Hearing Loss Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Herbal Treatment

Abstract

It is very well said that a great conversation depends directly on great hearing! Auditory perception, also known as hearing, is one of the special senses of an individual by which one can hear the surrounding sounds. Sound can be heard via different states of matter. Hearing is considered very important in maintaining relationships, life experiencing, and fully enjoying the activities. Loss of hearing can be traumatising for one as he/she cannot live life up to the fullest. Missing out on listening to nature, and hearing your loved one’s voice can lead to social isolation, anxiety, and depression. In this article, we will read about the introduction to the functioning of ears and the hearing process, the aetiology of hearing loss, symptoms and diagnosis, modern and ayurvedic treatment, and prevention.

Introduction

Hearing loss is considered an auditory function impairment that can be seen in two ways

• Prelingually i.e. before starting to speak
• Postlingually i.e. after starting to speak

Our auditory system has multiple parts that work conjointly so that we can hear beautiful noises around us without any disturbance. These parts include

• The Inner Ear is a helical structure which is also termed, Cochlea meaning a snail shell, being lined by tiny hair cells, this cochlear transmits the signals to our auditory nerve when the sound waves touch these hair cells.
• The Middle Ear comprises the tympanic membrane of the eardrum along with the malleus, stapes, and incus (ear ossicles). Both of these carry sound vibrations to the inner ear.
• The outer Ear is formed with the combination of the ear canal and pinna. Pinna is the outer visible part of the ear that is acting like a funnel carrying sound via the ear canal to the inner ear.
• The Auditory Nervous System is spread from the cochlea to the brain stem and transfers all the nerve impulses to the temporal lobe of the brain where the meaning of that particular sound is perceptive.

Apart from hearing, our ears also serve a very important function which is maintaining body balance. The ear contains the organ of balance – The vestibular system. The vestibular system is made up of

• The semicircular canals and
• The otolith organs ( filled with fluid)

The Semicircular canals end in ampullae that have small hair cells in them that are bent by the fluid when our head moves, and this information is sent to the brain via nerves that help to balance the body by sensing movements.

Process of Hearing

Hearing is a process that involves the proper functioning of all the parts of the auditory system. The process is as follows

• Sound waves reach the ear and travel via the ear canal touching drum casing vibrations
• These vibrations are transferred to the ear ossicles
• The vibrations are further transmitted to the cochlea which is lined by hair cells
• These hair cells start vibrating sending signals to the auditory nerve
• These signals are received by the brain and translated into sound and perception is done by the brain.

Etiology of Hearing Loss

Various conditions can affect the ability of a person to hear. It can include

Chronic Exposure to Loud Noises

This can lead to damage to the inner ear structures. Chronic exposure of the ears to loud noise at workplaces gradually starts to affect the inner ears. This condition can also be seen acutely if ears are exposed to very loud noises like firecrackers or firearms all of a sudden. The damage from sound is directly proportional to the amount of exposure. This type of hearing loss can be prevented if ear plugging or earmuffing is done during the workplace or firearm or firecracker exposure.

Trauma to Ears

Putting sharp objects to clear the earwax, pushing the cotton swabs or buds very deep into the ear canal, head trauma leading to fracture of the skull or ear ossicles, and a hard impact on the face or ear can all lead to trauma that can damage your inner ear (tympanic membrane perforation) or the outer ear structure leading to multiple issues one of which can be hearing loss.

Earwax Buildup

Building or Cerumen or earwax over time and the absence of cleaning will lead to conditions like pain, tinnitus and ultimately hearing loss. This can be prevented if the cleaning of earwax is done by an otolaryngologist, otologist, or audiologist.

Aging

A gradual hearing loss can be observed with aging as certain changes can be seen in the auditory nerve and inner ear. Hearing loss associated with aging is also known as Presbycusis.

Hereditary/Genetic

50 percent of hearing loss cases are due to genetic involvement. These can be syndromic (30% cases) or non-syndromic (70% cases). Syndromic hearing loss includes Waardenburg syndrome, Goldenhar Syndrome, Branchio-oto-renal Syndrome, Charge Syndrome, Stickler Syndrome, Apert Syndrome, and Treacher Collins. The non-syndromic hearing loss will exist with other symptoms in the body too.

