Treatment of sensorineural hearing loss. Standard for the treatment of sensorineural hearing loss of various degrees and the use of folk remedies Treatment of sensorineural hearing loss

Ear diseases usually do not cause concern for people and not every time someone goes to the hospital. And at this time, irreversible processes can occur in the damaged organs of the ear, which can cause deafness and hearing loss.

Neurosensory is not only a decrease in hearing, but also difficulties in speech communication. It can be congenital or acquired. Scientists have discovered genes responsible for decreased hearing function.

With a dominant gene, hearing loss and deafness are hereditary, transmitted through generations. If it is recessive, then the manifestation of hearing loss will be selective in nature - not for everyone.

The disease can occur against the background of the negative impact of an external factor or other diseases:

  • infectious (colds, mumps, syphilis, as well as measles, rubella, scarlet fever, meningitis);
  • blood vessels (hypertension, atherosclerosis);
  • stress, mechanical and acoustic barotrauma, when a person’s work is associated with increased noise levels;
  • exposure to various medications (antibiotics), industrial and household substances.

The risk of hearing loss can develop during fetal development when the mother consumes alcohol and becomes infected with sexually transmitted diseases. The statistics are such that hearing loss is found in every third child. In case of viral diseases, it is important to vaccinate so that the disease does not enter the stage of neglect and does not cause complications on the auditory organs.

Symptoms of sensorineural hearing loss

When hearing loss occurs, unilateral or bilateral hearing loss may occur. In this case, you may experience symptoms:

  • audibility of noises, ringing;
  • dizziness;
  • nausea attacks;
  • gagging;
  • vestibular disorders.

The patient may develop a psycho-emotional disorder if a long process of chronic hearing loss occurs with a lack of audibility. The patient has:

  • decreased vitality;
  • irritation;
  • restless state;
  • anxiety;
  • lack of contact with other people;
  • loss of working ability.

Elderly people are often accompanied by cerebrovascular diseases. When audibility is lost completely or by half and appropriate actions for auditory correction are not taken, sclerosis, thinking problems, delusions, and hallucinations can progress.

If the disease has a rapid development, then the manifestation of clinical symptoms is sudden, despite external well-being. In some cases, a decrease in hearing function occurs within a week.

In subacute and chronic hearing loss, development may take a longer period, lasting up to five months. It is imperative to visit a specialist to have your hearing tested, this will help avoid deterioration in its quality.

Diagnostics indicating degrees

Diagnosis is carried out in order to identify the degree of hearing impairment and establish the true cause of hearing loss. Also determine the level of damage, persistence of deafness, its progression or regression. For diagnosis, specialist doctors are involved, these are:

  • otolaryngologist;
  • otoneurologist;
  • ophthalmologist;
  • cardiologist;
  • endocrinologist;
  • traumatologist-orthopedist.

The list of doctors increases depending on the course of the disease. Hearing loss sees varying degrees of hearing loss:

  • I s – not perceived 25 – 40 dB;
  • II s – no sensitivity 40 – 55 dB;
  • IIIc – patients cannot perceive 56 – 70 dB;
  • IVc – the patient does not perceive 70 – 90 dB.

A diagnosis of complete deafness is given to a person who cannot hear a sound range greater than 90 dB. Deafness or hearing loss is initially determined by an otolaryngologist who uses the method of conversational whispered speech (audiometry). You also need to undergo an examination by an audiologist to determine the extent of the disease; he diagnoses with special devices - an audiometer, a tuning fork.

To determine the differences between conductive and sensorineural hearing loss, diagnosis is carried out by audiometry and otoscopy. Bone and air conduction are assessed, as they are usually impaired in sensorineural hearing loss. The audiogram of a patient with this diagnosis shows merging conduction lines.

An otoneurologist will conduct a consultation and determine the localization of the levels of damage to the auditory nerve, differential diagnosis of sensorineural hearing loss between the cortical ones (which may manifest itself due to damage to the corresponding areas of the brain). In this case, special diagnostics are performed - threshold audiometry, tone audiogram, and auditory EPs are examined.

