Self-healing techniques for sensorineural hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss: degrees, treatment, causes, prevention. Treatment of sensorineural hearing loss

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.

In acute sensorineural hearing loss, the most important goal is to restore auditory function. Achieving this goal is only possible if treatment is started as soon as possible. In case of chronic impairment of auditory function, the goal of the treatment is to stabilize the reduced auditory function. In addition, social rehabilitation of people comes first in cases of chronic sensorineural hearing loss. An individual approach in the treatment of sensorineural hearing loss is very important (mental state, age and the presence of concomitant diseases, etc. are taken into account).

Non-drug treatment of sensorineural hearing loss

For sensorineural hearing loss, the effect of stimulating therapy in the form of acupuncture, electropuncture, electrical stimulation of the structures of the inner ear, endaural phono-electrophoresis of drugs that can penetrate the blood-labyrinthine barrier, laser puncture (10 sessions immediately after completion of infusion therapy), as well as hyperbaric oxygenation has been described.

Non-drug treatment should be aimed at rehabilitation of auditory function. Rehabilitation of auditory function in cases of sensorineural hearing loss is aimed at restoring social activity and quality of life of the patient and consists of hearing aids and cochlear implantation.

With a hearing loss of more than 40 dB, speech communication is usually difficult and the person needs hearing correction. In other words, if hearing loss at vowel speech frequencies (500-4000 Hz) is 40 dB or more, a hearing aid is indicated. In foreign practice, hearing aids are recommended for patients if hearing loss on both sides is 30 dB or more. Readiness to wear a hearing aid is largely determined by the patient's social activity and increases with the degree of hearing loss. In children, especially in the first years of life, the indications for hearing aids have expanded significantly. It has been proven that hearing loss of more than 25 dB in the range of 1000-4000 Hz leads to disruption of the child’s speech formation,

When carrying out hearing aids, one should take into account the fact that sensorineural hearing loss is a complex disorder of social adaptation. In addition to the fact that there is a deterioration in hearing thresholds in the frequency range important for understanding speech, there is a violation of our final hearing. Despite the variety of causes of sensorineural hearing loss, in most cases the outer hair cells are affected. They are completely or partially destroyed in the cochlea. Without normally functioning outer hair cells, the inner hair cells begin to respond only to sound that exceeds the normal hearing threshold by 40 -60 dB. If a patient has a descending audiometric curve typical for sensorineural hearing loss, the area of ​​perception of high-frequency components of speech, important for understanding consonants, is first lost. Vowels suffer less. The main acoustic energy of speech is located precisely in the vowel zone, that is, in the low-frequency range. This explains the fact that with the loss of high-frequency hearing, the patient does not perceive speech as quieter. Due to the limited perception of consonants, it becomes “merely” fuzzy for him, more difficult to understand. Considering that there are more consonants in the Russian language than vowels, consonants are much more important for understanding the meaning of speech than vowels. The feeling of a decrease in the volume of speech appears only when hearing deteriorates and in the low frequency zone. In addition to reducing the thresholds of audibility, that is, the boundary between what is heard and what is not heard, the loss of outer hair cells causes hearing impairment in the suprathreshold hearing zone, the phenomenon of accelerating the increase in volume, and a narrowing of the dynamic range of hearing. Considering that with sensorineural hearing loss, the perception of high-frequency sounds is largely lost while low-frequency sounds are preserved, the greatest gain is required in the high-frequency region, this requires the presence of several gain adjustment channels in the hearing aid to create adequate sound. The proximity of the microphone and telephone in the hearing aid, due to their miniature size, can lead to acoustic feedback, which occurs when the sound amplified by the aid reaches the microphone again. One of the problems that arises in hearing aids is the “occlusion” effect. It occurs when the body of an in-the-ear hearing aid or earmold blocks the external auditory canal, resulting in excessive bass frequency enhancement that is uncomfortable for the patient.

Taking all this into account, for comfortable hearing care, a hearing aid must:

• selectively compensate for disturbances in the perception of volume and frequency of sounds;
• ensure high intelligibility and naturalness of speech perception (even in silence, in a noisy environment, during a group conversation):
• automatically maintain a comfortable volume level:
• adapt to different acoustic situations:
• ensure the absence of acoustic feedback (“whistle”). Such requirements are best met by modern multi-channel digital devices with compression over a wide frequency range. In addition, digital hearing aids for open prosthetics have recently appeared, which, in addition, ensure the absence of the “occlusion” effect.