Congenital

Congenital hearing is present by birth and in this, the conversion of sound into electrical energy is impaired. In this type of hearing loss, there can be loss of speech too.

Medication intake

Certain ototoxic medications such as NSAIDs, cancer medications, antibiotics, and blood thinners can also cause hearing loss, balancing disorders, and tinnitus gradually.

Chronic Diseases

Certain diseases like Hypertension, Diabetes, lung diseases, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, peripheral artery disease, and cancers can gradually weaken the nervous system impacting the auditory nerve and leading to hearing loss. Ear diseases like Acoustic Neuroma, Otitis Media, and Meniere’s Disease can also affect hearing.

Types of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is classified into three forms

• Sensorineural hearing loss in which our auditory nerve or inner is impacted
• Conductive hearing loss is when sound transmission to the inner ear via the outer or middle ear is reduced, and
• Mixed type of hearing loss involving both sensorineural and conductive types of hearing loss.

Sensorineural hearing loss is further classified into two forms that are acquired or noise uninduced and genetic or inherited.

1. Acquired or Noise Uninduced
2. Genetic or Inherited

Hearing loss can also be classified based on the Decibels i.e. the loudness of noises that can be heard. This is as follows

• Mild in which the individual will be having problems with keeping up a conversation in noisy areas. Sounds that can be heard are between 25 to 40 dB HL.
• Moderate in which the individual will be having problems with keeping up a conversation if they don’t use any hearing aids. Sounds that can be heard are between 40 to 70 dB HL.
• Severe in which an individual’s hearing ability will be dependent on the strength of the hearing aid and reliability on lip reading can be observed. Sounds that can be heard are between 70 to 95 dB HL.
• Profound is when an individual is having a very hard time listening and only relies on sign language and lip reading completely. Sounds that can be heard are above 95 dB HL.

Symptoms of Hearing Loss

The process of hearing loss is so gradual and painless that one might not even notice that he/she is losing his/her hearing ability. The following signs and symptoms can be observed

• Watching TV/Radio on high volume as compared to others in the surrounding
• Asking people to repeat what they say
• Difficulty in following up on a conversation
• Ringing, pressure, or pain in the ear
• Having balancing issues (Meniere’s Disease)
• Often having a feeling that you can hear but understand anything
• Listening fatigue
• Dependency on another person to hear or understand
• Difficulty in localising the sound

In children, the following symptoms can be observed

• Delayed speech
• Not reacting to the name being called out
• Not showing any reaction to loud noises
• Continuously saying “huh?” in a conversation
• Behavioural problem
• Failing to localise any sound
• Poor academic performance

Diagnosis of the Hearing Loss

Diagnosing a case of hearing loss will include proper history taking in which the patient will be enquired about

• Any trauma
• Medication history
• Family history
• Birth defects
• Any underlying disorder
• Nutritional deficiencies can be assessed
• Occupation.

Hearing loss diagnosis can include

Physical Examination

Detection of infections, and earwax buildup can be assessed in this process.

Screening Test

This test is done to check the reaction of the patient to different sounds at different frequencies. The whisper test is done by covering an ear and whispering words with different sound levels in another ear.

Tuning Fork Tests

These tests can help discover the sight of ear damage and detect hearing loss.

Audiometer Tests

This test is performed by an audiologist and involves the detection of the lowest frequency that can be heard.

Word Recognition

This test allows us to see whether the patient can recognize the word being spoken or the sound played.

Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response or Auditory Brainstem Response

This can help to detect any defect in auditory nerves and brainstem transmission.

Otoacoustic Emissions

This can be done to check the functioning of the cochlea.

Acoustic Immittance

This test assesses the structure of the middle ear and surrounding structures. Tympanometry, a type of this test, helps to assess the eardrum functioning.

Treatment of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss can mess up the mental health of the patient and also can make one feel like losing connection with the world. Treatment will include surgical intervention, and medical intervention depending on the underlying pathology leading to hearing loss. The treatment can include one or a combination of the following procedures

Ear Wax Build-Up Removal

If the underlying cause of hearing loss is ear wax piled up in the ear canal then only removing this build-up can restore normal hearing. This can be done with suction or the usage of a tool with a loop at the end.