MRI is also prescribed to identify the patient’s existing diseases of the nervous system, pathological changes in the spine, and to exclude traumatic injuries. CT scan of the skull, facial bones, brain, cervical spine. Ultrasound of the carotid, subclavian, and vertebral arteries.

In young children at an early stage of life it is difficult to detect deafness and hearing loss, therefore computer audiometry, acoustic impedance measurement of the middle ear, and eardrums are used to identify auditory anomalies.

Standard treatment for sensorineural hearing loss

The main goal of therapeutic actions is to restore, stabilize impaired auditory functions and eliminate accompanying syndromes (when dizziness, ringing, imbalance, neuropsychic disorders), and return to the usual way of life.

  1. Drug treatment – ​​the enormous effectiveness of drug treatment can be noticed at an early stage of the disease, when it has not yet become chronic. Unexpectedly manifested hearing loss is eliminated by using large doses of glucocorticoid hormones for eight days; sometimes this helps to restore hearing. Histamine-like, antihypertensive, psychotropic drugs, those that improve blood circulation, conduct nerve impulses, and microcirculation are widely used.
  2. Physiotherapy - in the initial stage of the disease, treatment is carried out using phonoelectrophoresis, electrical stimulation of the tissue of the inner ear, acupuncture, and electropuncture. Therapeutic procedures effectively help reduce noise, relieve dizziness, and improve sleep and mood.
  3. Hearing prosthetics - moderate, severe degrees of loss of auditory functions prescribe the use of behind-the-ear, in-ear, pocket, analog, digital drugs in monoaural, binaural prosthetics.
  4. Surgical intervention is performed on tumors to reduce the severity of certain symptoms of vestibular disorders. If the functionality of the auditory nerve is preserved, but hearing is completely absent, cochlear implantation is possible, which subsequently helps to hear.

Any treatment method works effectively when contacting a specialist is done on time. As soon as you feel discomfort in your ears, you should immediately come to see a doctor. Independent actions are unacceptable; the ears have endings connected to the entire body.

We bring to your attention a video that explains the features of the occurrence and treatment of sensorineural hearing loss:

Treatment of chronic hearing loss

Therapy for chronic hearing loss is carried out individually for each patient; surgical intervention is not excluded: plastic surgery of the eardrum is performed, and prosthetic hearing ossicles are replaced. In this case, hearing returns permanently or partially.

Therapeutic actions for chronic hearing loss often depend on another disease that caused it. They are treated with medications that improve blood circulation, using physiotherapy, oxygen barotherapy, prosthetics, and implantation.

All therapy occurs under the supervision of a physician.

Traditional recipes at home

Healers have many recipes for the treatment of sensorineural hearing loss and other ear-related diseases:

  1. Take the pharmacy and add it to vegetable oil 1:3. Having rolled up a tourniquet of gauze, moistened it in the solution and inserted it into the ear opening, changing it after two hours. The procedure is carried out approximately 20 times until there is improvement. Take a week's break and continue again.
  2. After moistening the tourniquet in viburnum or rowan juice, insert it into the ear before going to bed, but you can use it during the daytime, changing the tampon every six hours, carry out the procedure 15 times.
  3. Mix two oils, almond and walnut, in equal proportions. Moisten the turunda and insert it into the auricle, preferably before going to bed. You need to do the procedure for a month, take a 10-day break, and continue until the healing effect occurs.
  4. Fresh leaves of medicinal herbs and plants will help in treatment. You will need bay leaf, geranium, lemon balm, mint, oregano, calendula, marigold, lovage. Each type of leaf is used for ten days. To do this, a tampon is dipped in the juice of a leaf of one type, inserted into the auricle and kept until dry, changing periodically.
  5. Squeeze out the beet juice, soak a gauze band in it and keep it in the ear for four hours. They do 15 procedures and a ten-day break.

Useful in decoctions prepared according to folk recipes:

  1. Take 10 bay leaves, pour 200g of boiling water, cover warm and let it brew for three hours. You can drink one tablespoon half an hour before meals, preferably a month. Use as ear drops, 6 drops in the sore ear three times a day for two weeks. Decoction and drops can be combined in treatment.
  2. . For half a liter of vodka, take a glass of plant stems, mix and infuse for three weeks. Drink three times a day, starting with a teaspoon – 3 days, a dessert spoon – 3 days, a tablespoon – 3 days. The tincture is poured from a spoon into a glass with 50g of water. Drink for a month, then take a break for fifteen days and continue treatment further.

