Hearing Loss

Overview/Pathophysiology

The human ear functions to provide sound, speech, and balance information to the brain. There are three main components of the human ear. The external ear includes the pinna (or outer ear), ear canal, and eardrum. The middle ear includes the three hearing bones, or ossicles. From the eardrum to the inner ear, the three ossicles are the hammer, anvil, and stirrup – the malleus, incus, and stapes. The inner ear includes the cochlea, the organs of balance, the hearing nerve (auditory nerve), and the balance nerves (vestibular nerve). Hearing loss is a common medical condition but is often underdiagnosed.

What are the Symptoms?

The symptoms of hearing loss can be gradual or sudden.  A sudden hearing loss IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY until proven otherwise by a complete audiologic and medical evaluation.  A sudden hearing loss can be associated with an upper respiratory infection or flu-like symptoms.

Adult patients with hearing loss can experience a “blocked” or “fullness” sensation in the involved ear.  Sounds and words can sound muffled or in severe cases, completely absent.  Patients will often complain that Sounds may be muffled, and understanding speech may be difficult, especially with background noise (i.e., in a restaurant, party or a crowded office). 

A spouse may comment that the TV has be turned up higher than usual, or that the patient does not always respond to his or her voice.  Usually, high-pitched voices (children, women) become more difficult to understand as many patients lose their high frequency hearing first.

Tinnitus (ringing) of the ears is a very common complaint in patients with sensorineural hearing loss. and is often associated with sensorineural hearing loss.  Tinnitus can be high pitched or low pitched, it can change in intensity from day to day. and be quite unpredictable in its course. Tinnitus is felt to be due to the uncontrolled activity of nerves of the inner ear and the brain, and there is NO medical intervention that cures tinnitus.  Over time, most patients become accustomed to the sensation, and In some cases, this can improve with hearing aids. IF they are candidates for amplification.


Key points:

• Symptoms of hearing loss can be gradual or sudden.
• Tinnitus is commonly experienced with sensorineural hearing loss.
• Muffled sounds and difficulty understanding words in background noise may occur.



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