Based on the method of signal processing in the amplifier, analogue and digital hearing aids are distinguished. In analog ones, the audio signal is processed using analog electronic amplifiers; they convert the stimulus while completely preserving the signal shape. In a digital hearing aid, incoming signals are converted into binary code and processed at high speed in a processor.

Hearing replacement can be monoaural, when one ear, usually the better hearing one, is replaced with prosthetics, and binaural, when both ears are replaced with two hearing aids. Binaural prosthetics has the following main advantages:

• binaural hearing has a reduced volume (by 4-7 dB, which leads to an expansion of the useful dynamic range;
• localization of the sound source approaches the physiological norm, which makes it much easier to focus your attention on a specific interlocutor.

Depending on where they are worn, the following types of hearing aids are distinguished:

• BTE hearing aids are placed behind the ear and must be accompanied by a custom-made earmold. Modern behind-the-ear hearing aids are distinguished by great possibilities in prosthetics, high reliability and miniature size. Recently, miniature behind-the-ear hearing aids for open prosthetics have appeared, which make it possible to comfortably correct high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss for the patient.
• In-the-ear hearing aids are placed in the ear canal and are made individually in accordance with the shape of the patient's ear canal; the miniature size of the device also depends on the degree of hearing loss. With the same capabilities as BTEs, they are less noticeable, provide greater wearing comfort and a more natural sound. However, in-ear devices also have disadvantages: they do not allow for prosthetic treatment of large hearing losses, and they are more expensive to operate and maintain.
• Pocket hearing aids are finding less and less use and may be recommended for patients with limited fine motor skills. Significant hearing loss can be compensated with a pocket-sized device, since the significant distance between the telephone and the microphone allows one to avoid the occurrence of acoustic feedback.

Today, the technical capabilities of modern hearing aids make it possible in most cases to correct even complex forms of sensorineural hearing loss. The effectiveness of hearing aids is determined by the extent to which the patient’s individual hearing characteristics match the technical capabilities of the hearing aid and the settings. Properly fitted hearing aids can improve communication for 90% of people with hearing loss.

Currently, there is a real opportunity to provide effective assistance to patients with complete loss of auditory function in cases where deafness is caused by destruction of the spiral organ while the function of the auditory nerve is preserved. Hearing rehabilitation using the method of cochlear implantation of electrodes into the cochlea to stimulate the auditory nerve fibers is becoming increasingly widespread. In addition, the system of stem cochlear implantation in cases of bilateral damage to the auditory nerve (for example, in tumor diseases of the auditory nerve) is currently being actively developed. One of the important conditions for successful cochlear implantation is the strict selection of candidates for this operation. To do this, a comprehensive study of the state of the patient’s auditory function is carried out, using data from subjective and objective audiometry and a promontorial test. Issues of cochlear implantation are discussed in more detail in the corresponding section.

Patients whose sensorineural hearing loss is combined with a disorder of the vestibular system require rehabilitation of vestibular function using an adequate system of vestibular exercises.

Drug treatment of sensorineural hearing loss

It is important to remember that the outcome of acute sensorineural hearing loss directly depends on how quickly treatment is started. The later treatment is started, the less hope there is for hearing restoration.

The approach to choosing treatment tactics should be based on an analysis of clinical, laboratory and instrumental data obtained before the start of treatment. during the process, and also after completion of the course of treatment. The treatment plan is individual for each patient and will be determined taking into account the etiology, pathogenesis and duration of the disease, the presence of concomitant pathologies, intoxication and allergies in the patient. However, there are general rules that must always be strictly followed:

• Conducting a multifaceted examination of the patient in the shortest possible time;
• carrying out treatment of a patient with sensorineural hearing loss in a specialized hospital;
• immediate initiation of treatment after diagnosis of sensorineural hearing loss;
• compliance with a protective regime and a gentle diet.

Taking into account the characteristics of the disease, means are used to restore blood circulation, improve blood rheological parameters, normalize blood pressure, improve the conduction of nerve impulses, and normalize microcirculation. Disintoxication drugs and drugs with angio- and neuroprotective properties are used. According to randomized studies, for sudden hearing loss (up to 15 hours), glucocorticoids are effective. They are prescribed in a shortened course over 6-8 days, starting with a loading dose, then gradually decreasing it. In particular, there is a scheme for using prednisolone at a dosage of 30 mg/day with a sequential decrease to 5 mg over 8 days.

