Experiencing hearing loss can be difficult for both you and your loved ones. You’ve probably spent hours searching Google looking for a cure, but all you have discovered is that hearing loss is complex and that with all the different causes, different treatments are required.
Unfortunately, there is no miracle drug or surgery to cure most hearing loss. There are three main types of hearing loss, conductive, sensorineural, and mixed. Each type of hearing loss has a different treatment.
Hearing loss can be conductive, sensorineural, and mixed.
Conductive hearing loss
A diagnosis of conductive hearing loss means that sound does not move from the auditory canal to the eardrum, and the small bones in your ear can’t move the sound waves into the brain for translation.
The most common cause for conductive hearing loss is an infection in the ear which is most often treated with antibiotics or in extreme cases surgery. Some people are born with natural malformations in the ear and require surgery to correct them. Children often experience conductive hearing loss because they get frequent ear infections or place foreign objects in their ears.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Most often caused by injury to the inner ear, sensorineural hearing loss occurs when the connecting nerve between the inner ear and the brain is damaged. Head injuries, extreme noise exposure, disease or medications which can damage hearing, and aging often cause sensorineural hearing loss.
Unfortunately, once damage occurs to the inner ear cells, there is no replacement or way to repair the hair cells. However, with early medical intervention, you have an increased chance of slowing the deterioration of the cells. Early intervention may include prescribed hearing aids.
Mixed Hearing Loss
A persistent discharge from the middle ear often causes mixed hearing loss, also called chronic suppurative otitis media or advanced otosclerosis. This means that one or more of the tiny ear bones cannot move about freely. These are the most common causes of mixed hearing loss. When caught in the early stages, this type of hearing loss is treatable. In later stages, hearing aids can help with mixed hearing loss.
Mixed hearing loss can also be a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing because of trauma or aging.
Will there be a cure for Hearing Loss in the Future?
Researchers continue to look for a hearing loss cure, especially for sensorineural hearing loss. However, no cure has been found yet, but is there a possibility that researchers will cure hearing loss in the future?
Certain research projects could help find a cure for hearing loss in the future.
Stem Cell Research
Stem cell research is an ongoing project at several research centers including Harvard, Stanford Medicine, MIT, and Brigham.
Researchers have found that stem cells can be hair cells. They have had some success growing hair cells in the laboratory. They have also discovered stem cells can also be used in drug research to determine if the drug can help restore hearing.
Scientists have also been able to coax stem cells into brain cells. They have taken the neurons and then transplanted them into deaf animals. The animals showed an increase in hearing.
There is nothing conclusive about the research, but there is a lot of promise.
Progenitor Cell Research
Progenitor cells are a lot like stem cells, but their role is different. Progenitor cells are cells that act as part of the body’s repair system. They have the ability to replenish cells and can be activated in cases of dead cells, damaged cells, and tissue repair.
Researchers have discovered that progenitor cells are in the ear. And have the potential to become sensory hair cells. In humans, these cells don’t regenerate, but scientists have found that birds and fish regenerate their progenitor cells.
So what does this mean for hearing loss? Scientists believe if they can gain an understanding of how the ear cells develop, they will be able to find new ways to treat hearing loss and deafness.
GFI1 Protein
Researchers have discovered three key proteins are necessary for healthy ear development. In a recent study, they determined that the GFI1 protein plays a critical role in hair cell regeneration. They discovered that if the GFI1 protein is absent, then the genes do not develop into neuron-Like cells. They are seeking ways to understand the pathway of normal hearing and once they do, they may be able to reverse hearing loss.
Current Hearing Loss Treatment and Prevention
Until a cure is found for hearing loss, the best treatment is prevention. To help prevent hearing loss, it is important to reduce your exposure to loud noises, like outdoor equipment, concerts, and sporting events. If you know you are going to be exposed to loud noises, it is best that you wear earplugs to reduce the noise level and protect your hearing.
If you think you or a loved one might be experiencing hearing loss, contact Hearing Associates of Las Vegas today. We are experts in hearing loss and hearing aids. We will help you make an appointment for a hearing evaluation and provide you with a treatment plan, once a diagnosis has been made. Contact us today!
info@hearingassociateslv.com
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