Ear practice questions12/18/2023 Earwax can block the ear canal and prevent conduction of sound waves. It may become difficult for you to pick out words against background noise. Higher pitched tones may become muffled to you. When these hairs or nerve cells are damaged or missing, electrical signals aren't transmitted as efficiently, and hearing loss occurs. Aging and exposure to loud noise may cause wear and tear on the hairs or nerve cells in the cochlea that send sound signals to the brain. ![]() How hearing loss can occurĭamage to the inner ear. Your brain turns these signals into sound. There, the vibrations pass through fluid in a snail-shaped structure in the inner ear (cochlea).Īttached to nerve cells in the cochlea are thousands of tiny hairs that help translate sound vibrations into electrical signals that are transmitted to your brain. The eardrum and three small bones of the middle ear amplify the vibrations as they travel to the inner ear. Sound waves pass through the outer ear and cause vibrations at the eardrum. Your ear consists of three major areas: outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. The cochlea, a snail-shaped structure, is part of your inner ear. The middle ear is separated from your external ear by the eardrum and connected to the back of your nose and throat by a narrow passageway called the eustachian tube. You might also experience pain in your ear or fluid draining from your ear.The middle ear includes three small bones - the hammer (malleus), anvil (incus) and stirrup (stapes). Hearing loss is one sign of infection, but it’s not the only one. A condition called cholesteatoma, which can develop if you have an ongoing ear infection.A disease called otosclerosis, which affects the tiny bones in your ear.Inflammation in your external auditory canal, known as swimmer’s ear.You can also have trouble hearing for other reasons, including: If fluid stays in your ear for weeks or months and your infection isn’t treated, you can experience temporary hearing loss. This can happen because of a cold, allergies, or a buildup of pus and mucus from a virus or bacteria. It means the part of your ear inside the eardrum is inflamed. If you’re concerned about your hearing, call your doctor and ask for a screening.Īn ear infection - your doctor may call it “ otitis media” - is a common cause of hearing loss. About 14% of people between 45 and 64 have it, as do about 8 million people between ages 18 and 44. As an adult, you’ll probably be screened at your doctor’s office.Ībout 30% of people over age 65 have some type of hearing loss, but younger people can experience it too. This will help you understand what kind it is, how severe it is, and how it can best be treated.īabies usually get screenings at birth, and kids get them once in a while through their schools. If you fail, you’ll need to see a specialist who will give you a more detailed evaluation. If you pass, it’s likely you don’t have hearing loss. It’s usually a quick test to check to see if you need more screenings. Hearing ScreeningĪ hearing screening is different from a more comprehensive hearing test. Can you prevent hearing loss from headphones? Learn more. If you’re not having hearing loss, you should continue to get tested every 10 years until you turn 50, and every 3 years after that. That way, when you’re older, an audiologist can better understand how much it has changed and give you the right treatment. A baseline test will show you where your hearing is at that point. Your doctor can do it during your annual physical exam. Adults should get their hearing tested at least once, ideally after age 21. ![]() If that’s true of you, it’s time to schedule an appointment. The last time most adults had their hearing checked was in grade school. But what about when everything seems fine? Baseline Testing It may seem obvious that you need to get your ears checked when there’s a problem. But if you find yourself straining to hear during conversations, or you have pain or ringing in your ears, it’s definitely time. How often do you need to get your ears checked? It’s a question most of us probably don’t think about.
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