Numerous scientific studies and clinical experience prove the advisability of conducting infusion therapy with vasoactive and detoxifying agents from the first day of hospitalization of a patient suffering from acute sensorineural hearing loss. Drugs such as vinpocetine, pentoxifylline, cerebrolysin, piracetam, ethylmethylhydroxypyridine succinate (Mexidol) are used parenterally (intravenously) for the first 14 days. Subsequently, they move on to intramuscular and oral use of drugs. In addition, venotonics and drugs that stimulate neuroplasticity are used in complex treatment, in particular, ginkgo biloba leaf extract is used in a dose of 40 mg three times a day. The drug, in addition, helps regulate ion exchange in damaged cells, increase central blood flow and improve perfusion in the ischemic area.

A positive effect on the state of auditory function is described when drugs are administered using the phonoelectrophoresis method (the combined use of ultrasound with electrophoresis). In this case, drugs that improve microcirculation and tissue metabolism can be used.

For the treatment of sensorineural hearing loss of various etiologies, accompanied by dizziness, histamine-like drugs that have a specific effect on the microcirculation of the inner ear are successfully used, in particular, betahistine is used in a dosage of 16-24 mg three times a day. The drug should be taken during or after meals to prevent possible adverse effects on the gastric mucosa.

It should be emphasized that even adequately selected and timely, fully completed therapy for a patient with sensorineural hearing loss does not exclude the possibility of relapse of the disease under the influence of a stressful situation, exacerbation of cardiovascular pathology (for example, hypertensive crisis), acute respiratory viral infection or acoustic trauma.

In case of chronic progressive hearing loss, courses of drug therapy should be carried out to stabilize hearing function. The drug complex should be aimed at improving neuronal plasticity and microcirculation in the area of ​​the inner ear.

Surgical treatment of sensorineural hearing loss

Recently, a number of randomized studies have appeared demonstrating improvement in hearing with transtympanic administration of glucocorticosteroids (dexamethasone) into the tympanic cavity in patients with sensorineural hearing loss in the absence of effect from conservative therapy. Surgical treatment of sensorineural hearing loss is required for neoplasms in the posterior cranial fossa, Meniere's disease, and during cochlear implantation. In addition, surgical treatment, as an exception, can be used for painful ear noise (resection of the tympanic plexus, removal of the stellate ganglion, superior cervical sympathetic ganglion). Destructive operations on the cochlea and vestibulocochlear nerve are rarely performed and only in cases of sensorineural hearing loss of IV degree or complete deafness.

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 can no longer be compensated for 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 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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Sensorineural hearing loss is a disease of the sound-receiving apparatus of the inner ear, which is accompanied by simultaneous damage to the auditory nerve. The pathology is characterized by a gradual deterioration of hearing and the appearance of extraneous noise. The development of this disease is possible at any age.

Functions of the hearing analyzer

From birth, a person is constantly surrounded by sounds of various natures. They report on all the processes taking place in the world. Sound travels continuously in the form of waves, which provoke the well-known auditory sensations. They are picked up by a paired auditory analyzer, in other words, by the ear. Loudness depends on the amplitude of the sound wave, and height depends on the frequency.

The human hearing organ consists of three parts: the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. The first two are part of the sound conducting system. They are designed to capture wave vibrations and then transmit them to the inner ear. The latter is localized in the temporal bone. The internal part also has three components: the cochlea, its vestibular region and the semicircular canals. This is the sound-perceiving system of the auditory analyzer itself.

The anterior section is called the cochlea because of its unusual shape. It is completely filled with a liquid component, and inside there is a nervous apparatus (organ of Corti). It is covered with special hair cells. Perceiving auditory stimuli of various frequencies, they immediately convert them into an impulse and send them to the auditory nerve, or more precisely, to the cortical center. The latter is located in the brain. Here the impulse is processed.

What is sensorineural hearing loss?

For the hearing analyzer to function fully, each of its components must work properly. Any violations entail the development of a serious pathology - hearing loss.

The nature of the disease is largely determined by the level at which the auditory analyzer is located. Every year, in many countries around the world, a large number of people with problems of this kind are identified. Despite the advances of modern medicine, their number is steadily growing. Approximately 6% of the population of our planet has pathological hearing impairment, which affects social adaptation and quality of life. A sharp or systematic decrease in hearing thresholds can appear at absolutely any age due to the action of various factors.

