From Silence to Sound: Treating One of the Most Important Senses

With nearly 1 in 5 people worldwide living with hearing loss, an often chronic health condition affecting individuals of every age, many wonder whether there’s a cure. After all, having a cure would not only boost communication but also help address the social isolation, economic costs, dementia risk, balance problems, tinnitus, and other challenges that can accompany hearing loss.

The short answer is that there’s no single medication, surgical procedure, or lifestyle change that can cure all hearing loss. Some types of hearing loss can self-resolve or be reversed, however, making the conversation a little more nuanced than a simple “yes” or “no.” Read on to learn more about hearing loss, current solutions, and the quest for a cure.

Understanding Hearing Loss

At its core, hearing loss is the inability of the ears to receive sound signals or the body to transmit those signals to the brain, which normally interprets them into speech and other critical auditory information. The loss not only can impact communication but also relationships, physical and mental health, and overall quality of life.

Unlike what many people may assume, hearing loss isn’t simply an inevitable part of getting older. True, aging is the most prominent predictor, but 34 million children also have some level of hearing loss or deafness. Plus, hearing damage from excess noise affects both youth and adults on a global scale, pointing to prevention as one of the most important steps in tackling this health issue.

Hearing loss may be sensorineural (SNHL), conductive (CHL), or mixed (MHL):

• Damage to the inner ear, the hearing nerve, or the sound-transmitting hair cells of the ear’s cochlea can lead to sensorineural hearing loss. It’s the most common type of hearing loss and can happen suddenly or gradually. Excess noise exposure is a typical culprit, but issues such as family history, the aging process, or certain medications could also be the cause.
• An infection or blockage (excess earwax, fluid buildup, perforated eardrum) in the outer or middle ear can keep sound from reaching the critical inner ear, which sends sound signals to the brain. This is known as conductive hearing loss. Fortunately, CHL can be reversed once the cause is resolved or the necessary surgery is performed.
• Some people may experience both SNHL and CHL, a combination known as mixed hearing loss. This situation can arise when factors that can lead to the individual conditions — for example, regular exposure to loud environments and excess earwax buildup in the ear canal — together create a combined hearing issue.

Treating Hearing Loss

Treatment for hearing loss may vary, depending on the underlying cause and severity. Even without a universal cure, hearing can be recovered in some types of cases. As mentioned earlier above, conductive hearing loss is potentially reversible with the underlying cause resolved or the needed procedure performed.

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss, a condition of the inner ear in which the person loses the ability to hear all at once or over the course of up to 72 hours, may also be reversed if the person is treated quickly. The window for potential improvement is narrow. Common treatment includes steroid therapy, but in some situations, the condition resolves on its own. Severe or permanent instances of SSHL may call for hearing aids or other solutions.

Most sensorineural hearing loss can be successfully managed with hearing aids, which have evolved into cutting-edge devices that not only provide clear sound but can work with compatible smartphones, apps, and other technology to stream audio right to your ears, track brain and body health, provide translation, and so much more.

In the case of more profound hearing loss, you may benefit from devices surgically implanted in the ear. They’re often most helpful for those who don’t gain enough benefit from hearing aids. Some examples of surgical ear implants for improved hearing include:

• Cochlear implants — small electronic devices composed of an external part behind the ear and an internal part in the cochlea that do the work of the damaged inner ear

• Middle-ear implants — small electronic devices that enhance hearing by directly stimulating the middle-ear structures, providing improved sound transmission
• Osseointegrated hearing systems — small electronic devices that transmit sound vibrations to the inner ear through the skull bone, bypassing the outer and middle ear
• Auditory brainstem implants — prosthetic devices that bypass the missing or damaged cochlear organ to stimulate the auditory pathway at the brainstem level

Hearing loss is as individual as the person experiencing it. A comprehensive exam with our knowledgeable team can help identify the type of hearing loss at issue and the appropriate treatment. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about prevention and get your questions answered.

Seeking a Cure

While current treatments offer substantial benefits, researchers continue to explore avenues for a definitive cure for hearing loss. Some promising areas of research potentially include:

• Gene therapy — Replacing nonfunctioning or mutated genes (that contribute to hearing loss) with copies of appropriate functioning genes might play a role in boosting inner-ear function
• Drug therapies — Developing medications to guard against noise-related hearing loss or to stimulate the regeneration of hair cells, a critical part of hearing, might offer an answer
• Stem-cell therapy — Using regenerative medicine to restore dead or damaged hair cells in the inner ear may someday bring hearing to many
• Nanotechnology — Leveraging materials or devices at the molecular and atomic level to deliver medication or repair damaged structures within the ear might not be far off

Did you know that birds can regenerate their cochlear or inner-ear hair cells — a critical mechanism for hearing — but humans and other mammals cannot? Scientists have uncovered the dynamics of this regenerative process, which could prove invaluable for simulating similar functions in human hearing. We’re eager to see how the research in this realm progresses.

Though no universal cure for hearing loss yet exists, medical and technological advances have made effective management easier than ever. Hearing aids, a common treatment for managing hearing loss and tinnitus, have helped millions of people as young as infants engage in a world of sound.

Meanwhile, the tireless work to tackle hearing loss and its mysteries continues. The key lies in awareness, prevention, early intervention, regular checkups, and ongoing research. Reducing hearing loss stigma and expanding access to care also play crucial roles. With continued efforts, a world in which all hearing loss can be cured could be closer than ever.

8 Signs You Might Have Hearing Loss

Hearing loss may sneak up on you and can affect more than communication. Some potential risks and signs of hearing loss to look out for include:

• Regular exposure to loud sounds or occupational noise
• Frequently saying “What?” or asking others to repeat themselves
• Often needing to turn up the radio or TV louder than usual
• Problems with phone or video chats
• Trouble understanding speech or high-pitched sounds
• Problems with cognition, including difficulty thinking and remembering
• Ringing, buzzing, or humming in the head or ears (tinnitus)
• Ear injury or head trauma

If any of these sound familiar, taking action now with a hearing evaluation can help catch problems sooner and get you on the road to better health.

Science is always working to better understand hearing and hearing loss. It’s one of the reasons so many empowering treatment options are available now. If you or a loved one suspects a hearing problem or has questions about testing and treatment, don’t wait. 

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