Causes of Hearing Loss
back to "New to
Hearing Loss"
With all of the extraordinary medical advances of the
past few decades, one might reasonably expect that medical professionals
would be able to enumerate the causes of deafness. It's true that they
can recite a long list of things that can cause deafness. But it's also
surprising how often they are unable to identify the specific cause of a
specific person's deafness.
Research is continuing in this area, and progress is
being made. In the near future, today's common story that no one knows
why a particular person is deaf may be a thing of the past. In the
meantime, here is some information on some of the causes of deafness.
There are basically two types of deafness. One is caused
by problems with the sound reaching the inner ear. Since the sound
travels there via conduction, this is called conductive hearing
loss. It's the far less common mechanism of hearing loss.
Much more common is sensorineural hearing loss.
This is often called nerve deafness, but this is a misnomer, because the
auditory nerve is almost never the cause. The problem is usually in the
hair cells of the cochlea. One of the most devastating and mysterious
forms of sensorineural hearing loss is sudden
hearing loss or sudden deafness!
So what causes sensorineural hearing loss? Well, lots of
things, many of which we can't do much about. One big thing that we can
control is noise. Noise is the enemy of hearing, and people are
discovering that it doesn't take as much noise as previously thought to
cause temporary or permanent hearing loss. Here's a bunch of information
on Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL).
Another surprisingly common cause of hearing loss is ototoxicity
- the ability of drugs and medications to cause hearing loss.
Genetic factors have also been
identified as causes of hearing loss.
Does aging cause hearing loss?
Do female hormonal changes cause
hearing loss?
June 2000 - Scientists have
recently discovered a chemical that not only
is crucial to the hearing process, but might also have profound impact
on unrelated aspects of science.
October 2004 - There's been a long controversy regarding
cell phone use causing cancer. Now there seems to be some evidence that
long
term cell phone use can cause acoustic neuromas - which cause deafness!
June 2005 - Do airbags cause hearing loss?
June 2005 - You know that noise can cause
hearing loss. But did you know that the presence of carbon
monoxide appears to increase the detrimental effect of noise on hearing?
January 2006 - We all know that exposure to loud noise can cause
sensorineural hearing loss. Now there's evidence that it can cause
acoustic neuromas, as well! Here's the story!
February 2006 - When hearing is lost in the brain
March 2006 - Tumor
growth related to exposure to noise
March
2006 - A recent Mayo Clinic study contradicts a
previous study indicating that arthritis increases the risk of hearing
loss.
March
2006 - Scientists at the University of Michigan
report new acoustic neuroma surgery that's less damaging to hearing.
April 2006 -
Can air bag deployment damage auditory function?
April 2006 - The presence of carbon monoxide seems to
intensify hearing loss due to noise.
May 2006 - Drinking red wine may help prevent deafness
May
2006 -
Inner Ear May Take Beating From High-Impact Aerobics
July 2006 -
Nicotine Exposure During Fetal Development Leads To
Hearing Problems
August 2006 - Protein Tied to Usher Syndrome
May Be Hearing's "Missing Link"
September 2006 - Children with Meningitis
Should Have Early Hearing Test
November 2006 - Acoustic Shock Threatens Call
Centre Staff
February 2007 - Car Airbags
Will Cause Permanent Hearing Loss in 17 percent, Study Predicts
February
2007 - The Molecular Sound of Silence
June 2007 -
Diabetics at Increased Risk of Hearing Loss
July 2007 -
Smoking and Noise Result in Increased
Hearing Loss
July 2007 - VHL Can Cause Sudden Hearing Loss
July 2007 - New Acoustic Neuroma Web Site
August 2007 -
Psychogenic Hearing Loss: Detection Crucial to Proper
Treatment
August 2007 -
Auditory
Neuropathy/Auditory Dys-synchrony
September 2007 -
Diabetics at Increased Risk of Hearing Loss
October 2007 -
Drinking may dampen hearing in the short term
October 2007 -
Treating an acoustic neuroma
December 2007 -
Occupational noise not linked to increased risk of
acoustic neuroma
December 2007 -
Here's a Great Superficial Siderosis Site
December 2007 - Cholesterol Fine Tunes Hearing
January 2008 -
Airbags and Ear Damage
January 2008 - OTC Eardrops May Cause Hearing
Loss or Damage
January 2008 - Deafness and Seizures Result When
Mysterious Protein Deleted in Mice
March 2008 - Common Virus Causes Hearing Loss in Fetus
March 2008 - Treatment of rare condition will cause woman
to go deaf
March 2008 - 'Have Another Beer.' 'I SAID HAVE ANOTHER
BEER!'