According to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), sensorineural hearing loss corresponds to code H90.3 - H90.5.

Causes of neurosensory disorders

Among the main factors in the development of this disease, the leading place belongs to infectious processes. The risk of hearing loss increases significantly in people exposed to viral illnesses (flu, mumps). In this matter, great importance is given to the state of immunity. Weakened body defenses affect the severity of the disease and lead to the development of various types of complications, including the auditory system.

It is reported that between 13% and approximately 30% of patients previously diagnosed with meningitis suffer from hearing loss. Also, the well-known syphilis can lead to hearing loss.

Sensorineural hearing loss often develops against the background of improper nutrition of the central nervous system and hearing organs. Such conditions include pathologies of the cardiovascular system, atherosclerosis, and thrombosis. Frequent stress is also a predisposing factor. To eliminate the likelihood of developing this disease, it is important to limit the negative impact of irritants, change your area of ​​activity or even your lifestyle.

The cause of hearing loss can be a serious traumatic brain injury, or so-called acoustic trauma, when a sharp increase in pressure in the inner ear is recorded due to an excessively loud sound.

In some cases, sensorineural hearing loss develops due to constant exposure to toxic substances (chemicals, certain categories of medications). In some cases, hearing disappears for no apparent reason. Experts in this matter primarily suspect vascular disorders, but it is almost impossible to confirm this assumption instrumentally. In this case, the idiopathic variant of the disease is considered.

Risk factors for hearing loss include:

• Elderly age.
• Oncological pathologies.
• Otosclerosis.
• Congenital/acquired anomalies in the structure of the hearing aid.

Experts warn that obesity and diabetes also affect the incidence of this disease.

Classification of pathology

Depending on the type of disease, there are three stages:

1. Acute sensorineural hearing loss is diagnosed when hearing loss occurs in the last 4 weeks before the final diagnosis.
2. The subacute stage is distinguished between one and three months.
3. After the third month the disease becomes chronic.

At the first stage, the effectiveness of treatment measures ranges from 70 to 90%. In the case of a subacute course, the situation becomes somewhat more complicated, but the effectiveness of the therapy remains quite high (30-70%). Chronic sensorineural hearing loss is practically untreatable. Modern medicine, unfortunately, cannot offer such effective methods that make it possible to compensate for disorders in the sound-receiving organs.

The disease may be congenital. The anomaly is provoked by infectious diseases suffered by the mother during pregnancy and various types of genetic abnormalities. The so-called fetal alcohol syndrome can also contribute to the development of hearing loss (64% of cases). A large percentage of hearing impairment at the congenital level is transmitted to close relatives, that is, hereditarily.

The acquired form, as a rule, occurs as a result of mechanical injuries and damage, taking certain groups of medications, and diseases of bacterial etiology.

What symptoms indicate pathology?

The clinical picture usually consists of two main symptoms: hearing loss and the simultaneous appearance of tinnitus of varying intensity and height (ringing, squeaking, whistling). Both unilateral and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss occurs. The latter often leads to decreased expressiveness of speech and isolation.

Further development of the disease is characterized by the addition of vestibular disorders (nausea, loss of balance, uncertainty when walking) and dizziness. The rapid development of pathology is observed within 12 hours. In this case, an almost complete absence of hearing is diagnosed. This variant of the disease is called sudden hearing loss. The main reason for its development is a viral infection. With timely treatment, the prognosis is favorable.

In the case of acute disease, symptoms increase gradually. It begins with the appearance of congestion in the ear, which periodically passes, but soon reappears. Primary symptoms also include constant noise, which intensifies as the disease progresses and does not disappear until stable hearing loss develops.

In chronic cases of hearing loss, the clinical picture is somewhat different. Hearing declines gradually, sometimes taking several years. Tinnitus does not disappear, that is, it persists constantly.

Degrees of sensorineural hearing loss

Hearing loss with this disease can be either minor or complete. Approximately 6% of the population suffers from this type of disorder. The disease predominantly develops in older people.

Sensorineural hearing loss grade 1 is defined as short-term hearing loss. The limits of audibility vary between 25-40 dB, whispers can be detected at a distance of up to three meters, and conversation - no further than six meters. In the second degree of the disease, normal speech is distinguishable at a distance of four meters, the sound threshold is no more than 40 dB.

