Hearing loss can happen to anyone

#SeoulAsanMedicalCenter #HealthPlus #HearingLoss

 

Professor Ahn Jung-ho | Department of Otolaryngology, Seoul Asan Medical Center

 

00:44​ The level of sound heard in everyday life

01:17 Self-Diagnosis for Hearing Loss

01:35 Hearing test

01:56 Treatment for hearing loss

02:32 Types of Hearing Aids and Their Pros and Cons

03:42 Hearing loss and dementia

04:22​ Drugs to be cautious about

04:44 Congenital hearing loss

05:11​ Preventing Hearing Loss

05:27 How to use earphones

05:46​ Good food

 

Hello, I am Professor Ahn Jung-ho of the Department of Otolaryngology at Seoul Asan Medical Center.

When you think of hearing loss, most people think of hearing loss due to age.

Hearing loss is on the rise among younger generations, and there is also congenital hearing loss, which is when hearing loss is present from birth.

Today, we will take a look at various causes of hearing loss, as well as symptoms, treatments, and prevention methods.

 

First, we need to know the loudness of the sounds we hear in our daily lives, right?

For example, the sound level when having a comfortable conversation in a quiet room is about 60 decibels, and the sound level when drying your hair with a hair dryer is about 80 decibels.

While you can listen to sounds the size of a conversation all day long without any problems, listening to sounds the size of a hair dryer for more than six hours a day can cause noise-induced hearing loss.

Also, turning up the volume of the TV or earphones because you can't hear well increases the possibility of noise-induced hearing loss.

 

Here's a chart you can use to self-diagnose whether you have hearing loss. Each item evaluates the level of difficulty you experience in your daily life due to hearing loss. Add up the scores. If your score is 10 or higher, your risk of age-related hearing loss is over 50%. Therefore, please visit a nearby ENT clinic for ear, nose, and throat care.

In otolaryngology, the presence and degree of hearing loss are mainly determined through pure tone audiometry and speech sound tests.

Hearing loss is diagnosed by taking the average of the loudness of the quietest sounds that I can hear by frequency. Generally, hearing loss is classified as normal if it is below 20 decibels, and as uncomfortable hearing loss if it is above 40 decibels.

 

In cases of conductive hearing loss, where sound cannot be transmitted, hearing can be restored through surgical treatment.

For example, surgical treatments may be performed to repair a perforated eardrum, reconnect a disconnected ossicle, or insert an artificial ossicle.

In cases of sudden hearing loss caused by poor blood circulation or a viral illness, the sooner you seek treatment, the better. Generally, we recommend that you seek treatment within at least two weeks.

At this time, drug treatment including steroids may be administered, or in cases of severe sudden hearing loss, hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be administered.

 

Representative hearing aids include the in-the-ear CIC hearing aid, which is inserted into the ear canal, and the RIC hearing aid, which is hung on the earlobe and has a receiver connected to the ear canal.

The widely used RIC hearing aids are larger than CIC hearing aids, allowing for a wider range of features and rechargeable batteries. However, they can be particularly cumbersome for seniors with limited dexterity to put on and remove.

CIC hearing aids fit snugly into the ear canal, so there is no risk of them coming off when wearing a mask or glasses, and they have an advantage in appearance, but they require frequent battery replacement, can cause a stuffy feeling as if the ear canal is clogged, and can cause eczema in the external auditory canal.

 

When you ride a bike as a child and then stop riding it and start riding a bike as an adult, you feel anxious and have a hard time at first because you might fall, right?

However, with some practice, you can regain your former memory and become proficient at it. Similarly, if your hearing function has deteriorated due to long-term inability to hear, proper auditory rehabilitation through hearing aids can prevent auditory aging and, in some cases, even improve your hearing.

 

A link between hearing loss and dementia has been reported. Long-term follow-up of patients diagnosed with hearing loss and recommended hearing aids in the age group of 65 and older who did not use hearing aids revealed that, compared to those with normal hearing, those with mild hearing loss had a roughly double the risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease, those with moderate to severe hearing loss had a roughly threefold higher risk, and those with severe hearing loss had a staggering fivefold higher risk.

On the other hand, other studies have reported that people with hearing loss who receive appropriate hearing rehabilitation through hearing aids or other means have no difference in the incidence of dementia compared to those with normal hearing.

 

There are drugs that can cause temporary or permanent ototoxicity when taken orally or by injection.

Loop diuretics, aspirin, etc. can cause temporary hearing loss or dizziness when taken in excessive amounts over a long period of time, and aminoglycoside antibiotics, some anticancer drugs, and quinine-based drugs can cause permanent hearing loss or dizziness in severe cases.

 

Congenital hearing loss, which occurs shortly after birth, is the most common sensory impairment in humans, affecting approximately 1 in 500 children at birth.

The causes of this congenital hearing loss are very diverse, and it is known that in about 50-80% of cases, it is caused by mutations in hearing loss genes.

Other causes of fetal hearing loss include perinatal cytomegalovirus infection and brain damage during childbirth.

 

Above all, avoid prolonged exposure to excessively loud noises. If there's a construction site near your home, it's a good idea to wear earplugs when passing by. Even when going out to karaoke or clubs with friends, it's a good idea to rest your ears for at least 10 minutes every hour.

I wear earphones a lot these days, but when listening to music or lectures, make sure to use noise-canceling products. Also, according to the '60-60 rule', when using earphones or headphones, it is recommended to listen at less than 60% of the volume and for less than 60 minutes at a time.

It is also a good habit to consume foods known to be good for ear health, such as ginkgo leaf extract, coenzyme Q10, and antioxidant foods.

If your work environment is likely to cause noise-induced hearing loss, you should always wear protective gear like earplugs. It's also crucial to give your ears a rest for at least 10 minutes every hour of work in silence.

 

Today we learned about hearing loss.

Hearing loss is not just about not being able to hear sounds well.

If you can't hear well, you become stressed, your brain becomes overloaded, and your cognitive function may also be impaired.

Additionally, because they are unable to participate well in conversations, they may lose confidence in social life, which can lead to social isolation.

Hearing loss can occur suddenly at a young age due to bad habits, so please always be careful and take preventive measures in advance.

We will become Seoul Asan Medical Center, always thinking about and working hard for the health of our patients.

thank you