April 2008 - Top 5 Ways to Protect Your Hearing
June 2008 - Acoustic neuromas: Wait and see or surgery
June 2008 - Child's kiss deafens Hicksville mom
June 2008 - Why the obese and smokers risk deafness
June 2008 - Hearing Loss Is Common in People with
Diabetes
September 2008 - MRI reveals inner ear anomalies in
children with hearing loss
December 2008 - Lifestyle Can Affect Hearing
January 2009 - Improved Hearing Preservation Follows
Lower-Dose Radiotherapy
March 2009 - UK Study Offers Clues To Beating Hearing Loss
March 2009 -
Surfer's Ear Not to be Taken Lightly
June 2009 - Hearing, Voice Problems Worsen Seniors'
Communication Skills
June 2009 - Complications of Diabetes Also Associated
with Hearing Loss
July 2009 - VEGF Inhibitor Shows Promise in NF-2
July 2009 - Sleep Apnea, Hearing Loss and Thickened Blood
July 2009 - Cardiovascular health affects hearing loss
November 2009 -
Mechanisms of Noise-Induced Hair Cell Death
May 2010 - Viagra May Cause Hearing Loss
August 2010 -
Omega-3 protective against hearing loss
September 2010 -
Expert: Habits can lead to hearing loss
October 2010 -
Adolescent Hearing Loss on the Rise
October 2010 -
Meningitis: A Deafening Disease
October 2010 -
Teens at Risk: Audiologists Respond
November 2010 - Hearing Loss Common
Following Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer
November 2010 -
Hearing loss linked to passive smoking
December 2010 - Most Acoustic Neuroma Surgeries
Have Favorable Outcomes
December 2010 - Restricted Calories Decreases
Hearing Loss in Mice
January 2011 - Scientists Find Key Biomarker for
Autoimmune-Related Hearing Loss
February 2011 -
Hearing Loss and Alcohol
February 2011 - Auditory Neuropathy in
Premature Infants
March 2011 -
Temporary Hearing Loss Causes
March 2011 - Heart Disease and Hearing Loss Common
in Middle Age, But Both Could Be Preventable
March 2011 -
Stress, Tinnitus and Hearing Loss Linked
May 2011 - Hearing Loss Is Common in People with
Diabetes
August 2011 - Man Regains Hearing After Earthquake
December 2011 - Even Minimal Blood Lead Levels Associated
with Hearing Loss
January 2012 - Is There a Link Between Obstructive Sleep
Apnea and Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss?
back to "New to
Hearing Loss"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February
2006
Age-related
hearing loss is not just a case of the ears losing their capability. The
ability of the brain to process sound is weakened as well. Modern
digital hearing aids with directional microphones may solve some of
these problems.
The
ears are still crucial for hearing, but preliminary studies in mice
indicate that a decrease in certain processes in the brain may make it
harder to filter out unimportant sounds. "Traditionally, scientists
studying hearing problems started looking at the ear. But we are finding
patients with normal ears who still have trouble understanding a
conversation. There are many people who have good inner ears who just
don't hear well. That's because their brains are aging," said Dr.
Robert D. Frisina of the University of Rochester Medical Center.
Full
Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March
2006
The
eighth cranial nerve has two branches, one that is responsible for
balance and one that is responsible for hearing sensitivity. An acoustic
neuroma is a non-cancerous tumor that grows on the eighth cranial nerve.
The tumor typically grows very slowly and affects only one ear. Symptoms
are not generally noticed until the tumor is large enough to puts
pressure on nerves, causing the symptoms, including hearing loss,
tinnitus, and facial weakness or numbness on the affected side, as well
as dizziness or balance problems.
Full
Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March
2006
Older
adults who harbor negative stereotypes about aging may have a more rapid
decline in their hearing, a new study suggests. Researchers at Yale
University found that among older men and women, between 70 and 96 years
old, those who held to the stereotypes of older adults as
"frail" and "senile" showed a greater decline in
hearing over the next three years. The link was independent of a number
of factors in hearing loss, including age, physical health and
depression. The effect was seen even in study participants who had
"perfect scores" on hearing tests at the study's start, lead
study author Becca R. Levy told Reuters Health. Full
Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 2006
On Monday,
June 6, 2005, Lisa wrote the following on the Hearing Loss Web Forum under
the topic of "Air Bags Ruined My Hearing:"
“Last week I
was involved in what should have been a minor car accident. I wasn’t
paying attention and ‘gently’ hit the car in front of me stopped for a
light. What happened next was terrifying. The inside of the car seemed to
explode in a deafening roar. I had an unimaginable pain in both ears and
considerable bleeding from my ear canals. I also had a very loud ringing
and was virtually deaf.”
