Hearing Loss: Clinical Diagnosis and Management

Hearing loss refers to the impairment in perceiving or processing auditory information. Hearing impairment can be partial or complete, and may occur in one or both ears. The impairment in hearing may be acquired, inherited or caused due to perinatal problems and aging. Tinnitus, hyperacusis and presbycusis, endaural phenomena, and auditory processing disorder are a few hearing disorders. A common cause of hearing loss is chronic ear infection. During pregnancy, infections like rubella and syphilis can lead to hearing loss in the offspring. Hearing loss interferes with spoken language acquisition and causes cognitive decline. Certain cases of hearing loss can be examined medically, while others are irreversible and therefore, permanent. The usage of hearing aids, cochlear implants, sign language and subtitles are principal management tools to aid individuals suffering with this condition. The use of stem cell transplant and gene therapy for the regrowth of cochlear cells and nerve cells will prove highly beneficial in the treatment of hearing loss. This book includes some of the vital pieces of work being conducted across the world, on the various topics related to hearing loss. It will serve as a valuable source of reference on its clinical diagnosis and management for graduate and post graduate students.