HEARING LOSSHEARING LOSS

WHAT IS HEARING LOSS?WHAT IS HEARING LOSS?

By C Spain.By C Spain.

AIMS OF THE SESSIONAIMS OF THE SESSION

1 To understand what can cause hearing 1 To understand what can cause hearing lossloss

2 To describe the parts of the ear that can 2 To describe the parts of the ear that can

become faulty.become faulty.

3 To empathise and look at ways to help 3 To empathise and look at ways to help some some

one with hearing lossone with hearing loss

WHAT IS HEARING WHAT IS HEARING LOSS?LOSS?

Hearing loss can occur to anyone at Hearing loss can occur to anyone at anytime. In order to understand hearing loss, anytime. In order to understand hearing loss, we need to understand how the ear works.we need to understand how the ear works.

Sound consists of vibrations in the air. The Sound consists of vibrations in the air. The ear is able to pick up these vibrations and ear is able to pick up these vibrations and convert them into electrical signals that are convert them into electrical signals that are sent to the brain. sent to the brain.

The brain then converts these signals into The brain then converts these signals into meaningful information such as language or meaningful information such as language or music.music.

THE EARTHE EAR

The ear consists of three main The ear consists of three main parts –parts –

Part one---- The outer ear.Part one---- The outer ear.

This consists of the parts that we can see This consists of the parts that we can see outside of the body. The ear lobe (that outside of the body. The ear lobe (that collects the sound waves) and the ear collects the sound waves) and the ear canals inside that take the sound to the canals inside that take the sound to the eardrum eardrum (a small membrane) (a small membrane)

THE EARTHE EAR

Part two----The middle ear Part two----The middle ear

This consists of the eardrum which This consists of the eardrum which vibrates and passes the sound down to vibrates and passes the sound down to the the ossiclesossicles which amplifies the which amplifies the vibrations down further to the inner ear vibrations down further to the inner ear ( The ( The ossicleossicles are made up of three s are made up of three bones and these are the smallest bones bones and these are the smallest bones found in the human body.)found in the human body.)

THE EARTHE EAR

Part three---The inner ear Part three---The inner ear

This consists of a structure called the This consists of a structure called the cochlea cochlea which looks like a snails shell, it which looks like a snails shell, it is full of liquid and tiny hair cells .is full of liquid and tiny hair cells .

The movement of these hair cells by the The movement of these hair cells by the vibration passed down the ear vibration passed down the ear generates the electrical signal which is generates the electrical signal which is then transmitted to the brain.then transmitted to the brain.

THE EARTHE EAR

As can be seen there are lots of As can be seen there are lots of parts to do with hearing and parts to do with hearing and therefore lots of parts that can go therefore lots of parts that can go wrong.wrong.

This can vary from intermittent This can vary from intermittent hearing loss to total hearing loss, hearing loss to total hearing loss, depending on where the problem is depending on where the problem is within the ear parts.within the ear parts.

THE EARTHE EAR

CAUSES OF HEARING CAUSES OF HEARING LOSSLOSS

There are many causes of hearing There are many causes of hearing loss .These can be divided into two loss .These can be divided into two types. types. Either problems caused by some thing Either problems caused by some thing

interfering with the sound from the interfering with the sound from the outer ear to the inner ear, or,outer ear to the inner ear, or,

Some thing caused by damage to the Some thing caused by damage to the pathway from the hair cells in the inner pathway from the hair cells in the inner ear to the brain.ear to the brain.

CAUSES OF HEARING CAUSES OF HEARING LOSSLOSS

With reference to the first type, this With reference to the first type, this could be caused by the following---could be caused by the following---

Middle ear infections.Middle ear infections. Collection of fluid in the middle ear Collection of fluid in the middle ear

(wax)(wax) Blockage of the middle ear (wax)Blockage of the middle ear (wax)

CAUSES OF HEARING CAUSES OF HEARING LOSSLOSS

A condition where parts of the A condition where parts of the middle ear become less mobilemiddle ear become less mobile

Damage to the Damage to the ossiclesossicles, for example by , for example by serious infection or head injury.serious infection or head injury.

Perforated (pierced eardrum, which Perforated (pierced eardrum, which could be caused by an infection ,head could be caused by an infection ,head injury or by poking some thing into your injury or by poking some thing into your ear.ear.

CAUSES OF HEARING CAUSES OF HEARING LOSSLOSS

With reference to the second type, this With reference to the second type, this could be caused by---could be caused by---

Age related hearing loss caused by natural Age related hearing loss caused by natural decline of hearing and the loss of hair cellsdecline of hearing and the loss of hair cells

Injury caused by loud noise (this can Injury caused by loud noise (this can damage the hair cells)damage the hair cells)

Certain infections such as Certain infections such as mumpsmumps or or meningitismeningitis can lead to a loss of the hair can lead to a loss of the hair cells.cells.

CAUSES OF HEARING CAUSES OF HEARING LOSSLOSS

Menieres Menieres disease, which can cause disease, which can cause dizziness, tinnitus, and hearing loss.dizziness, tinnitus, and hearing loss.

Certain drugs such as antibiotics can Certain drugs such as antibiotics can cause hearing loss, for example cause hearing loss, for example AspirinAspirin can cause ringing in the ears can cause ringing in the ears

Tumours (none cancerous) affecting Tumours (none cancerous) affecting the nerve sending the information to the nerve sending the information to the brain.the brain.

Other conditions such as strokes, brain Other conditions such as strokes, brain tumours and learning difficulties.tumours and learning difficulties.

PROBLEMSPROBLEMS

Hearing like sight is some thing that Hearing like sight is some thing that we take for granted we take for granted

(In groups choose one of you to have (In groups choose one of you to have ear plugs in and for 15 minutes talk ear plugs in and for 15 minutes talk amongst yourselves, then let the person amongst yourselves, then let the person who wore the ear plugs feed back to the who wore the ear plugs feed back to the group how they felt during the group how they felt during the exercise.)exercise.)

PROBLEMS TWOPROBLEMS TWO

(In groups look at ways of helping (In groups look at ways of helping some one with hearing loss either some one with hearing loss either partly or totalpartly or total

FACTSFACTS

If a pregnant woman gets a condition If a pregnant woman gets a condition called called RubellaRubella , then the unborn baby is , then the unborn baby is at risk of being born with some form of at risk of being born with some form of deafness, Vaccination is therefore deafness, Vaccination is therefore important.important.

Around 840 children are born with Around 840 children are born with moderate or severe deafness each year moderate or severe deafness each year in the UKin the UK

Around 1 in 1000 children are deaf at Around 1 in 1000 children are deaf at the age of threethe age of three

FACTSFACTS

There are about nine million people There are about nine million people in the UK who are deaf or have in the UK who are deaf or have hearing difficulties.hearing difficulties.

Over half of all people aged over 60 Over half of all people aged over 60 are hard of hearing or deaf.are hard of hearing or deaf.

There are about 123,000 people over There are about 123,000 people over the age of 16 who were born hearing the age of 16 who were born hearing but have developed severe or but have developed severe or profound deafness.profound deafness.

THANK YOUTHANK YOU

C Spain 2007 C Spain 2007

Thanks to BUPA for helpThanks to BUPA for help