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Age-related deafness, and hearing loss caused by loud noise, may be
reduced by the antioxidants in red wine, green tea and aspirin, it was
claimed yesterday. The compounds they contain could help protect the
delicate hairs of the inner ear that are vital to hearing, new research
suggests. Destructive chemical agents called oxygen-free radicals,
produced by normal cellular processes and in response to loud noise and
exposure to powerful antibiotics, can damage the hairs. But antioxidants
such as resveratrol, found in red wine and green tea, and salicylate, the
active ingredient in aspirin, should be able to neutralise them.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 2006
PEOPLE who
engage in demanding physical activities might expect to suffer occasional
injuries to the body parts directly involved. But few devotees of
high-impact aerobics are likely to guess that their jumping and bouncing
to music could damage their inner ears, causing symptoms like persistent
vertigo, dizziness, imbalance, motion sickness, ringing or fullness in the
ear and high-frequency hearing loss. Yet just such a syndrome has been
identified in a group of 30 otherwise healthy women in the Westchester
County area of New York who regularly do high-impact aerobics, which
involves a lot of bouncing up and down, often with both feet off the
ground at once.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
November 2006
Acoustic shocks are defined as "any temporary
or permanent disturbance of the functioning of the ear, or of the
nervous system, which may be caused to the user of a telephone earphone
by a sudden sharp rise in the acoustic pressure produced by it".
The sound could be a whistle, a bleep - or any unexpected noise. . . .
Dr Mark Downs, executive director of technology and enterprise for the
Royal National Institute for the Deaf, said: "Acoustic shock is not
the same as noise-induced hearing loss and is believed to occur at sound
pressure levels below those which present an immediate risk to hearing
damage. "It is still a relatively un-researched condition and RNID
welcomes public debate on the issue." Full
Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February
2007
"(Hearing)
is a very complicated process where lots of things can go wrong,"
Wong said. "What we have done is study one of those things."
That thing is a mutation in a type of protein molecule called espin, a
"binder" or "linker" protein common in nature,
particularly in sensing cells. In the ear's hair cells, espin links
rod-like protein molecules called filamentous actin, or F-actin, into
bundles, Wong said. The problem occurs when a mutated form of espin -
which needs binding sites on both sides, kind of like double-stick tape,
to function properly - fails to secure the F-actin bundles tightly. Full
Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
June 2007
Diabetics have twice the risk of developing hearing
loss as are nondiabetics, researchers reported here at the American
Diabetes Association 67th Scientific Sessions (ADA). . . . . "The
pathologic changes that accompany diabetes could plausibly affect the
vasculature or the neural system of the inner ear, resulting in
sensorineural hearing impairment," Dr. Cowie explained in a presentation
on June 24th. . . . . After adjusting for age, 31.6% of self-reported
diabetics had hearing impairment at the lower frequency range versus 14.5%
of the nondiabetics subjects. The figures were 56.8% and 35.8% for the two
groups, respectively, at the higher frequency range.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 2007
Patients with the genetic disorder von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease may
suddenly experience hearing loss because of a tumor-associated hemorrhage
in the inner ear, according to a study in the July 4 issue of the Journal
of the American Medical Assocation (JAMA). Endolymphatic sac tumors (ELSTs;
tumors of the inner ear) occur sporadically but may be associated with von
Hippel-Lindau disease (a genetic disease characterized by the development
of blood vessel tumors in the retina of the eye and in the brain; lesions
and cysts can also develop in other parts of the body). ELSTs are
associated with significant dysfunction of hearing and balance, including
sudden irreversible hearing loss. The mechanisms and appropriate
treatments for this disorder are not well understood.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Editor: Acoustic Neuromas are fairly common causes of
hearing loss, but most people know very little about them. Here's a bit of
information on acoustic neuromas and a new website that offers additional
help.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 2007
The Acoustic Neuroma Association (ANA) has launched a
new medical Web site listing http://www.anausa.org/index.html for newly
diagnosed and current acoustic neuroma patients. ANA is a non-profit
organization with the mission to inform, educate and provide national and
local support networks for those affected by acoustic neuromas, and to be
an essential resource for health care professionals who treat the
condition. Founded by Virginia Fickel Her, a patient, the AHA has been a
source of information and support for acoustic neuroma patients for over
25 years, and oversees over 50 local support groups around the country.
An acoustic neuroma (sometimes termed a vestibular
schwannoma) is a benign brain tumor on the eighth cranial nerve, which
leads from the brain to the inner ear. Typical symptoms include hearing
loss, balance issues, tinnitus and a feeling of fullness in the ear. The
most common forms of treatment are surgery, radiation or "watch and wait."
According to Judy Vitucci, executive director of ANA,
"The new medical Web site listing is designed to provide up-to-date
information regarding the most important question for a new patient —
where do I find a qualified physician?" She added, "Although this is a
rare type of tumor, recent studies show that acoustic neuroma diagnoses
are increasing, and most patients are between the ages of 30 and 60."
The new Web site will provide patients with a tool to
help them find qualified medical professionals across the country. The
site also provides information on the various types of treatment.