Consult your physician before using prescriptions.

Prevention and prognosis

A preventive measure to prevent deafness and hearing loss is undergoing examinations. Especially concerning people working in enterprises with increased noise and generally all segments of the population. Timely detection will not lead to delays in intellectual development and will help in the correct formation of speech.

Do not listen to music on headphones too loudly, especially for young people. Treat ear diseases in a timely manner.

The prognosis for treatment may be correctly selected adequate treatment and following all the doctor’s instructions, quit smoking, do not take alcoholic drinks, drugs, exercise physical activity, try not to be nervous, and be resistant to stress. All this will help cope with the disease.

You can find out the opinion of specialists regarding the treatment of sensorineural hearing loss with folk remedies from the following video:

Marina PAVLOVA, expert of "Oriental Medicine"

Clinical picture of sensorineural hearing loss

As you know, the shape of a person’s ears strongly resembles the structure of such an internal organ as the kidneys, and this is not accidental. In Eastern medicine, it is the ears that depend on the functioning of the urinary system, as they are connected to the kidney meridian. This energy meridian starts from a point located on the soles of the feet and goes through the kidneys directly to the ears. The disease of sensorineural hearing loss involves damage to the nerve cells of the inner ear, as well as the auditory nerve and formations of the auditory system.

This disease manifests itself in hearing loss. In acute cases, which last about one month, changes in the spiral organ or other parts of the auditory analyzer are considered reversible by doctors. As for subacute sensorineural hearing loss, it lasts from one to three months, and in the chronic form – more than three.

Both adults and children suffer from sensorineural hearing loss. The acute period is very important in the treatment process, since the patient begins to lose hearing, and if valuable time is lost at this stage, it cannot be compensated in most cases. People with this diagnosis experience decreased hearing and the following symptoms:

  • nausea and possible vomiting;
  • severe noise in the ears;
  • dizziness;

As practice shows, most cases occur with vestibular disorders. Patients often turn to specialists at the Center for Eastern Korean Medicine with complaints of severe attacks of dizziness and impaired coordination of movements. For some, vestibular dysfunction can only be detected with appropriate testing.

Causes of the disease and classification of sensorineural hearing loss

This disease in medical terminology is also called sensorineural hearing loss. Hearing impairment in a person can be acquired or congenital. Scientists have conducted many studies and have proven that the following factors play a huge role in the occurrence of acquired hearing loss:

  • stressful situations;
  • infectious diseases (influenza, ARVI, syphilis, mumps and others);
  • vascular disorders, which include cerebral atherosclerosis, hypertension, vertebrobasilar discirculation;
  • previous injuries (barotrauma, acoustic, mechanical);
  • ototoxic effects of household or industrial substances;
  • the effect of certain drugs (antimalarials, salicylates, etc.);

In the classification of hearing loss, there are 3 types of this disease:

  • When the organs of the inner ear (or cochlea) are affected - sensory hearing loss. These hair receptors are responsible for the perception of sound.
  • If the branches of the auditory nerve, which transmit auditory impulses to the brain, are affected. In this case, the disease is called sensorineural hearing loss.
  • When the auditory centers that receive incoming information from the inner ear are affected, the disease is called central hearing loss.

What is sensorineural hearing loss from the point of view of Eastern medicine?

As mentioned earlier, the human ears are directly connected to the kidneys. Those patients who are susceptible to the so-called “cold” kidneys often suffer from inflammation of the middle ear and they usually have decreased hearing.

What is this “coldness” of the kidneys - a human condition that is characterized by slow metabolism, reduced energy activity of the kidneys and the onset of stagnant processes in the body. This state, as if between health and disease, is fertile ground for the development of pathologies in the kidneys.

