Ear Nose & Endocrine Disorders

Hyperacusis makes life in a noisy and fast paced world really difficult to those who have it. Traveling, communicating and working can all become a challenge with so much noise around them. For example, traveling to and from work on a train will seem impossible without some sort of ear protection such as ear muffs. Even so these are not enough to block out certain frequencies.

So imagine your life not being able to go watch a movie at a cinema, or not being able to travel by planes and not even being able to attend big social events all because it’s ‘too’ noisy. How would your life be? Many people have to go through everyday life with this because of their condition.

Those with hyperacusis cannot simply walk away from noisy places because the volume of the entire environment is perceived as heightened and elevated from what any normal person would hear. This is where it starts to get painful.

Many people regard recruitment to be similar to hyperacusis, but the truth couldn’t be any farther. Recruitment is an abnormal growth of the awareness of volume surrounding a person thus making noisy environments seem uncomfortable. Also with recruitment comes a loss of hearing. Hyperacusis however, is a whole different story. Unlike recruitment where noisy surroundings and environments are perceived as uncomfortable, hyperacusis makes all sounds too loud.

Most patients of hyperacusis suffer from inner ear aches, ear pressure and bad headaches when their surroundings become too noisy to handle. This extra sensitive hearing condition causes many problems in the lives of people who unfortunately end up with it. Some of these are problems in relationships, family, social life and professional lives.

So as a patient of hyperacusis, life is not easy to cope with as things can get really noisy and painful. Also worth mentioning is that currently doctors have a very limited knowledge and understanding of this condition. This alone can make hyperacusis patients feel alone when in their struggle with this rare condition.

Hyperacusis is a particular condition, in which the tolerance for various audible frequencies is collapsed. Hyperacusis is not a congenital condition; it develops in the later stages of life. Hyperacusis has to be clearly distinguished from other hearing impairments, to practice adequate treatment strategies. Patients do not have any considerable hearing loss, but only uncomfortable to common sounds. The normal bearable sound range is 100 decibels and the characteristic problem of hyperacusis is the false perception of common sounds, even in lower decibels as loud sounds and inability to adjust the sensitivity according to loudness. The disease, hyperacusis has significant relevance in modern life, as the day to day environment is flooded with a variety of large and moderate sounds.

The risks associated with it mainly include the difficulty of the patient to pursue his life. They feel the normal sounds such as speaking, walking and even combing, as very loud disturbing voices, depending on the seriousness of disorder. This will lead to them to many psychological disorders such as phonophobia, the fear of sound, anxiety, depression, and loss of sleep. The chance for the occurrence for other complicated disorders, as a result of the manifestation of underlying cause of hyperacusis, is also a major risk factor. The complications of the diseases such as Lyme disease, Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome, Bell’s palsy, Tay-Sach’s disease, and post trauma effects of head injury can affect the patient since these diseases can be actual reasons for sudden outbreak of hyperacusis. The collapsed sound conditions and associated manifestations will ultimately lead the patient to total deprivation from social living.

The incompatibility of the patient with normal life depends on the level of hyperacusis and its impact on life. Hyperacusis is generally categorized into five levels, according to the sound tolerance level. The category zero patients do not experience any difficulty in normal living, even though they experience sounds above 85 decibels as very loud. The category one patient may have mild impact since they require ear protectors to bear sounds in the range of 80 to 85 decibels. Category 2 patients are moderately affected by hyperacusis as 65+ decibels sounds such as of normal conversation, seems to them very disturbing. They consider mainstream living as a challenge and prefer isolation. The category three patient suffers even from whispering sound in range of 50+ decibels. The patients have the chances to develop associated diseases such as anxiety, depression, phonophobia, and insomnia. Hyperacusis patients in category four are very critical. These patients cannot proceed a main stream living and resorts to complete isolation. The condition becomes impossible as they cannot even tolerate own voice. They are also at the risk of all associated diseases.

The improvements in the medicine have formulated efficient diagnostic tools, and effective medication to cure hyperacusis. The combined use of psychotherapy and medicine will definitely help the patient to overcome the condition.

There may be times that you would hear an unusual ringing in your ears- beware you might be experiencing tinnitus. Tinnitus is a sensation in the ear, which constitutes a feeling of fullness of the ear. You can also feel some sort of pressure in it. The loud ringing within you is also dominant feeling and it is mostly a very long and sustained sound. It could last for just a few seconds but the loud ringing sound is very disturbing. And if you have Meniere’s disease and tinnitus strikes it would last for a longer period.

Tinnitus is an ear problem. Most ear problems can be caused of a number of factors of which the most common one is the infection inside the ears. The infection could manifest itself in different ways and can affect specific parts of the ear. Ear infections are usually due to poor hygiene.

Wax build-up in the ears causes ear infection too. When those ear fluids come in contact with dirt, wax forms. If the ear is not cleaned regularly, wax can buildup to the extent it causes major problems.