Additionally, users can fill in the "contact us" information, and ANA will
send them a packet of information with referrals of former patients who
can provide support. Visit
http://www.anausa.org/index.html for more information.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
August 2007
Psychogenic hearing loss, also known as
pseudohypacusis, non-organic or functional, originates in the mind of an
individual and is thereby psychological rather than physiological in
nature. The loss may be classified either as intentional and based on
underlying motives such as monetary compensation or sympathy needs or
unintentional and based on underlying stress or anxiety. The detection of
psychogenic hearing loss has long been the concern of audiologists.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
August 2007
A little more than a decade ago, researchers led by
Arnold Starr of the Department of Neurology at the University of
California, described hearing impairments in ten young patients that were
compatible with a disorder of the auditory portion of the 8th cranial
nerve.1 The disorder was and continues to be characterized by
normal cochlear outer hair cell function, absent or abnormal auditory
brainstem responses (ABR), and unexpectedly poor speech discrimination.
Later, eight of the patients developed evidence for a peripheral
neuropathy, and the researchers suggested that “this type of hearing
impairment is due to a disorder of auditory nerve function and may have,
as one of its causes, a neuropathy of the auditory nerve, occurring either
in isolation or as part of a generalized neuropathic process.” The use of
the term “auditory neuropathy” to designate this particular profile of
hearing disorders remains debatable, and doubts remain whether the
condition represents a true auditory nerve neuropathy. The loss of neural
synchrony of auditory nerve fibers leads to the view that the term
“auditory dys-synchrony” may provide “a more comprehensive view of
auditory neuropathy that connects logically to viable management options.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
September 2007
Diabetics have twice the risk of developing
hearing loss as are nondiabetics.
Catherine C. Cowie, PhD, director, diabetes
epidemiology program, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and
Kidney Diseases, reported data in 5,140 individuals aged 20 to 69 years
who underwent audiometric testing from 1999 through 2004 as part of the
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). "The pathologic
changes that accompany diabetes could plausibly affect the vasculature or
the neural system of the inner ear, resulting in sensorineural hearing
impairment," Dr. Cowie explained in a presentation. In the NHANES trial,
pure tone thresholds over lower frequency were obtained for each ear at
500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 6000, and 8000 Hz using a calibrated
audiometer in a soundproof booth. A pure tone average exceeding 25
decibels over a given frequency range in both ears indicated hearing
impairment.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 2007
If you have a hard time hearing conversation at
a bar, it may not be because of the noise, a study suggests. Alcohol, UK
researchers found, seems to temporarily drain a person's hearing --
particularly when it comes to discerning the sounds of conversation. In
a study of 30 healthy volunteers, they found that as participants drank,
their hearing became less acute. Lower-frequency hearing, which is
necessary for discerning speech, suffered the most, the researchers
report in the online journal BMC Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 2007
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I'm 59 and have been diagnosed
with an acoustic neuroma. I have been to a surgeon and his explanation of
the surgical procedure has me so frightened that I have chosen to do
nothing. I have many bouts of dizziness and some hearing loss. Could you
better explain the surgery as well as the benefit or drawbacks of
radiation? Full
Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2007
Contradicting some prior reports, new study
results do not demonstrate an increased risk of acoustic neuroma related
to occupational noise exposure. "A small number of prior epidemiologic
studies of occupational noise exposure based on self-report have suggested
an association with acoustic neuroma," Dr. Colin Edwards, of Ohio State
University, Columbus, and colleagues write in the December 1st issue of
the American Journal of Epidemiology. The researchers examined the
putative association in a register-based case-control study. A total of
793 acoustic neuroma cases were identified between 1987 and 1999 from the
Swedish Cancer Registry, and these were matched to 101,756 control
subjects randomly selected from the Swedish Population Registry.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Editor: I met Dave Hill online several years ago when he posted to the
Hearing Loss Web Forum. Dave has superficial siderosis (SS), and he was
interested in helping others who also had that condition. So he developed
a website and had soon gathered a community of SS survivors. Here's Dave
with a bit about SS and his site.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
www.superficialsiderosis.org.nz is a site written by a Superficial
Siderosis survivor, Dave Hill of New Zealand, for fellow survivors. It has
been praised by published Neurologists for its ability to describe the
medical condition in plain understandable English.
Superficial Siderosis is a rare condition which in almost every case
reduces the patient's hearing to zero, produces quite unstable balance and
coordination, vision complications, plus up to 15 - 20 other associated
sideline effects depending on the recipient. Many patients are confined to
a wheelchair for mobility, some bedridden.
