Jose D.
Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) occurs when there is damage to the hair cells of the inner ear or, less commonly, the auditory nerve. Once damage occurs, it cannot be repaired, which is why sensorineural hearing loss is a permanent condition. Age-related sensorineural hearing loss is the most common (“What Are The Differences Between Conductive and Sensorineural Hearing Loss?”, 2023). However, other things can cause SNHL, including prolonged exposure to noise louder than 85 decibels, taking certain medications such as Gentamycin and Azithromycin, and viral illnesses like Varicella-Zoster, Measles, and Mumps. Furthermore, the incidence of SNHL has been proved to be significantly high in some autoimmune and genetic conditions, including Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. While SNHL cannot be cured, treatment options like hearing aids and cochlear implants can make it easier to process and understand speech and other sounds.
Conductive hearing loss differs from sensorineural hearing loss in several ways. It is caused when sound waves are prevented from reaching the inner ear due to an obstruction, injury or deformity in the outer or middle ear. It can be caused by multiple things, including earwax impactions, ear infections, ear canal deformities or foreign objects getting stuck in the ear, a ruptured eardrum, and medical problems such as otosclerosis and abnormal growths or tumors in the middle ear. Unlike SNHL, conductive hearing loss can be reversed in some cases by removing the blockage or repairing the damage. In other cases, such as a narrowing of the ear canal or certain other deformities, medical intervention is more difficult or not possible. In that case, conductive hearing loss is permanent and treated with hearing aids or bone-anchored implantable devices.
When a patient is assessed, there is crucial information that must be gathered when evaluating risk factors for hearing loss. The patient should be asked about medication history to analyze any exposure to ototoxic drugs, noise exposure in her work environment, or even family history of hearing loss, as this can indicate a genetic predisposition. It is also essential to determine if the patient takes any precautions to protect their hearing, such as using earplugs or other protective devices in noisy environments, including their work environment. By gathering this information, the nurse can better understand the patient’s risk factors for hearing loss and provide appropriate recommendations or interventions.
References
What Are The Differences Between Conductive and Sensorineural Hearing Loss? (2023) Retrieved from https://www.spartanburgent.com/what-are-the-differences-between-conductive-and-sensorineural-hearing-loss/.