When the hearing threshold is from 56 to approximately 70 dB and understanding a conversation at a distance of one meter, they speak of the third degree of hearing loss. Progressive hearing loss and the inability to distinguish speech further than 25 cm indicate the fourth stage of pathology, which corresponds to deafness.

According to available information, grade 2 sensorineural hearing loss is most often diagnosed in our country.

Diagnostic measures

The main diagnostic method is to assess the ability to perceive sounds of different volumes. An audiogram determines the degree to which these waves are perceived and helps determine the severity of the disease. This research method guarantees 100% accuracy of the final diagnosis.

The specialist may also order additional testing to identify the cause of hearing loss. It includes: neurological examination, impedance measurement, imaging methods to detect malignant neoplasms.

Drug therapy

A disease such as sensorineural hearing loss should not be ignored. Treatment must be immediate, as its effectiveness depends on this. Treatment tactics are determined solely by the cause of the disease. This is especially true for patients with an acute form of pathology, in whom it is still possible to change the nervous tissue.

In the case of the infectious nature of the disease, antibacterial or antiviral therapy is indicated. In case of a toxic form, it is first necessary to remove toxins from the body. For these purposes, Reopoliklyugin and Hemodez are prescribed.

If the cause of the disease cannot be determined, the disease is considered as hearing loss of vascular origin. In this case, patients are prescribed drugs to normalize blood circulation (Vinpocetine, Piracetam, Cerebrolysin). Patients are also prescribed Trimetazidine. The medicine has antihypoxic and cytoprotective effects.

Glucocorticosteroids are used quite successfully in the fight against diseases such as sensorineural hearing loss. Treatment is carried out locally, which reduces the risk of side effects and at the same time allows you to achieve maximum effectiveness from the drug used. Additionally, some patients are prescribed diuretics, as well as B vitamins.

Restoration of hearing in this disease, as a rule, occurs partially. Deafness is caused by the death of fibers that are no longer capable of regeneration. All therapeutic measures are planned in such a way as to minimize the harmful effects of etiological factors and prevent the progression of the disease in the future.

Hearing aids

Sensorineural hearing loss of 3 degrees requires a different approach to treatment. In this case, hearing aids are most often used. Through special audiometric testing, the patient is individually selected for a device that significantly restores hearing.

To treat hearing loss, a special operation is used - cochlear implantation. The device performs the function of previously damaged hair cells, continuously providing electrical stimulation to the remaining auditory nerve fibers. This system includes a speech processor (outwardly similar to a hearing aid), a receiver (implanted subcutaneously) and chains of electrodes. A cochlear implant converts signals into electrical impulses and sends them to the auditory nerve. There are contraindications for such an operation, and after it a long recovery is required, the success of which depends on several factors.

Traditional methods of treatment

The condition of the auditory nerve, which takes part in conducting nerve impulses directly to the brain, can be improved independently in accessible ways at home. Even sensorineural hearing loss of the 2nd degree is amenable to such therapy. Of course, there is no talk of a complete cure for serious forms of the disease. Traditional medicine can only slightly reduce the symptoms of the disease.

First of all, it is recommended to eat part of the lemon along with the peel every day. You can also squeeze the juice out of two geranium leaves and very carefully drip it directly into your ear. Another option is to mix a small amount of propolis tincture with the most common vegetable oil, moisten a cotton pad with it, and put it in the ear.

Preventive measures

The rules for preventing this pathology are very simple - you must try to avoid risk factors. It is recommended to promptly treat diseases of the upper respiratory tract and use medications only as prescribed by a doctor. A separate risk group includes persons working in toxic/noisy industries. They are usually diagnosed with occupational sensorineural hearing loss. In such cases, it is imperative to observe safety measures and work conditions (work with headphones, take breaks, etc.). When primary symptoms of the disease appear, it is better to change your occupation. If this is not possible, it is recommended to regularly see an otolaryngologist and take courses of preventive medications (Tanakan, Trental).

Sensorineural hearing loss (SN) is a weakened hearing with preserved speech perception, caused by damage to the sound-perceiving apparatus or the central part of the auditory analyzer.

Cochlear neuritis is a disease of the auditory analyzer, clinically manifested by NT and subjective tinnitus. Involvement of the vestibular root of the VIII cranial nerve in the process causes the occurrence of both auditory and vestibular disorders (systemic dizziness and imbalance).