What are the signs of “coldness” or in other words of human weakness:

  • insomnia and frequent nightmares;
  • decreased immunity;
  • a person constantly feels tired, he wants to lie down to rest;
  • a feeling of cold appears in the lumbar region;
  • such people have numb legs and constantly cold extremities;
  • there are painful sensations in the joints, especially in the knee area;
  • frequent colds;
  • the urge to urinate, especially at night;
  • weakened sexual function;
  • leucorrhoea in women;
  • tinnitus, headaches, attacks of dizziness;
  • hearing deteriorates;
  • hair becomes dry and falls out, and perhaps gray hair appears at an early age;
  • the skin becomes flabby and the complexion becomes sallow;
  • irritability, fear and anxiety for no particular reason;
  • changes in blood pressure;
  • children may have a fear of the dark;

Other reasons for the development of hearing pathologies are considered by Korean doctors to be an imbalance of the regulatory system. If such signs occur, it is necessary to consult a doctor for an examination, which includes modern diagnostic methods, a patient interview, a visual examination, and a pulse examination.

Treatment of ear diseases using oriental medicine methods

Patients suffering from sensorineural hearing loss are offered gentle treatment, which includes a whole range of external and internal procedures. Experienced doctors work here who treat diseases of the inner ear, as well as diseases of the throat, nose, etc. without medications.

What is the advantage of such treatment - first of all, it has a comprehensive effect on the patient’s entire body, and does not treat only the symptoms. The effect of such treatment can be confidently called long-lasting, since the patient forgets about his problems, chronic ailments and various kinds of pathologies for years. The entire course is based on the ancient knowledge of Tibetan doctors, who in ancient times used methods such as heating with stones and (this is a wormwood stick).

This treatment of sensorineural hearing loss makes it possible to completely eradicate the problem. The main rule in Eastern medicine is to find the cause of the disease and fight it. One of the most important stages in the treatment of this disease is herbal medicine.

It is absolutely harmless, unlike traditional drugs, it does not cause addiction or side effects. Properly selected Korean medicines will help relieve inflammation and increase the body's immune strength. As a result, pain is eliminated and swelling of the mucous surfaces is reduced.

Methods of external influence include:

  • (warming biologically active points with the warmth of a smoldering wormwood cigar);
  • hirudotherapy (treatment using leeches);

All these procedures make it possible to eliminate congestion in the patient’s body, chronic foci of inflammation and significantly improve local immunity. Symptoms of acute or chronic forms of sensorineural hearing loss are eliminated in the shortest possible time, and the patient will feel this after the first sessions of the procedures.

Specialists of the “Center for Eastern Korean Medicine” accept for treatment various patients - in a compensated state, who have undergone MRI of the brain, for example, Doppler ultrasound of blood vessels, etc. The course is conducted by qualified doctors of oriental medicine who have more than one year of successful practice.

But the most important thing is not to delay treatment and take care of your health. After all, we all know that even a harmless runny nose can lead to serious consequences and provoke diseases of other ENT organs. Korean treatment methods have proven that they can cope even with the chronic stage of the disease, where European medicine, unfortunately, is powerless.

Sensorineural hearing loss in children. What could be the consequences?

The development of a child’s intelligence and speech function in childhood depends primarily on hearing, so it is very important to know the reasons that can trigger the development of diseases of the inner ear. From the point of view of localization and etiology, deafness and sensorineural hearing loss are very diverse. Also according to the degree of hearing loss, course of the disease, etc. Heredity is important, as is congenital hearing loss, which is not so rare in practice. In addition, children may also have occupational hearing loss.

To a large extent, this disease is the result of perinatal pathology. It develops in children under the influence of toxic factors, allergic, as well as the environment.

We must not forget about viral pathologies and vascular diseases, which can also lead to the development of sensorineural hearing loss. Regarding the social significance of the problem, it is due to the dependence of speech development on hearing impairment. The personality and development of intelligence in children directly depends on normal hearing.

If the first signs of the disease appear, you should definitely consult a doctor, since the consequences of advanced hearing loss can lead to serious consequences. After all, hearing impairment in a child is an incorrect formation. Delays in proper speech development begin.

The main thing for parents is to conduct a timely examination and identify this disease. Diagnostics will make it possible to determine the degree and type of hearing loss in order to correctly prescribe a comprehensive course of treatment.

