ASL II

 pinna - (also called the auricle) the visible part of the outer ear. It collects sound and directs it into the outer ear canal  outer ear canal - the tube through which sound travels to the eardrum.  eardrum - (also called the tympanic membrane) a thin membrane that vibrates when sound waves reach it.

 hammer - (also called the malleus) a tiny bone that passes vibrations from the eardrum to the anvil.  anvil - (also called the incus) a tiny bone that passes vibrations from the hammer to the stirrup.  stirrup - (also called the stapes) a tiny, U- shaped bone that passes vibrations from the stirrup to the cochlea. This is the smallest bone in the human body (it is 0.25 to 0.33 cm long).

 cochlea - a spiral-shaped, fluid-filled inner ear structure; it is lined with cilia (tiny hairs) that move when vibrated and cause a nerve impulse to form.  nerves - these carry electro-chemical signals from the inner ear (the cochlea) to the brain.  semicircular canals - three loops of fluid-filled tubes that are attached to the cochlea in the inner ear. They help us maintain our sense of balance.

 Eustachian tube - a tube that connects the middle ear to the back of the nose; it equalizes the pressure between the middle ear and the air outside. When you "pop" your ears as you change altitude (going up a mountain or in an airplane), you are equalizing the air pressure in your middle ear.

 Outer Ear- The outer ear consists of an earflap and an approximately 2-cm long ear canal. The earflap provides protection for the middle ear in order to prevent damage to the eardrum. The outer ear also channels sound waves that reach the ear through the ear canal to the eardrum of the middle ear.  Middle Ear- The middle ear is an air-filled cavity that consists of an eardrum and three tiny, interconnected bones - the hammer, anvil, and stirrup.  Inner Ear- The inner ear consists of a cochlea, the semicircular canals, and the auditory nerve.

 A comprehensive audiologic evaluation must be completed in order to determine the type and severity of hearing loss.  The main causes of hearing loss are as follows:  Excessive noise(i.e. construction, rock music, gun shot, etc)  Aging (presbycusis)  Infections  Injury to the head or ear  Birth defects or genetics  Reaction to drugs or cancer treatment (i.e. antibiotics, chemotherapy, radiation)

 In general terms, there are two types of hearing loss…  Conductive  Sensorineural  A combination of both is also seen as a mixed hearing loss.

 Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is not conducted efficiently through the outer ear canal to the eardrum and the tiny bones (ossicles) of the middle ear.  Conductive hearing loss usually involves a reduction in sound level or the ability to hear faint sounds.  This type of hearing loss can often be corrected medically or surgically.  Common Causes:  Ear wax build up, ear infection, tumor of the ear canal, foreign object in the canal, tear in the eardrum, fluid accumulation, etc

 Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) occurs when there is damage to the inner ear (cochlea), or to the nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain.  Most of the time, SNHL cannot be medically or surgically corrected. This is the most common type of permanent hearing loss.  SNHL reduces the ability to hear faint sounds. Even when speech is loud enough to hear, it may still be unclear or sound muffled.  Most sensory hearing loss is due to poor hair cell function. The hair cells may be abnormal at birth, or damaged during the lifetime of an individual. There are both external causes of damage, like noise trauma and infection, and intrinsic abnormalities, like deafness genes.

 Common Causes:  Lack of development of the cochlea, Disease or Illness (Meningitis, Measles), Physical trauma, Noise-induced (long term exposure to environmental noise), certain medications (heavy Vicodin abuse is known to cause hearing loss)

 I'll just have some minor surgery like my friend did, and then my hearing will be okay.  Many people know someone whose hearing improved after medical or surgical treatment. It's true that some types of hearing loss can be successfully treated. With adults, unfortunately, this only applies to 5-10% of cases.

 I have one ear that's down a little, but the other one's okay.  Everything is relative. Nearly all patients who believe that they have one "good" ear actually have two "bad" ears. When one ear is slightly better than the other, we learn to favor that ear for the telephone, group conversations, and so forth. It can give the illusion that "the better ear" is normal when it isn't. Most types of hearing loss affect both ears fairly equally, and about 90% of patients are in need of hearing aids for both ears.

 Hearing loss affects only "old people" and is merely a sign of aging.  Only 35% of people with hearing loss are older than age 64. There are close to six million people in the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 44 with hearing loss, and more than one million are school age. Hearing loss affects all age groups.

 If I had a hearing loss, my family doctor would have told me.  Not true! Only 14% of physicians routinely screen for hearing loss during a physical. Since most people with hearing impairments hear well in a quiet environment like a doctor's office, it can be virtually impossible for your physician to recognize the extent of your problem. Without special training, and an understanding of the nature of hearing loss, it may be difficult for your doctor to even realize that you have a hearing problem.

 Your hearing loss cannot be helped.  In the past, many people with hearing loss in one ear, with a high frequency hearing loss, or with nerve damage have all been told they cannot be helped, often by their family practice physician. This might have been true many years ago, but with modern advances in technology, nearly 95% of people with a sensorineural hearing loss can be helped with hearing aids.