CHECK NRW #3

Health
ENGLISH
The causes of this are divided into different
categories and can occur in both an acute and
a chronic form.
CONDUCTIVE OR TRANSMISSION
HEARING LOSS
Here everything is still heard, but more quietly.
Crucially here, however, is that the quality, such
as the intelligibility of the words, is retained. In
the acute variant, mechanical causes are often
the reason, such as ear wax and foreign bodies
in the ear. It can also be caused by a cold
(stuffy nose), a change in air pressure when
flying or diving, an acute otitis media, a blow to
the ear, or an inflammation-related swelling of
the skin (boils). Chronic causes include chronic
otitis media, congenital malformations, tumors
or excessive bone growth in the ear canal. In
the case of sensorineural hearing loss, on the
other hand, damage or functional weakness
is usually present in parts of the inner ear
and leads to what is known as deafness. It
can be triggered by a sudden hearing loss, an
explosion noise (the hair cells die due to the
enormous sound wave), multiple sclerosis, but
also by infectious diseases such as mumps,
measles, scarlet fever, Lyme disease and AIDS.
Also in rare cases as a side effect of drugs
such as cytostatics, some antibiotics, but also
water tablets (diuretics) and aspirin. Mercury,
lead or carbon monoxide poisoning also damage
hearing.
Hearing impairment can also be psychological,
possibly because people unconsciously
simply do not want to or cannot hear things
in extreme stressful situations. Sensorineural
hearing loss often becomes chronic with
age and as a result of metabolic diseases
such as diabetes mellitus, kidney or thyroid
dysfunction.
But here, too, constant noise above 80dB, for
example from construction sites or clubs, as
well as congenital malformations of the inner
ear can lead to this stage.
AGE TAKES ITS TOLL
Smokers as well as the chronically ill and
people who work in very noisy environments
are more affected by hearing loss. This is
often accompanied by a "constant noise
or ringing in the ear" (tinnitus). If the
actual cause is not investigated in
good time and any illnesses treated,
foreign bodies removed or hearing
aids fitted, this can have negative
consequences for social contacts.
The dangers in everyday situations
such as in traffic should not be
underestimated either.
Foto: asierromero / freepik.com
34 CHECK NRW #3
HEARING AIDS AND LIP READING
A hearing aid should be provided as early as
possible. The selection of small, inconspicuous
models with high performance is now very
large and the opportunity to relax and watch
TV or make phone calls, listen to music, pod-