If the child’s so-called auditory function is not compensated, then the area of ​​the brain responsible for hearing decreases and may atrophy over time. Such children gradually lose the ability to understand speech. After treatment in this condition, even if the hearing loss is corrected, children will hear sound, but will not be able to understand it, since pathology is already observed in the cerebral cortex.

It is imperative to monitor your child’s hearing from birth. After all, the disease can be detected even in infants. If you do not pay attention, this will lead to chronic otitis media, and hearing loss will begin to progress. At first, doctors will still be able to help and completely cure the child, but with long-term sensorineural hearing loss, this is much more difficult to do.

In traditional medicine, such children are sent for surgery. The treatment takes place without chemicals or surgical intervention. Thus, in order for a child to be able to read normally, his speech to be literate and his psycho-emotional state to be normal, ear diseases cannot be caused and a course of procedures must not be carried out in a timely manner.

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Hearing loss is a pathology that is accompanied by hearing loss. It most often develops in older people, but sometimes affects younger patients. To minimize negative processes and stop the development of the anomaly, you need to start treatment for the disease on time. At the same time, good results can be achieved using traditional methods of treatment.

Causes of hearing loss

In some cases, only surgery will help achieve the desired effect. Therefore, before starting to use home recipes, you should consult a doctor.

Traditional medicine offers many effective remedies that can significantly improve hearing:

To cope with this, you should use products to improve blood circulation in the ear area. Drugs are also used to normalize the rheological characteristics of blood and metabolic processes in cells. The most effective compositions include the following:

  1. Baked onion drops. To do this, you need to take a small onion, peel it and make a hole. Place a small spoon of cumin in it. Bake the resulting product in the oven until it turns brown. Squeeze the cooled onion and inject the resulting juice into the ears, 3-4 drops. This should be done three times a day. This therapy should last a month.
  2. Garlic drops. To prepare them, you need to mix garlic juice with olive oil, and the proportion should be 1:10. Pour the prepared mixture into a glass container and shake to obtain a uniform consistency. Administer 2 drops twice a day. The course of therapy is 3 weeks.

Chinese gymnastics

Chinese scientists offer people who suffer from hearing loss to perform special exercises. The complex was named “Heavenly Drum”. To perform it you need to do the following movements:

  1. It’s good to cover your ears with your palms.
  2. Tap the back of your head with three fingers - this should be done 12 times. A sound resembling the beat of a drum will appear in your ears.
  3. Again, close your ears well and quickly remove your palms. This exercise must be performed 12 times.
  4. Place your index fingers in your ears and twist clockwise. This must be done three times. The same number of movements are performed counterclockwise.
  5. Quickly get your fingers out.

The best effect after such treatment can be achieved in the morning. However, if there are indications, the complex can be performed even in case of severe fatigue.

Gymnastics to restore hearing in our video:

It is very problematic to completely cope with hearing loss using folk remedies. You can achieve improved hearing only with. If the disease is advanced, you should consult a doctor. After a thorough examination, the specialist will select treatment. Traditional methods can be used as an addition to traditional therapy - this will help increase its effectiveness.

Hearing loss is a serious problem that can be progressive and significantly reduces quality of life. To improve the prognosis of the disease, you can use folk remedies. However, before using them, you should consult with an otolaryngologist.

Sensorineural hearing loss is a serious pathology that can turn a person into a disabled person. Limitation of the functioning of the senses always has a negative impact on the psyche of people, therefore, if symptoms of sensorineural hearing loss are suspected, treatment must be started immediately. It is first necessary to establish the reasons due to which the loss of the ability to hear normally occurred. The disease can occur in both adults and children. Therapy includes a combination of traditional conservative and radical methods in conjunction with folk remedies.

Symptoms, causes and risk factors

First, let's look at what sensorineural hearing loss is. This is a hearing pathology that most often occurs in adults, associated with disruption of the normal functioning of the nerve cells of the inner ear and auditory nerve. The following symptoms may indicate its presence:

  • dizziness and vestibular disorders;
  • subjective noise of unknown origin, often high-frequency;
  • nausea and vomiting;
  • ear congestion;
  • decreased hearing threshold.

In some cases, hearing loss is not noticeable at the onset of the disease, since the impairment is minor and does not cause much discomfort.