Medications

Antibiotics or Antiviral drugs can be given if there is any infection noticed. Steroid application can be done if there is any hair cell swelling. Medications can also be switched with another safer formula if they are causing any side effects.

Hearing Assist Devices

If nothing from all of the above works, then hearing devices can be of choice. These can be worn outside or inside depending on the part involved and help in amplifying the sound. These include cochlear implants. These devices can be worn behind the ear, in the ear, in the canal, or completely in the canal.

Surgery

The choice of surgery will depend on the underlying cause or the damaged structure. Surgeries involved are

1. Tympanoplasty

This surgery can be done in the case of eardrum damage (puncture or torn). This process is performed under general anesthesia via the ear canal and a graft can be inserted into the damaged spot.

2. Stapedectomy

This can be done if your ear ossicles (stapes mainly) get damaged due to osteosclerosis or skull fracture. The damaged stapes will be removed and a prosthetic bone made up of the most durable matter (e.g. Teflon) will be inserted in place of it.

3. Tube Insertion

Ear tubes can be inserted to treat Chronic Otitis media as they can help drain the pus.

4. Cochlear Implant

This is an electronic device that can be used to improve hearing ability. It can be of use in patients having severe damage to their inner ear or having a very difficult time listening to anything. A cochlear implant delivers corrected sound signals to the auditory nerve bypassing all the damaged parts of the ears.

Prevention of Hearing Loss

All types of hearing loss cannot be considered preventable e.g. hearing loss due to aging is inevitable and can be prevented and in this case, the only resort is hearing aids or surgeries. There are some ways hearing loss can be prevented if followed from a very earlier stage. These can include

• Stop the consumption of alcohol as it increases toxins in the body and those toxins can accumulate in the ear and cause disturbed hearing
• Stop smoking and vaping as they are not good for the overall health of an individual and also disturb the proper blood flow to the ear
• Keeping blood sugar levels under control as diabetes can lead to damaged inner ear cells and ultimately lead to deafness
• Keeping the blood pressure and cholesterol under control as these can lead to damaged functioning of the ear
• Proper exercising shall be done as a sedentary lifestyle leads to lifestyle disorders that directly impact ear functioning. Incorrect exercise can also lead to traumas that can lead to ear damage
• Reduce stress as it also affects your way of hearing
• Eat a nutritional diet so that there are no chances of anemia or vitamin deficiencies
• Keep an eye on the medications being prescribed and get knowledge about the organs affected by a particular drug intake
• Having information about a family history of deafness and going for periodic ear checkups to prevent complications.
• Not pushing anything sharp into the ear canal as it can cause ear damage
• Taking proper treatment of any chronic disease if any
• Keeping earphone volume low (below 80% for not more than 90 minutes a day) enough so that you can listen to nearby people’s voices.
• Usage of ear-protecting stuff like earmuffs and earplugs can be of much use for people who have occupational exposure to very loud noises or those who visit frequently concerts or ride motorcycles.

Yogas to Improve Hearing Ability

Yoga can helps a lot in hearing loss cases as it relieves the patient from stress and anxiety and improves the whole body’s blood flow directly impacting the hearing loss. Following yoga poses can be performed regularly to have great hearing ability

• Viparita Karani
• Greeva Chalan
• Bhramari Pranayama
• Shunya Mudra
• Kumbhak
• Matsyasana
• Adho Mukha Svanasana
• Bhujangasana

Ayurvedic Overview on Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is quoted as Badhirya in Ayurveda. It is said that the ears are the main acting point of Vata dosha and any vitiation in Vata dosha will surely cause problems in the ear. Elevation of Kapha dosha causes blockage of the ear channels (Shrotorodha) which if left untreated for long will ultimately lead to hearing loss or Badhirya.

Chikitsa

Ayurvedic treatment will include

• Vatavyadhi chikista vidhi can help to repair the damaged hair cells in ears and rejuvenate them too.
• Nasya can also be done with Anu Tailam as it can help to break down the collected Kapha and clarify the Shrotorodha restoring the normal functioning of the ear.
• Herbal remedies like Ginkgo biloba can help improve blood flow to the ear, and Curcumin can help with ear pains and pus discharges.

