The document discusses hearing loss and deafness. It describes the parts of the ear involved in hearing and classifies deafness into three types: conductive, sensorineural, and mixed. Numerous causes of each type are provided ranging from ear wax to old age. Treatments depend on the type and include hearing aids, surgery, cochlear implants, and speech therapy. Communication strategies and accommodations for people with hearing loss are also outlined.

2. 

Part of ear not working
Includes:
 outer ear
 middle ear
 inner ear
 hearing acoustic nerve
 auditory system

3. 
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Conductive deafness: due to defect in the
conducting mechanism of the ear namely
external and middle ear.
Sensori-neural deafness / Perceptive
deafness: due to lesions in the labyrinth, 8th
nerve & central connections. It includes
psychogenic deafness.
Mixed deafness: both the above mentioned
types are present.

4. Causes of Conductive deafness
EXTERNAL EAR:
 Wax,
 Fungus,
 Otitis Externa,
 Foreign Bodies,
 Polyps,
 Myringitis,
 Stenosis,
 Atresia,
 Tumours.

5. Causes of Conductive deafness
MIDDLE EAR
Congenital defects of
the ear drum and
ossicles.
 Traumatic:
Barotrauma, rupture of
ear drum, # of the base
of the skull

Inflammation:
AOM, COM, Serous
OM, Adhesive OM.
 Tuberculosis and
syphilitic OM
 Neoplasms
 Otosclerosis


6. EUSTACHIAN TUBE
Eustachian catarrh
Eustachian tube
dysfunction due to
diseases of the nose,
paranasal sinuses &
pharynx
 Barotrauma

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CATARRH = EXCESSIVE
DISCHARGE FROM NOSE /
THROAT / EAR

7. LOCAL CAUSES (INNER EAR)
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Congenital
Trauma: Head injury,
surgical injury to labyrinth,
loud sounds (acute or
chronic acoustic trauma)
producing concussion.
Infections: mumps,
syphilis, tuberculous
meningitis, enteric fever,
labyrinthitis.

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Tumours: Acoustic
neuroma (Schwanoma of
C8 nerve)
Meniere’s disease
Ototoxic drugs:
streptomycin, Kanamycin,
neomycin, salicylates, fruse
mide and quinine.

8. GENERAL CAUSES
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Presbyacusis
CVS: atherosclerosis, HTN
CNS: disseminated
sclerosis
DM
Avitaminosis
Hypothyroidism
Smoking
Alcoholism

Presbyacusis: is a
progressive bilateral
symmetrical age-related
sensorineural hearing loss.
It is also known as agerelated hearing loss

9. PSYCHOGENIC DEAFNESS:

Functional: due to
emotional cause, but the
patient is not aware of the
cause.
2 TYPES

Malingering: no organic or
psychological cause. The
patient is aware that he is
pretending to be deaf for
personal gains.

10. Causes of Mixed deafness

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Trauma: Blast injury, acoustic trauma, head
injury.
CSOM with labyrinthitis.
Otosclerosis
Senile deafness superimposed on conductive
deafness.

11. 
Decibel Level Examples include:
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Rock concerts, firecrackers (140 decibels)
Loud bass in cars, snowmobiles (120 decibels)
Chainsaw (110 decibels)
Wood shop (100 decibels)
Lawn mowers, motorcycles (90 decibels)
City traffic noise (80 decibels)
Normal conversation (60 decibels)
Refrigerator humming (40 decibels)
To reduce potential hearing loss, avoid prolonged exposure to
sound above 90 decibels.

12. 
Unable to hear sound at
 “Mild” Hearing Loss
▪ 26 – 40 dB
 “Moderate” Hearing Loss
▪ 41-55 dB
 “Severe” Hearing Loss
▪ 56- 70 dB
 “Profound” Hearing Loss
▪ 91 dB & greater

13. 
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Conductive deafness: Hearing aid
Sensori-neural deafness:
 For sudden deafness:
▪ Steroids
▪ Vasodilators
▪ Vit. B1, B6 & B12
▪ Vit. A, C & E
▪ Carbogen (5% CO2 with 95% O2) [to imrove blood
circulation in the cochlea]

14. 
For chronic deafness
 Hearing aids
 Cochlear implants
 Conversation should be slow, clear & not too clear
 Auditory training & lip reading.

15. 

Removal of ear wax
Hearing aids
 Amplify sound

Cochlear Implant

16. 
Small electronic device
 Simulates auditory nerve
▪ Provides “sense” of sound
 Used by
▪ Profoundly deaf
▪ Children age 2-6

Aided by speech therapy

17. 
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Immunizations for
childhood diseases
Avoid high decibels
Have hearing tested
Use hearing protectors
▪ Earmuffs
▪ Earplugs

18. 
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Hearing aid orientation
Sign Language
Lip reading

19. 
Visually transmitted sign
pattern
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Hand shapes
Orientation
Movement of hands, arms, body
Facial expressions

20. 
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Surgery is indicated for conductive or mixed
hearing loss.
To restore conductive hearing
 Myringotomy
 Stapedectomy

Assisted hearing in profound deafness
 Cochlear implants
 Temporal bone stimulators (Bone hearing devices)
 Middle ear implants (Semi-implantable hearing device)

Tumour excision for acoustic neuroma

21. 
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Speak clearly and naturally.
Move closer to the listener.
Face the listener while speaking.
Restate your message, if needed.
Do not cover your mouth.
Be patient.
Encourage to use hearing aid
Encourage client to read lips, if that helps

22. 
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Lower pitch of voice
Direct speech to stronger ear but do not
shout
Use gestures when possible to clarify
statements
Write when necessary
Learn basic signing, if appropriate