The main reasons for the development of sensorineural hearing loss are as follows:

  • Congenital developmental anomalies. A child may appear with developmental abnormalities of a hereditary or acquired nature (during complicated pregnancy and childbirth).
  • Infections. Flu, colds, measles, mumps, scarlet fever and other diseases, including frequent otitis media. You should not rely solely on treatment with folk remedies, so as not to cause such a complication.
  • Pathologies of the vascular system. With sensorineural hearing loss, the cause of its development is often atherosclerosis, VSD, hypertension, thrombosis, etc.
  • Injuries. Injuries to the ears and head, mechanical damage, acoustic influences in the form of loud and sharp sounds, constant noise, the influence of pressure surges lead to wear and tear of the hair receptors.
  • Stress. Emotional stress triggers the processes of cell destruction in the body.
  • Chemical exposure. Certain substances poison the body, which leads to the failure of some perception systems.
  • Taking medications. Salicylates, aminoglycoside antibiotics, some diuretics and antimalarial vaccines.
  • Features of professional activity in adults. Industrial noise, pressure changes, explosions, contact with chemicals, etc.

If it is not possible to identify the exact causes, they speak of the idiopathic form of the disease.

Even atmospheric pressure can be a provoking factor. A sharp increase in pressure has a quite noticeable effect on the human body. Pathologies of other organs and systems have a certain impact on the auditory nervous system: central nervous system, endocrine, excretory, as well as oncology.

Classification by types and degrees

The course and method of eliminating the pathology largely depend on its type. The classification of hearing impairment has several categories.

By time of occurrence:

  • Prelingual. The development of sensorineural hearing loss occurs in early childhood, before the development of speech function. This includes congenital abnormalities.
  • Postlingual. Loss of the ability to fully hear in adults and children after speech formation.

By localization of violations:

  • One-sided. Symptoms affect only one ear.
  • Double-sided. Sensorineural hearing loss is diagnosed in both ears at once. In this case, the degree of deviations may vary.

According to the nature of the current:

  • Sudden. Hearing loss occurs within 12-24 hours. It responds well to treatment, but sometimes the reasons for such rapid development of pathology cannot be established.
  • Spicy. Acute sensorineural hearing loss occurs within 10 to 30 days. During this period, it is important to take action as early as possible.
  • Subacute. Symptoms of the disease develop over 3 months and are more difficult to eliminate.
  • Chronic. If a chronic form of sensorineural hearing loss is present, the course of the disease lasts for years, but it is almost impossible to get rid of it.

According to the degrees of the threshold for the perception of sounds:

  • Sensorineural hearing loss, initial 1st degree. 25-40 dB. Allows you to clearly distinguish speech; whispers are perceived from a distance of 1 to 3 meters. Treatment has a favorable prognosis, and you can even cope with folk remedies.
  • Sensorineural hearing loss 2 degrees. Its treatment requires medical intervention. Threshold – 40-55 dB. Whispers are distinguishable when the interlocutor is no further than 1 m, speech – 4 m.
  • Sensorineural hearing loss 3 degrees. For adults, it presents problems in communication and work activity. Refers to a severe form, the threshold is up to 70 dB. Whisper is indistinguishable, speech is from 1 meter.
  • Sensorineural borderline hearing loss of 4 degrees. The threshold for the perception of sounds from close range is 90 dB. Treatment is difficult, disability of the 3rd group is established.
  • Deafness. Next comes neurosensory complete deafness, when sounds are indistinguishable in any tonality and volume. Neurosensory loss of the ability to hear is caused by complete destruction of the chain of transmission of nerve impulses. If bilateral sensorineural deafness occurs, the person is completely unable to perceive audio information.

To determine the type of pathology, its degree and causes, a comprehensive diagnosis is necessary.

Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis of ear problems involves a number of studies. The degree of disorders and their nature are checked, the patient’s subjective symptoms are assessed, etc. Hardware methods are also used. Thanks to them, comprehensive diagnostics allows us to identify the causes of deviations from the norm. Sensorineural hearing loss is defined as damage to the hair receptors and sensors of the cochlea, the auditory nerve and its processes.