As a result of Central Nervous System bleeding which congregates around
the brain's cerebellum, over a varying period of time the blood forms into
an iron salt casing, stopping brain movement in both directions. There is
nothing currently known to man to eliminate the problem.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January 2008
A 2007 study predicts that airbag deployment in
automobile accidents leads to permanent hearing loss in 17 percent of
those exposed.1 The prediction is based upon the Auditory Hazard
Assessment Algorithm for the Human (AHAAH), a mathematical computer model
of the ear which, according to the author of the study, is "designed to
reproduce the ear's physiological response to virtually any intense sounds
and to predict hazard from calculated displacements in the inner ear."
These surprisingly high estimates of permanent sensorineural hearing loss,
based on a computer model with 95 percent accuracy, bring to the forefront
again the dangers of airbag deployment to the ear in the more than 6
million automobile accidents per year in the United States alone. Even
minor bumper-benders in slow speed collisions, representing little or no
danger of injury to occupants who are safely buckled up, can cause the
airbag to inflate. Rushing toward startled drivers and passengers at
speeds of 180 mph and with noise levels of 170 dB or more, airbags can
cause many other otologic injuries in addition to permanent hearing loss.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 2008
A virus that infects up to 85 percent of adults in
the U.S. by age 40 is also the virus most frequently transmitted to a
child before birth. For most adults, the virus goes unnoticed, but for
babies it can be life-changing. Now, thanks to a $1 million grant,
Carolinas Medical Center is studying the virus and its relationship to
hearing loss in newborns. By all accounts, six-month-old Sydney is
healthy, but thanks to an infection called congenital Cytomegalovirus, or
CMV, silence could be what Sydney hears down the road. The CMV virus is
carried by the mother and spreads to the child during pregnancy. "And if
a baby develops that infection before they are born then they can be
effected with hearing loss developmental delay, with all sorts of
complications," explained pediatrician Dr. Amina Ahmed of Carolinas
Medical Center.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 2008
Researchers may be coming close to the cure for
Neurofibromatosis (NF), a disease that is about to drastically change a
Muskegon woman's life forever. It's a rare condition but it's thousands
across the country have it, affecting each patient differently. The
disease is life changing and can be fatal. Those who suffer get tumors
that don't stop growing. "Patients who have neurofibromatosis can develop
these tumors. They're not cancerous tumors, they don't spread through the
body and things like that, but they do grow in one spot and cause
problems," said Dr. Al Cornelius of Spectrum Health, an NF researcher. [.
. . ] Cornelius is preparing for a clinical trial that will take place in
Grand Rapids at the DeVos Children's Hospital. He's hoping that his
findings will provide answers and solutions for the 100,000 Americans who
suffer from the condition and says so far results are looking promising.
[. . . ] Jessica's surgery is next month. It may be the most crucial of
them all because when she comes out she'll be changed forever. "I'm
getting ready for a surgery on the right side to remove the other acoustic
neuroma and it will result in me being deaf," she said.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 2008
Ever notice that when you're at a social
gathering, private home or down at the neighborhood watering hole, and
you're designated the designated driver (Yes, I'll have a cranberry
spritzer. I have to drive this crew home later.), just how loud everyone
talks. And as the libations flow freely, the sound just gets louder and
louder and LOUDER! Well, you might think that it's the tequila shooters
loosening up the party-goers that brings that volume to such high levels -
and that's part of it. But it's not just high spirits that pumps up the
volume. Drinking alcohol lessens your ability to hear. "What'd ya say?"
True story. British researchers at the University College of London
Hospitals, lead by Tahwinder Upile, studied a group of 30 healthy adults,
tested their hearing levels sober and as they consumed alcohol and
discovered that as the subjects drank, their hearing became "less acute."
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
June 2008
An acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma) is a
benign, slow growing, well encapsulated tumor arising from the sheath
surrounding the 8th cranial nerve. The 8th cranial nerve, the acoustic
nerve, is comprised of two nerve branches: one controls balance
(vestibular) and the other hearing (auditory). (See Cranial nerves .) Most
acoustic neuromas start within the internal auditory canal and extend into
the cerebellopontine angle (CPA), pressing on the brain stem. . . . The
earliest symptom of an acoustic neuroma is gradual hearing loss due to the
progressive growth of the tumor in the internal ear canal. Hearing loss is
usually characterized by a distortion in perception and acuity of sound.
Patients present with tinnitus (a roaring, buzzing, or hissing sound) that
may be intermittent or constant. As the tumor grows, there may be balance
disturbances, vertigo with sudden changes in position, headaches, and
facial or ear pain. These symptoms are the result of the compression and
stretching of cranial nerves, although the brain compensates for the
unsteadiness, so symptoms of balance disturbance may be ignored. Constant
or intermittent facial tingling or numbness may be another sign related to
nerve compression.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
June 2008
This is a story about a kiss - an expression of
love so potent from a little girl - that it caused her mother not only to
lose her hearing after a buss on the ear, but to be thrust into the pages
of medical history. Yet it wasn't the sound of the smackaroo that damaged
the hearing of Hicksville homemaker Gail Schwartzman, but a suction force
that displaced the woman's eardrum, paralyzed a tiny trio of bones and
left residual sounds in her head. Schwartzman's case will be the subject
of a medical journal report within the coming weeks, outlining for the
first time what the author calls "the kiss of deaf." Schwartzman describes
the kiss as physically painful but says it has left a deeper emotional
scar on her daughter. Even as she recounted details of the buss planted
two years ago, the child, now 6, broke into tears, apologizing to her mom.
Schwartzman requested that her daughter's name not be published.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
June 2008
Perhaps unsurprisingly, noise exposure, known to
destroy the sound-transducing hair cells in the inner ear, was the biggest
risk. More surprising is the apparent effect of smoking and overeating.
These factors have been suspected as potential causes of deafness, but it
has been hard to separate them from the effects of cardiovascular diseases
that are also frequently suffered by people who smoke and overeat. This
study has been able to do just that.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2008
The damaging effects of aging and noise exposure
on hearing are well established. Other factors have been studied over the
years, but their association to hearing loss remains open to debate. Here
are the latest findings on four of these variables: smoking, obesity,
diabetes, and alcohol (SODA).
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January 2009
Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University have
found that a lower dose of fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for
acoustic neuromas results in better hearing preservation and has the same
tumor local control rate as a higher dose of therapy. The study appeared
online in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology•Biology•Physics.
"We previously had not determined the optimal dose of fractionated
stereotactic radiotherapy for acoustic neuromas," said David W. Andrews,
MD, professor and vice-chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery
at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, and the lead
author. "This study was designed to compare the hearing preservation
between the two doses. The lower-dose treatment resulted in a 100% tumor
control rate, with the advantage of better hearing preservation."
Full Story
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March 2009
Researchers at the University of Leeds have made a
significant step forward in understanding the causes of some forms of
deafness. The Leeds team has discovered that the myosin 7 motor protein --
found in the tiny hairs of the inner ear that pick up sound -- moves and
works in a different way from many other myosins. "We're really excited
by this discovery as it could lead to new insights into certain forms of
deafness," says Dr. Michelle Peckham from the University of Leeds' Faculty
of Biological Sciences. "Mutations in this protein have been linked to
hearing loss, particularly of the type connected to Usher syndrome, which
is a form of degenerative deaf-blindness." There are around 40 myosin
motor proteins in the human body, the most familiar of which is the type
of myosin found in skeletal and heart muscle. But all cells have many
different kinds of myosin.
Full Story
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March 2009
But there is a more serious condition that can
affect a surfer's hearing, one that is unique to places like the East End
- surfer's ear, or "exostosis of the external auditory canal" in medical
lingo. What happens in this condition is that repeated exposure to cold
water and wind stimulates bone growth that narrows the external ear canal
and gradually blocks the eardrum. This narrowing traps water and earwax in
the canal, eventually resulting in painful chronic ear infections and even
hearing loss. My good friend Scott Bradley, senior vice president at Cook,
Hall, and Hyde, has been surfing for 38 years. He is a surfing instructor
and has traveled the world looking for the perfect wave. He was never
aware that there could be a risk to his ears and hearing until about 18
years ago. He was diagnosed with surfer's ear at that time.
Full Story
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June 2009
Diabetic patients with poor glycemic control or
vascular or neuropathic complications may also suffer from hearing loss,
researchers here said. High-frequency sensorineural hearing impairment is
a common but underdiagnosed complication of diabetes, according to two
studies presented at a poster session at the American Diabetes Association
meeting here. "That makes sense, since [patients with diabetes] already
have nerve damage in other areas," said Vivian Fonseca, M.D., of Tulane
University and the Scott and White Clinic at Texas A&M University, who was
not involved in either study. "Here you're also seeing damage in auditory
nerves."
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 2009
A majority of patients with type 2
neurofibromatosis had objective tumor responses to treatment with
bevacizumab (Avastin), data from a small clinical trial showed. Four of 10
patients had improved hearing, and two others had stable hearing during
treatment, Scott Plotkin, MD, PhD, of Massachusetts General Hospital in
Boston, and colleagues reported online in the New England Journal of
Medicine. Tumor responses remained durable in some patients during
follow-up of 11 to 16 months. "This kind of treatment response is
unprecedented," Dr. Plotkin said in a statement. "Our study is the first
to provide evidence that a drug can shrink vestibular schwannomas . . .
and the first to show that patients' hearing can be improved."