Foreign objects in the ear canal can definitely pose some health risks. Anything, no matter how small, that finds its way inside the ear would pose to be a problem. It would also cause multiple ear infections when not attended immediately.

Tumors growing inside the ear would cause some hearing loss. Tumors are abnormal growths and tumors may either malignant or benign. Once you experience some abnormality in your hearing, consult your physician at once.

Injuries may cause ear problems as well. Physical injuries, even if not directed to the ears may cause some serious problems. If some parts of your head may be damaged, it may cause some hearing problems even if the damage is far away from your ear.

To take care of your ears and be free from tinnitus, do not expose yourself to too much noise. Loud music would gradually cause hearing problems and try not to use headphone much if possible. When the first signs of problems in the ears are observed, check with your doctor right away.

Vertigo is the feeling of whirling or spiraling that takes place as a result of a disorder to a person’s balance. Subjective vertigo happens when a person feels dizzy from within while Objective vertigo is when the person feels that the things around him move.

Vertigo is, in fact, a symptom, it is not a disease on its own. It is a disorder in the vestibular system. The vestibular system is responsible for joining together the stimuli of the senses and a person’s movements and it is also responsible in keeping the object in imagery focus, even if the rest of the body part is moving.

Vertigo can be one of the symptoms of Meniere’s disease. Patients with this disease exhibit hearing loss and feels pressure in their ears. They also suffer from tinnitus, a state of severe imbalance. Vertigo is the most dramatic and the most disruptive symptom of Meniere’s disease. When vertigo attacks, the patient should immediately head to see his doctor for treatment as it usually hits in succession within a short period of time.

If you experience a vertigo attack, you would suddenly feel wobbly and perceive all the things around you are spinning. Your eyes can also beat from side to side. You will also feel nauseous and sweaty. It would feel as if you are riding a real shaky ship amidst a hurricane for hours.

Meniere’s disease binds vertigo to the definite hearing loss of a person. Although research shows an average of 0.01% to 0.07% people attains this disease. People above 40 are more prone to it. For people younger than that, cases are considered rare. It is also true with children.

If you have vertigo, chances are, you have contracted Meniere’s disease. You should not waste any time and head for treatment immediately. Vertigo is one symptom that should never be taken for granted. Once it strikes, take a quick rest and immediately set and appointment with your physician.

If vertigo does lead to Meniere’s disease, don’t fret. Mineare’s disease can be easily cured. Just heed your doctor’s advice and recovery would be quick and easy.

Down Syndrome is a genetic chromosomal syndrome affecting physical features and causing mental retardation. Down Syndrome is caused by having an extra third copy of chromosome 21. Down Syndrome can be diagnosed prenatally in the womb during pregnancy using several different tests including ultrasound, amniocentesis and CVS.

Diagnosis after birth can usually be done from examining the baby’s physical and facial features such as:

# Flattened face
# Snub nose
# Flattened nasal bridge
# Upward slanting eyes
# Short neck
# Enlarged and protruding tongue
# Abnormally shaped ears
# Short stubby hands
# Short stubby feet
# Infant not crying much

Below are some of the major myths about Down Syndrome. Each myth is debunked with the truth concerning one specific aspect of Down Syndrome.

Myth: Down Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder.
Truth: One in every 800 to 1,000 birth is a child with Down Syndrome condition. This figures represents approximately 5,000 births per year.

Myth: Most children with Down Syndrome are born to older parents.
Truth: 80% of children with Down Syndrome are born to women under 35 years of age. However, as the age of the parents increases, so does the incidence of births of children with Down Syndrome condition.

Myth: Children with Down Syndrome are severely retarded.
Truth: Children with Down Syndrome have an I.Q that falls between the mild to moderately retarded range. Children with Down Syndrome can be educated. However, educators and researchers have not been able to verify and document the full educational potential of Down Syndrome children.

Myth: Most people with Down Syndrome are institutionalized.
Truth: In recent years, Down Syndrome children are seen in the public together with the families, going about their educational, social and recreational activities. Some adults with Down Syndrome have also seen to work in café and fast food chains.

Myth: Adult with Syndrome are unemployable.
Truth: As society’s acceptance and understanding towards adults with Down Syndrome children increases, businesses around the world are employing young adults with Down Syndrome for a variety of positions.

Myth: Adults with Down Syndrome are unable to form close interpersonal relationship leading to marriage.
Truth: Many adults with Down Syndrome are able to socialize and form ongoing relationship such as courtship and marriage. Although women with Down Syndrome can have children, but the chances of getting a Down Syndrome child is 50%.

Myth: People with Down Syndrome condition can never be cured.
Truth: As the medical research advances, it was identified that the gene on chromosome 21 is responsible for Down Syndrome. Scientists believe that there is a possibility in the future to improve, correct and prevent the varies problems related to Down Syndrome.