Diagnostics includes the following methods:

  • Blood test. Basic analysis that determines the state of the most important indicators and blood clotting.
  • Audiological screening (audiogram). The audiogram is used not only for sensorineural hearing loss. An audiogram is the standard method for determining hearing threshold.
  • Acumetry. Detects deterioration in speech audibility.
  • Taking tuning fork samples. Bone conduction of sound. Allows you to distinguish between sensorineural and conductive types of hearing loss.
  • Impedancemetry. Aimed at identifying a break in the conductive chain.
  • Study of auditory potentials. This audiogram is used to examine newborns and infants.
  • Vestibulometric tests. Disturbances of the vestibular apparatus are detected.

Ancillary methods are also used: CT and MRI, Dopplerography, rheoencephalography, etc. They allow one to study the state of other body systems.

Further treatment of sensorineural hearing loss includes a set of measures. The later the patient goes to the hospital, the more difficult it will be to restore his hearing, especially if the disease is in stages 3-4. Therapy includes both conservative methods and radical intervention. The operation is performed only in exceptional cases or for the purpose of installing a hearing aid. Surgical methods are not able to completely restore the natural sensory perception system, since the receptors die off forever. But it is possible to create stimulation of surviving hairs and improve the transmission of nerve impulses.

The main focus of treatment is drug therapy. It is aimed at achieving results such as:

  • normalization of blood circulation, blood pressure and blood counts;
  • eliminating the influence of toxins;
  • treatment of concomitant diseases, such as atherosclerosis;
  • improving the functioning of the nervous system.

It is also important to follow a gentle diet and lead a healthy lifestyle. For adults, quitting smoking and alcohol is important.

The desired effect can be achieved by the following means:

  • glucocorticosteroids (can be administered through surgery);
  • vasoactive substances for infusion therapy;
  • detoxification drugs;
  • histamine-like drugs.

For sensorineural hearing loss, physical therapy is also indicated. Her methods are aimed at stimulating hot spots to improve the functioning of the inner ear and nervous system. The doctor may prescribe procedures such as:

  • electrical stimulation;
  • phonophoresis;
  • laser physiotherapy;
  • reflexology;
  • hyperbaric oxygenation.

The most effective method that can cope with sensorineural hearing loss is hearing aid. At the initial stages, a device with airborne sound transmission is sufficient, which perceives and amplifies the sound signal. Hearing replacement can be non-surgical or operative. Electrode implants are used to stimulate sensors inside the ear. Cochlear implantation can completely eliminate hearing impairment in children.

In some cases, destructive operations are performed when the stellate ganglion of the tympanic nerve plexus is removed. The indication for such intervention is progressive deafness.

For sensorineural hearing loss, hearing treatment with folk remedies is allowed:

  • propolis oil;
  • viburnum juice and honey;
  • garlic drops;

At the same time, you should not rely solely on therapy with folk remedies, so as not to miss the chance of successful professional treatment. If you consult a doctor in a timely manner, a positive prognosis and significant restoration of hearing in case of sensorineural hearing loss are possible. If treatment is delayed, it will be impossible to restore hearing due to the destructive processes that have occurred.

Sensorineural hearing loss is a disease that is characterized by hearing loss due to damage to the sound-receiving apparatus and the central part of the auditory analyzer. This condition can occur suddenly, be acute or chronic. Currently, this pathology is quite common and occurs much more often than other types of hearing loss. Women are more likely to suffer from hearing loss. This is a serious medical and social problem. 6% of sick people have difficulty communicating; due to hearing loss, it is difficult for them to understand the interlocutor and be in society.

Causes of hearing loss

  1. Heredity.
  2. Infectious diseases (meningococcal infection, rubella, measles, scarlet fever, mumps, malaria, etc.).
  3. Chronic, less often acute otitis media.
  4. Traumatic effects (barotrauma, mechanical, vibration, acoustic).
  5. Occupational hazards (long-term exposure to noise and vibration).
  6. Taking medications that have ototoxicity (aminoglycoside antibiotics, diuretics, antitumor drugs, etc.).
  7. Intoxication (mercury vapor, arsenic).
  8. Acoustic neuroma.
  9. Poor circulation in the vessels supplying the inner ear.