NT can be a consequence of damage to any part of the auditory analyzer, from the neurosensory epithelial cells of the spiral organ to the subcortical and cortical auditory centers. However, most often NT is caused by pathology of the receptor and root of the vestibulocochlear nerve.

Unilateral hearing loss and deafness are almost always of peripheral origin.

Frequency: 1-6% of the world's population suffer from hearing loss that makes communication difficult. HT is observed more often than conductive hearing loss - in 74 and 24% of cases, respectively. There is a trend towards an increase in the number of patients with NT. Acute NT occurs more often in men and mainly at a young age (the average age of patients is 21-38 years). 70 -90.4% of patients suffering from NT report tinnitus.

Classification:

Acute (sudden deafness) NT and chronic NT.

Along the course - reversible, stable, progressive NT.

According to the severity of hearing impairment: 1st degree (mild) - average hearing loss for tones of 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 Hz does not exceed 50 dB, spoken speech is perceived from a distance of 6 to 4 m. IInd degree (moderate) - average hearing loss from 50 to 70 dB, conversational speech is perceived from a distance of 4 to 1 m. III degree (severe) - average hearing loss exceeds 70 dB, conversational speech is perceived from a distance from 1 to 0.25 m. With an average hearing loss of more than 80 dB and conversational speech perceived at a distance of less than 0.25 m is said to be deaf.

By etiology: Acquired (70-80%) as a result of birth trauma (accompanied by cerebrovascular accident and asphyxia), hemolytic disease of the newborn. Congenital (20-30%). Genetically determined (hereditary) NT, transmitted both by an autosomal recessive and an autosomal dominant type. Caused by an infectious disease of the mother during pregnancy (rubella, measles, influenza, toxoplasmosis).

Causes of sensorineural hearing loss

Etiology:

Infectious diseases (30%): viral - influenza, mumps, measles, rubella, herpes; bacterial - meningococcal meningitis, syphilis, typhus.

Intoxication (more than 2%).

Ototoxic drugs - aminoglycoside antibiotics (streptomycin, monomycin, kanamycin, neomycin, gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin), cytostatics (endoxan, cisplatin, etc.), NSAIDs, antiarrhythmic drugs (quinidine, etc.), loop diuretics (furosemide). Household (alcohol, nicotine) and industrial (gasoline, hydrogen sulfide, aniline, fluorine, mercury, arsenic, etc.) toxic substances.

Traumatic factor. Mechanical trauma can lead to a fracture of the base of the skull with a fissure of the temporal bone pyramid, often accompanied by damage to the auditory root of the VIII cranial nerve. Barotrauma (pressure in the middle ear above 400 mmH2O) causes rupture of the secondary tympanic membrane, fracture of the base of the stapes, and rupture of the vestibular membrane. Acoustic and vibration injuries at the level of maximum permissible parameters lead to damage to the receptors in the cochlea. The combination of both factors together produces an unfavorable effect 2.5 times more often than exposure to noise and vibration separately. High-frequency impulse noise with an intensity above 160 dB usually causes irreversible HT.

Vascular and rheological disorders. Changes in vascular tone due to direct or reflex irritation of the sympathetic nerve endings of large arteries (internal carotid, vertebral), as well as circulatory disorders in the vertebrobasilar region, caused by changes in the vertebral arteries, lead to circulatory disorders in the spiral arteries and arteries of the stria choroid, the formation of blood clots, hemorrhages in endo- and perilymphatic spaces.

Age-related changes in the auditory analyzer (presbycusis). Neuroma of the VIII cranial nerve. Paget's disease. Sickle cell anemia. Hypoparathyroidism. Allergy. Local and general exposure to radioactive substances.

Meteorological factor: there is a reliable connection between suddenly occurring HT and the state of the weather, between fluctuations in the spectrum of atmospheric electromagnetic waves, the passage of cyclones in the form of a warm front of low pressure and the frequency of development of pathology. It has been established that acute sudden HT occurs more often in the second month of each season (January, April, July, October).

Risk factors.

In children. NT of unknown etiology in family members. Consanguineous marriages. Frequent abortions in the mother. Rubella, influenza in the first trimester of pregnancy in the mother. Drinking alcohol and smoking during pregnancy. Pathology of the placenta. The baby's body weight at birth is less than 2,500 g. Severe jaundice of newborns.

In adults. Obesity. Hypercholesterolemia. Anemia. Arterial hypertension. Reduced adaptive ability in stressful situations due to psychological characteristics of the individual.

Pathogenesis - ischemia and nutritional disorder of sensitive cells and other nerve elements, up to degeneration as a result of impaired microcirculation and capillary stasis.

Clinical picture. Hearing loss. Subjective noise in the ear(s). Signs of vestibular neuritis (not always). Dizziness of unknown origin. Unsteadiness when standing and walking.

Diagnostics. Functional studies of the auditory and vestibular analyzers. Acumetry (the study of hearing in whispers and spoken speech) is a significant difference between the perception of whispered and spoken speech. Tuning fork research methods - shortening the perception of the sounding tuning fork C|28 in Schwabach's experiment, positive experiments by Rinne and Federici, in Weber's experiment the sound of the tuning fork CP8 is lateralized to the better hearing or healthy ear. Audiological methods. Tone threshold audiometry - a descending configuration of the curves due to the deterioration of the perception of predominantly high tones, the absence of the bone-air interval, the break of the curves at the frequencies of their maximum decrease; high-frequency tinnitus. Suprathreshold audiometry is a positive phenomenon of accelerating the increase in loudness. Ultrasound. Ultrasound hearing thresholds are increased 2-3 times or more compared to the norm. Lateralization of ultrasound into the healthy or better hearing ear. Objective audiometry (in adults - an additional research method). Measurement of acoustic impedance of the middle ear. Electrocochleography. Registration of cortical and brainstem potentials. In children, recording auditory evoked potentials is the main (often the only) method for diagnosing a hearing defect.

Otoscopy - pathological changes are usually not detected.

Differential diagnosis: Meniere's disease. Otosclerosis (cochlear form). Neuroma of the VIII cranial nerve.

The prognosis depends on the timing of the start of treatment, the level of damage to the auditory analyzer, and the etiological factor. Prevention. Elimination of the negative influence of environmental factors on auditory function (noise, vibration, chemical, household and professional hazards). Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking in people with NT. Exclusion from medical practice (especially in children) of ototoxic drugs or their use for health reasons with the prescription of detoxification agents (hemodeza), antihistamines, vitamins Prescribing trental (pentoxifylline) to infectious patients with a high probability of developing NT and deafness (especially with meningococcal infection).

Synonyms: Perceptual hearing loss, Acoustic neuritis, Cochlear neuritis.

Treatment of sensorineural hearing loss using oriental medicine methods

Acupuncture for sensorineural hearing loss

Massage and manual therapy for sensorineural hearing loss

Hirudotherapy for sensorineural hearing loss

Stone therapy for sensorineural hearing loss

The use of hot and cold stones has the effect of “gymnastics” for blood vessels. Massage using stones is easier for the massage therapist and, accordingly, lasts longer. The use of hot stones in the projection of acupuncture zones helps to tonify the “Yang” energy. And the stone therapy procedure, carried out with stones through fabric, has a wonderful relaxing effect.

Traditional Tibetan or Chinese herbal medicine for sensorineural hearing loss

Bsam."phel.nor.bu (Wish-fullilling Jewel, Sampilnorov, Sampilnorov, Samnor)

Vacuum therapy for sensorineural hearing loss

Methods of active vacuum therapy (cupping massage) can further enhance the drainage of soft tissues, cause local vasodilation, and have a positive effect on the condition of skin pores and sebum secretion.

Carrying out vacuum procedures in the projection of any part of the spine helps to reduce local fat deposits, which has a positive effect on the range of motion of the corresponding segment, which, in turn, improves metabolic processes and reduces local congestion.

Methods of passive vacuum therapy, in addition to all of the above, allow the painless formation of scattered subcutaneous hematomas, which effectively replaces the immunomodulating effect of the good old autohemotransfusion.

Su-Jok therapy for sensorineural hearing loss

Su-Jok therapy, using the principle of “similarity”, allows you to influence a diseased organ, part of the body, meridian, point and even chakra! It's kind of subtype of reflexology, often allowing therapeutic effects to be carried out without interrupting the patient from solving his own daily tasks.

We strongly recommend that you try to use some of the principles of Su-Jok therapy on your own (of course, it is better after consulting a specialist). Currently, a huge amount of literature on the Su-Jok system for “non-medics” has been published, where recommendations for the treatment of a number of pathological conditions are given in a simple and accessible form. Recommended