Gradual hearing loss in accordance with your growing age is normal which medically known as “presbycusis”. Around one-third of 65 to 75 age group people in the US suffer from presbycusis at different degree. However, the cases of presbycusis among people older than 75 years is acute and they count approximately one in every two persons. Chronic exposure to very loud noises along with ageing are two major factors for presbycusis. There are other factors like excessive earwax also results in hearing loss, but they are temporary and can be treated and cured by specialist physicians such as Audiologie Centre-Ouest.
The hearing loss is broadly divided into three categories namely (1) conductive which involves the middle or outer ear, (2) sensorineural which involves the inner year, and (3) mixed which involves a combination of both, the conductive as well as sensorineural. Most types of hearing loss are normally irreversible. But you can improve the status of hearing or the status of these three types of hearing loss through step by step measures in association with your doctor or hearing specialist.
The ear is comprised of three basic parts. They are (1) the outer ear, (2) the middle ear, and (3) the inner ear. Each of these three sections has specific structures and functions as well as specific roles in processing and converting the sound waves into signals which eventually go to the brain. The outer ear is medically named as “pinna” which the visible part of the ear. The outer ear also comprised of the ear canal. The pinna or the external shape of the ear gathers sound from the atmosphere and sends them to the ear canal.
The middle ear is composed of three bones namely the hammer, anvil and stirrup. The hammer, anvil and stirrup are separated by the eardrum. When the eardrum is struck by a sound wave it vibrates. This vibration of the eardrum triggers or creates a chain of vibrations because of different shape, size and the positions as well as increases the force of the vibration when it reaches the inner ear. This enhancement of force of the vibration is essential to transfer the sound wave to inner ear fluid.
The inner ear has multiple and interconnected chambers that are filled with fluids. The sound vibrations from the bones are transferred to the fluids of a chamber named “cochlea” which plays an important role in the hearing process. The tiny sensors or the hair cells in the cochlea eventually convert the vibrations to electrical pulses and get transmitted to brain through auditory nerves.