Herbal Remedies for Hearing Loss by Planet Ayurveda

Planet Ayurveda provides a very gentle and safe solution for hearing issues without causing any side effects as the medications prepared are herbal and the procedures followed are with strict adherence to ancient Ayurveda principles.

Following medications are being provided for treating the hearing issues

Product List

1. Brahmi capsules
2. Yograj Guggul
3. Ashwagandha Capsules
4. Shilajit Capsules
5. Kaishore Guggul
6. Brahmi Chyawanprash
7. Amalaki Rasayan
8. Anu Tailam
9. Pitta Balance
10. Stress Support

Product Description

1. Brahmi Capsules

Brahmi capsules are prepared using standardised extract of Brahmi which helps to relieve stress and anxiousness which is the major reason for ear-related issues. Brahmi also helps in cases of tinnitus and auditory nerve issues as it is also a great nerve tonic. It also balances all three doshas.

Dosage: – 2 Capsules twice a day with plain water, after meals

2. Yograj Guggul

This herbal formulation is a blend of multiple herbs that are antioxidant and helps to decrease the swelling and pain in the ear. It also helps with musculoskeletal and nervous system problems. It balances Vata and Kapha.

Dosage:- 2 tablets twice a day with plain water, after meals.

3. Ashwagandha Capsules

Ashwagadha capsules are prepared using standardised extract of Ashwagandha which is very helpful in fighting diseases related to ageing and provides strength to the body. This helps to decrease stress and reduce inflammation and pain.

Dosage: – 2 Capsules twice a day with plain water, after meals.

4. Shilajit Capsules

Shilajit capsules help to improve the blood flow to the ear and provide strength to the nerves and bones. It also improves metabolism. Shilajit also helps to balance tridioshas and psychic energies.

Dosage: – 2 Capsules twice a day with plain water, after meals.

5. Kaishore Guggul

Kaishore guggul is a classical ayurvedic formulation prepared using Guggul (Commiphora mukul) which helps to clean the blood, has anti-aging effects, and provides strength and vitality to the ears.

Dosage: – 2 tablets twice a day with plain water, after meals.

6. Brahmi Chyawanprash

This is a combination of 50 herbs including Brahmi and Amla which acts as an antioxidant and also enhances immunity. It also helps to provide strength to the ear nerves and helps with all ear disorders.

Dosage: – 1 teaspoonful twice daily, after meals.

7. Amalaki Rasayan

The major ingredient of this medicine is Amla (Emblica officinale) which is considered a rich source of Vitamin C and therefore, is rich in antioxidants and keeps ears away from infections.

Dosage: – 1 Capsule twice a day with plain water, after meals.

8. Anu Tailam

Being rich in Til tail, Ushir, Shatavri, Yashtimadhu, and Shallaki this oil can be used for Nasya as it supports the ENT system and helps in clearing the infection and any excess mucous collected in the sinuses.

Dosage: – Few drops are to be instilled in each nostril.

9. Pitta Balance

Pitta balance contains praval pishti, akik pishti, and jahar mohra pishti which helps in balancing out all the doshas and gives relief from ear pains and infections.

Dosage: – 1 Capsule twice a day with plain water, after meals.

10. Stress Support

These capsules are prepared with Tagar (Indian valeriana), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), and Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) and help in calming the mind and keeping stress away as stress can lead to multiple issues with balancing and hearing.

Dosage: – 2 Capsules twice a day with plain water, after meals.

Contact Planet Ayurveda Support Team to provide you the costing / ordering and delivery information at – costing.planetayurveda@gmail.com or Call at 0172-521-4030 (India), +91-172-521-4030 (Outside India) or Whatsapp at (+91) 9915-593-604

Conclusion

Hearing loss is a very complicated disability as it contains a heavy economic and social loss. The person suffering from this feels disconnected from the whole world which also is harming overall health. Multiple solutions are being made every day for these patients like advanced hearing aids and devices that are not affordable by everyone therefore a healthy lifestyle and timely diagnosis of hearing disorders or underlying problems can help in avoiding permanent hearing loss. Proper treatment also plays a vital role in hearing ability. Taking strong medications can also lead to multiple issues along with hearing loss so it’s better to stick with herbal remedies. It is well said that one of the five body senses is hearing but listening to something is an art therefore it is very important to keep this beautiful sense safe and sound!