Full Story
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July 2009
I came across this interesting article (http://tinyurl.com/m92dah)
in Sleep Medicine, where they showed that in patients with obstructive
sleep apnea, a significant number were hemodynamically hyperviscosity
positive (282/610 patients). Hyperviscous means that blood is thicker and
more prone to clog arteries. Of these 282 patients, 239 had brainstem AEP
abnormalities. AEPs are tests for ear neurologic reflexes where clicks are
given in one ear and brain waves are measured in response. It tests for
inner ear and brainstem function. Ones that didn't have hyperviscosity all
had normal AEPs. Of these 239 patients, 57 had bilateral sensorineural
hearing changes (no waves at all), and 182 patients had significant
bilateral signal changes. After 6 months of CPAP, hyperviscosity was
normalized in 159 patients. In 112 of these 159 patients a repeat AEP
became normal. Of the 80 patients on CPAP that did not normalize,
hemodilution therapy resulted in normalization in 61 patients.
Hemodilution is when blood is made thinner by removing some blood and
adding some saline.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 2009
You don't have to be a cardiologist to know that
the heart - and cardiovascular system in general - affects many organs in
your body. If the heart is not healthy, it impacts your circulation,
respiratory system, kidneys and liver function, brain, and yes, even
hearing. Now, you may be wondering what the connection between the heart
and your ears is, and how a healthy (or weakened) cardiovascular system
could possibly have an effect on your hearing. <snip> And then there is
cardio-vascular disease (CVD), also a well-known factor in hearing loss.
There's plenty of scientific evidence to back up this claim.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
August 2010
The study findings revealed that a least two
servings of fish weekly is related to a cut down of 42 per cent in the
risk of developing hearing loss in adults over 50 years of age, as
compared to those who consume less than one serving per week. Consumption
of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids also yielded similar risk cut down, and
there was a cut down of 14 per cent in the risk of hearing loss with
higher consumption. The researchers reported, "Dietary intervention with
omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids could prevent or delay the development
of age-related hearing loss."
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
September 2010
Hearing loss is a growing concern for doctors and
patients alike. A recent study in the Journal of American Medical
Association showed a 30 percent rise in hearing loss among teens in the
last 15 years. Hearing health care specialist Randy Holyfield, with
Revive Hearing, said the number one factor in the growing rate is personal
music devices but added that other factors also play a part. "There are
causes of hearing loss other than noise exposure - medications, smoking
and nutrition. These are all things we can control," said Holyfield, who
has an office in Seguin. Foods with high concentrations of sodium and
MSG are hard on the central nervous system, he said.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 2010
Josef Shargorodsky, M.D., and colleagues analyzed
data from the annual National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and
compared the record of the softest sounds that could be heard by American
12- to 19-year-olds in 1988 through 1994 with those recorded from
adolescents of the same age in 2005 and 2006. Their fi ndings, published
in the August 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association
(JAMA), indicate that the prevalence of hearing loss increased from 14.9
percent in 1988-1994, to 19.5 percent in 2005-2006. The percentages of
teens with "slight" (between 15 and 25 dB) and "mild" (greater than 25 dB)
hearing loss also increased during this time frame. What are possible
reasons for these increases in hearing loss among our nation's children?
One difference between the groups emerged in the JAMA report: 55 percent
of children in 1988 through 1994 reported a history of three or more ear
infections in their lifetime; this prevalence increased to 61 percent for
children surveyed in 2005 to 2006. A greater number of ear infections
might contribute to the higher prevalence of hearing loss seen in the more
recently surveyed teens. Because these children exhibited more
high-frequency hearing loss than their 1988-1994 counterparts, it is also
possible that they experienced more exposure to loud sounds and are
starting to develop noise-induced hearing loss.
Full Story
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October 2010
Hearing loss stems from a variety of sources,
including age, genetics, embryologic development, infection and trauma.
Congenital hearing loss that is, hearing loss at birth occurs in two to
three out of every 1,000 infants. Congenital hearing loss can be caused by
a genetic condition or an infection to which the mother or infant was
exposed. In addition to these intrauterine and neonatal infections, people
of all ages can acquire infections that may lead to hearing loss.
Sometimes the infection damages hearing while other times the treatment
may be the culprit, such as when ototoxic antibiotics are used (read "The
Ototoxic Drug Dilemma: You Live, Hair Cells Die" from the Summer 2010
issue of Hearing Health, online at www.drf.org). Among infections that can
cause hearing impairment, meningitis is the most common. At least some
degree of hearing loss has been reported in up to 29 percent of bacterial
meningitis cases, with a portion of these resulting in profound deafness.