The causes of the disease are varied, but it is not always possible to identify them. Hearing loss is often caused by age-related changes. The risk of developing this condition increases in smokers and alcohol abusers.

Clinical manifestations

The main symptoms of this pathology are:

  • hearing loss, which consists of deterioration in the perception of high-frequency sounds and speech intelligibility;
  • tinnitus (of varying intensity, occurs due to vascular disorders, inflammatory and degenerative processes).

As the disease progresses, deafness develops. If hearing loss progresses rapidly, it may be accompanied by vestibular symptoms (dizziness, loss of balance, nausea), and the appearance of spontaneous nystagmus.

Hearing loss can be mild (the range of perception of spoken speech is 4-6 m), moderate (decreases to 1-4 m), severe (patients cannot hear at a distance of more than 1 meter).

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss has a special course. This is a condition that develops over a short period of time (up to 12 hours). Patients experience sudden loss of hearing (even to the point of deafness), often in one ear. They describe this phenomenon as a broken telephone wire. In half of the patients, hearing is restored as suddenly as it disappeared. This pathology is associated with the action of viruses and impaired blood supply to the labyrinth.

Diagnostics


All patients with sensorineural hearing loss undergo audiometry.

The diagnosis of sensorineural hearing loss is made by an otolaryngologist based on complaints and medical history. The specialist conducts tuning fork and audiometric examinations, determines auditory sensitivity to ultrasound, and, if necessary, prescribes magnetic resonance and computed tomography.


Treatment

Therapy for hearing loss should be prescribed as early as possible, optimally in the first two weeks from its onset. Treatment is carried out in a hospital and begins with eliminating the cause of this condition.

Drug treatment

  1. Antibacterial drugs in the presence of infection (aminopenicillins, cephalosporins).
  2. Diuretics (furosemide, torsemide).
  3. Metabolic agents (ATP, cocarboxylase).
  4. Anticoagulants (heparin, trental).
  5. Anticholinesterase drugs (galantomine, proserin).
  6. Medicines that improve blood circulation in brain tissue (piracetam, cynarizine, cerebrolysin).
  7. Corticosteroids (prednisolone, dexamethasone).
  8. Administration of rheopolyglucin, hemodez and other solutions.
  9. Vitamins (C, group B).
  10. Novocaine blockades (reduce noise and ringing in the ears).

Physiotherapeutic treatment

  1. Medicinal for the area of ​​the mastoid processes with potassium iodide, lidase and for the collar area with dibazole, nicotinic acid, drotaverine.
  2. Endaural.
  3. endaural therapy.
  4. to the ear area.
  5. parotid, collar zone.
  6. to the cervical sympathetic plexuses.
  7. , sodium chloride baths.
  8. Hyperbaric oxygenation.


Methods for restoring hearing

Treatment of chronic forms of hearing loss is unpromising. If hearing loss is significant (more than 40 dB), hearing aids and cochlear implantation are used. Hearing aids can be in-ear, behind-the-ear and pocket-sized, and according to the method of signal processing, analog and digital. One ear (which hears better) or two ears can be fitted with prosthetics. Requirements for hearing aids:

  • ensure natural perception of sounds and speech intelligibility;
  • adapt to different acoustic situations;
  • compensate for frequency and sound disturbances;
  • maintain a volume level that is comfortable for the patient;
  • no whistling.

The hearing aid is selected individually, taking into account the characteristics of hearing loss.

Cochlear implantation involves placing electrodes in the cochlea to stimulate the auditory nerve. This is possible if its function is preserved. This method is the only treatment for total deafness. It should be noted that this is a complex and quite expensive type of rehabilitation for patients with hearing impairment. Implantation can be carried out:

  • children deaf from birth;
  • children who have lost their hearing due to diseases of the inner ear;
  • deaf and mute patients;
  • adults for whom hearing aids do not provide speech understanding.

Conclusion

Sensorineural hearing loss, in the absence of adequate therapy, leads to complete hearing loss, and the patient may become disabled. At the first symptoms of the disease, you should consult a doctor who will help you find out the cause of this condition and prescribe the correct treatment. The prognosis depends on the severity of the hearing loss and the time of treatment.

A specialist talks about sensorineural hearing loss and cochlear implantation: