Absent/ Deficient ear [Microtia]

Absent/ Deficient ear

Overview

Presbycusis, or gradual hearing loss with ageing, is widespread. A hearing loss of some kind affects about half of Americans over the age of 65.

Hearing loss is defined as one of three types:

• Conductive (involves outer or middle ear)
• Sensorineural (involves inner ear)
• Mixed (combination of the two)

Hearing loss is a result of ageing and repeated exposure to loud noises. Your ears’ ability to conduct sound may momentarily be diminished by other factors, such as heavy ear wax.

The majority of hearing loss types cannot be reversed. However, you can take steps to enhance your hearing with the help of your doctor or a hearing specialist.

Middle ear

• The middle ear is a cavity filled with air that houses a chain of three bones called the malleus, incus, and stirrup (stapes). The eardrum, also known as the tympanic membrane, which vibrates in response to sound waves, separates these bones from the outer ear.
  The auditory tube is a tiny passageway that connects your middle ear to the back of your nose and the top of your throat (eustachian tube). To drain fluids and balance the pressure in the middle ear with the surrounding environment, the tube’s throat end opens and closes. The eardrum needs to be under equal pressure on both sides for normal vibration.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of hearing loss may include:

• Muffling of speech and other sounds
• Difficulty understanding words, especially against background noise or in a crowd
• Trouble hearing consonants
• Frequently asking others to speak more slowly, clearly and loudly
• Needing to turn up the volume of the television or radio
• Withdrawal from conversations
• Avoidance of some social settings

When to see a doctor

Seek quick medical help if you experience a sudden loss of hearing, particularly in one ear.

If your daily life is being affected by your hearing impairment, consult your doctor. Since hearing loss associated with ageing happens gradually, you might not first notice it.

How hearing loss can occur

Causes of hearing loss include:

• Damage to the inner ear: The hairs or nerve cells in the cochlea that transmit sound impulses to the brain may deteriorate with age and exposure to loud noise. Hearing loss results from the ineffective transmission of electrical impulses when these hairs or nerve cells are damaged or absent.

To you, higher-pitched sounds might sound muted. You might find it challenging to distinguish words over the background noise.

• Gradual buildup of earwax: Earwax can obstruct the ear canal and stop sound waves from passing through. Your hearing may improve after getting rid of earwax.
• Ear infection and abnormal bone growths or tumors.In the outer or middle ear, any of these can cause hearing loss.
• Ruptured eardrum (tympanic membrane perforation):You run the risk of losing your hearing if you are exposed to loud noises, abrupt pressure changes, poke your eardrum with something, or become infected.