Meningitis is an infection of the lining (the meninges) and fl uid around
the brain and spinal column. These infections can spread quickly, leading
to signifi cant illness and even death. While meningitis can affect people
of all ages, those most affected and negatively impacted by this disease
are individuals under the age of 20 years. A recent review (May 2010) by
Karen Edmond, Ph.D., found that children younger than fi ve years of age
were twice as likely to develop associated chronic conditions compared to
older individuals. Elderly people and people with compromised immune
systems are also at increased risk of meningitis.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 2010
Audiologists are weighing in on the research on
teen hearing loss published two months ago in the Journal of the American
Medical Association (JAMA) and its implications for the profession. The
study, described in Part 1 of this series (The ASHA Leader, Sept. 21),
showed a 31% overall rise in the prevalence of hearing loss in teens aged
12 to 19 from 1988-1994 to 2005-2006. Most of the hearing loss was slight,
between 15 and 25 dB-but the prevalence of mild and worse (25 dB or
greater) hearing loss increased 77%. The study also found that unilateral
hearing loss was more common than bilateral (for reasons unknown), and
that individuals reporting an income below the national poverty level in
the 2005-2006 survey cycle had a significant risk of hearing loss. [snip]
The ASHA Leader interviewed six audiologists in a variety of
settings-private practice, academia, occupational audiology, and
educational audiology-for their perspectives on the impact of potentially
accelerated hearing loss in the rising generation, and for their ideas for
next steps audiologists can take to continue to play a visible role in
addressing the problem of noise-induced hearing loss.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
November 2010
People who are exposed to the second-hand smoke
from others' cigarettes are at increased risk of hearing loss, experts
believe. Doctors already know that people who smoke can damage their
hearing. The latest study in the journal Tobacco Control, involving more
than 3,000 US adults, suggests the same is true of passive smoking.
Experts believe tobacco smoke may disrupt blood flow in the small vessels
of the ear. This could starve the organ of oxygen and lead to a build up
of toxic waste, causing damage. The harm is different to that caused by
noise exposure or simple ageing.
Full
Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 2011
If you've ever had a drink in a noisy bar, you may
have noticedthat the noise level seemed to increase as the evening wore on
and more drinks were consumed. "Cocktail party deafness" not only causes
drinkers to speak louder so they can be heard, it can also result in a
morning-after sensation of mild hearing loss. British researchers, led by
Tahwinder Upile, M.D., of University College London, have found that
consuming alcohol immediately reduces a person's ability to hear, at least
in the short term. Thirty volunteers had their hearing tested before
beginning to drink. They then drank the same amount of alcohol, and had
their hearing tested again. According to the study, published in BMC Ear,
Nose and Throat Disorders in 2007, "alcohol increased the hearing
threshold in all individuals." In other words, the minimum volume a
drinker needed to be able to hear grew. What's more, they found that
"alcohol specifically blunts lower frequencies affecting mostly 1000Hz,
which is the most crucial frequency for speech discrimination." Within a
week, however, hearing appeared to have returned to its prior level.
Full Story
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February 2011
When one notices temporary hearing loss, it can be
quite a scary experience. There are a number of reasons why it is
possible to lose the ability to hear, so finding out the reason for
hearing loss is the key to restoring it. Luckily, many of the reasons why
this type of hearing loss occurs are due to situations that can be quickly
remedied.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 2011
According to the World Health Organization,
hearing loss will become one of the most common disabilities in the near
future. To find out why hearing loss is on the rise, researchers have
begun studying what factors contribute to deteriorating hearing
abilities. What they found might surprise you.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
August 2011
But on Tuesday, something strange happened while
his four children were visiting and that massive earthquake rocked the
region. When it was over, Valderzak, who sat in silence for months, sat
up in his bed and told his kids, "I said, you know, my hearing is back. I
can hear everything, people in the hallway." As he was shaking around in
his bed, something happened in his head, and he could hear and talk again.
Full story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2011
A study published in the December, 2011 issue of
the Archives of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery indicates that blood
lead levels that are below the current recommended action level are
associated with substantially increased odds of high-frequency hearing
loss. According to the abstract, the researchers evaluated the
cross-sectional associations between blood lead, blood mercury, and
urinary cadmium and arsenic levels and audiometrically determined hearing
loss in participants aged 12 to 19 years in the 2005-2008 National Health
and Nutrition Examination Survey. Of this group, there were 2535
individuals available for analysis of blood lead and mercury levels, 878
for urinary cadmium levels, and 875 for urinary arsenic levels. The
results showed that a blood lead level greater than or equal to 2 µg/dL
compared with less than 1 µg/dL was associated with increased odds of
high-frequency hearing loss.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January 2012
Researchers in Taiwan have conducted a
retrospective study that appears to link having obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
and subsequently being diagnosed with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL).
The results of the study were reported in the January edition of the
Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. Jau-Jiuan Sheu, MD, MPH,
and two other researchers utilized a large Taiwan health insurance
database. They identified 3192 patients diagnosed with SSNHL for the study
group. For the control group, they randomly extracted the data of 15,960
subjects matched by sex, age, and year of first SSNHL diagnosis. Cases of
OSA included were identified by having been diagnosed as OSA prior to the
index date of SSNHL diagnosis. Also, conditional logistic regression
matched on age group and sex was used to assess the possible association
between SSNHL and OSA among the sampled patients.
Full Story
