Deafness or hearing loss has numerous causes. There are three basic types of deafness in adults:
- Presbycusis is a term used to describe hearing loss caused by the degenerative effects of ageing. Whether or not it appears is determined by genetic-type considerations and the physical stress to which the person is exposed during life. It can appear at any age, from youth to maturity. There are several types, leading to impaired understanding of speech and hypersensitivity to certain sounds because of their tone or volume.
- Ototoxicity is a type of deafness which is caused use of certain medications, which include a family of antibiotics, the aminoglycosides, used in hospital treatments: gentamicin, streptomycin, neomycin, etc. These antibiotics trigger a metabolic interaction, very common in kidney diseases, which affects cell metabolism in the inner ear causing irreversible degeneration. Other ototoxic substances include quinine, salicylates (aspirin), some diuretics and certain anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapy).
- Noise Deafness is caused by repeated, long-term exposure to loud noises. There are numerous sources of loud, harmful noises in today’s society: engines, industrial machinery, explosions (mining), music (in-ear headphones), airports, discotheques, gunshots (hunting), etc…
It has been shown that noises above 90 decibels destroy the nerve cells in the inner ear.
All professions that involve working in very noisy conditions can cause progressive, irreversible hearing loss, which is exacerbated when it is joined by presbycusis with age.
The best treatment for deafness is prevention: protect yourself from loud noises if you work in certain professions, avoid having the music turned up too loud in the car and in closed spaces and have medical checkups if you have to take medicines that present a risk.
One in two men lose their hearing at the age of 48.
Age is the main factor in hearing loss. What’s more, according to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, 1998, volume 148, men are three times more likely than women to suffer from deafness, regardless of their age, profession, general health and exposure to noise.
Other findings of this study were: Every five years after the age of 48, the risk of suffering from hearing loss increases by 90%. Between 48 and 59 years of age, one in five has hearing loss. After the age of 80, nine in ten patients suffer from deafness. Half of all men over 48 years of age have hearing impairments.
A total of 45.6% of the study participants suffered from hearing loss. Of these, 58.1% had mild deafness, 30.6% moderate and 11.3% severe.
The study, which was conducted between 1993 and 1995, looked at 3,753 people from Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. They were all assessed using the pure-tones hearing test and brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA).
The study revealed that people with fewer social and economic means were more likely to suffer from deafness, as were those who worked in noisy conditions.
Hearing loss is the third most common chronic disease in the United States, after arthritis and hypertension. As the population ages, sensorineural hearing loss will become increasingly common.
Dr. Alfonso Aracil – Specialist in otorrhinolaryngology
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