.

Symptoms of Deafness

The following features are indicative of Deafness:
  • muffling of speech and other sounds
  • difficulty in understanding words
  • trouble hearing consonants
  • frequently asking others to speak more slowly, clearly and loudly
  • need to turn up the volume of the television or radio
  • withdrawal from conversations
  • avoidance of some social settings

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Common Causes of Deafness

The following are the most common causes of Deafness:
  • heredity
  • ear infections
  • meningitis
  • trauma
  • long-term exposure to loud noise
  • aging

Other Causes of Deafness

The following are the less common causes of Deafness:
  • maternal rubella
  • low birth weight
  • birth asphyxia
  • inappropriate use of particular drugs during pregnancy
  • severe jaundice in the neonatal period
  • otitis media
  • injury to the head or ear
  • excessive noise
  • recreational exposure to loud sounds
  • wax or foreign bodies blocking the ear canal

Risk Factors for Deafness

The following factors may increase the likelihood of Deafness:
  • aging
  • loud noise
  • heredity
  • occupational noises
  • recreational noises

Prevention of Deafness

Yes, it may be possible to prevent Deafness. Prevention may be possible by doing the following:
  • protect ears in the workplace
  • have hearing tested
  • avoid recreational risks

Occurrence of Deafness

Number of Cases

The following are the number of Deafness cases seen each year worldwide:
  • Very common > 10 Million cases

Common Age Group

Deafness can occur at any age.

Common Gender

Deafness can occur in any gender.

Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of Deafness

The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect Deafness:
  • Otoscopy: Visual examination of the outer ear, middle ear, eardrum, and ear canal with an optical instrument
  • Weber, Bing, Rinne and Schwabach tests: For manual testing of auditory function
  • Laboratory testing: To detect inflammation or infections
  • Imaging tests: To find out the pathology of different cases of hearing loss

Doctor for Diagnosis of Deafness

Patients should visit the following specialists if they have symptoms of Deafness:
  • General practitioner
  • Otolaryngologist
  • Audiologist
  • Audiometrist

Complications of Deafness if untreated

Yes, Deafness causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if Deafness is left untreated:
  • can get worse

Procedures for Treatment of Deafness

The following procedures are used to treat Deafness:
  • Removing wax blockage: Removing earwax by loosening it with oil and then suctioning out the softened wax
  • Surgical procedures: Surgery helps in the ears draining
  • Hearing aids: Helps by making sounds stronger and easier to hear
  • Cochlear implants: Amplifies sound and directs it into ear canal

Self-care for Deafness

The following self-care actions or lifestyle changes may help in the treatment or management of Deafness:
  • Protect ears in the workplace: Wear specially designed earmuffs that resemble earphones helps in protecting ears from damaging noise
  • Have regular hearing tests: Consider regular hearing tests
  • Avoid recreational risks: Avoid activities such as riding a snowmobile, hunting or listening to rock concerts for long periods of time, can damage hearing

Alternative Medicine for Treatment of Deafness

The following alternate medicine and therapies are known to help in the treatment or management of Deafness:
  • Acupuncture: Helps reducing tinnitus symptoms
  • Hypnosis: Helps reducing tinnitus symptoms
  • Ginkgo biloba: Helps reducing tinnitus symptoms
  • Zinc supplements: Helps reducing tinnitus symptoms
  • B vitamins: Helps reducing tinnitus symptoms
  • Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy: Helps reducing tinnitus symptoms

Patient Support for Treatment of Deafness

The following actions may help Deafness patients:
  • Position appropriately: Face the person with whom patient having a conversation
  • Turn off background noise: Television may interfere with conversation
  • Choose quiet settings: Choose a place to talk that's away from noisy areas
  • Consider using an assistive listening device: Hearing devices can help hear better

Time for Treatment of Deafness

While time-period of treatment for each patient may vary, below is the typical time-period for Deafness to resolve if treated properly under an expert supervision:
  • Disease cannot be treated but only maintained or effects reduced

Last updated date

This page was last updated on 2/04/2019.
This page provides information for Deafness.

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