How to restore hearing with sensorineural hearing loss: methods and their features

Sensorineural hearing loss is a pathology in which the apparatus in the inner ear that receives sounds is disturbed. If you do not start treatment at the initial stage of the development of the disease, the auditory nerve is affected and in the future it will atrophy, and this is a direct path to irreversible changes. Therefore, in order not to lose the auditory function, it is important to consult a doctor when the first warning symptoms occur.

Features of the recovery period

Recovery of sensorineural hearing loss is a long and laborious process. It consists in stabilizing the auditory function, eliminating the accompanying symptoms, which include dizziness, noise in the ears and head, and impaired coordination of movements.

Restoration of hearing in sensorineural hearing loss primarily involves the use of the following techniques, and these are:

1. Carrying out physiotherapy procedures. If it was possible to detect pathology at the initial stage of development, sessions of phonoelectrophoresis, electrical stimulation of tissues in the inner ear, and acupuncture are prescribed.
2. Taking medications. Medical therapy is more effective in the early stages of hearing loss. In some cases, it is possible to completely restore hearing after a course of glucocorticoid hormones for 5-8 days.
3. Exercise and massage.
4. Prosthetics. If moderate or severe sensorineural hearing loss has been diagnosed, a behind-the-ear, in-the-ear, pocket analog digital device can be used.
5. Behavior of surgery - cochlear implantation. The operation is indicated in the case of a complete absence of auditory function, but only if the auditory nerve is preserved (in the absence of a violation of its work and atrophic changes).

If you start hearing rehabilitation at the initial stage, you can hope for a full recovery and a full return of hearing function. In combination with therapeutic recommendations, it is necessary to adhere to the exclusion of the influence of external factors (vibration and loud noise), bad habits (taking alcohol and drugs).

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapeutic procedures are prescribed for sensorineural hearing loss of 1-2 degrees. If they are carried out in combination with taking medications, this will enhance the result of recovery and improve the prognosis of the pathology. How complete the restoration of hearing will be depends on the correctness of the physiotherapy and the characteristics of the functional state of the nervous system.

During the recovery period of sensorineural hearing loss, phonoelectrophoresis, electrical stimulation of the tissues of the inner ear, and acupuncture are prescribed. No less effective is electrolight therapy and mechanotherapeutic procedures.

In most cases, during the rehabilitation period, with a disease of the auditory nerve, they are affected by electric currents with a constant or alternating field. In other words, this is electrophoresis - a procedure that allows you to quickly deliver medicinal substances to the affected area.

The duration of the sessions, the duration of the course of therapy is determined depending on the stage of the course of the pathology, its nature, and the individual characteristics of the patient's body.

Recovery with medication

First of all, in order to restore normal hearing, the doctor prescribes the intake of funds from the group of nootropics. Such drugs improve blood flow in the brain and inner ear, which helps to restore the nerve roots in the auditory center. This group includes Piracetam and Glycine.

Vitamin preparations are required, for example, which include elements of group B (Cyanocabalamin, Pyridoxine, etc.). Such drugs improve nerve conduction and the functioning of the auditory region in the trigeminal nerve.

In infectious etiology of hearing loss, antibacterial agents are used, for example, Suprax, Cefexim, or others.

Exercise and massage

If the pathology proceeds at the initial stage, it is possible to restore the auditory function by conducting special exercises. Of course, it will not be possible to achieve an improvement in hearing by this method in a short time, but in complex therapy it gives quite good results.

Hearing Recovery Exercises for Sensorineural Hearing Loss

improve blood flow in the affected area, provide indirect massage of the eardrum and stabilize the auditory nerve. Doctors recommend doing the following exercises in the morning, immediately after waking up:

• rubbing the ears with the fingers of both hands - 15 times in each ear;
• exercise "drum": close the ears with hands, fingers that are directed to the back of the head, make tapping movements (10-15 times);
• stretching the earlobes with two fingers - 10 times in each ear.

A good effect on hearing is such an exercise as capturing two sources of sound at the same time. For example, you can listen to the interlocutor on the phone with one ear, trying to catch and understand speech from the TV with the other ear.

As for massage, reflex massage is practiced to relieve the symptoms of sensorineural hearing loss. It has been scientifically proven that each point on the skin has a connection with one or another internal organ, and with the help of such a massage, you can quickly improve your health.

In case of hearing loss, such points are massaged: located between the eyebrows, in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe wings of the nose, in the center of the fossa of the chin, in the center of the temple, in the fossa behind the ear.

Prosthetics

Only a doctor can help you choose the right hearing prosthesis. The fact is that there are several types of such devices and each of them is designed for a certain degree of hearing loss.

The pocket device has a low prevalence today. Many of them are analog and a minority are digital. The case has a microphone and a signal amplifier. A special tiny phone is placed in the ear, which is connected to the main apparatus by a wire.

Pocket models are quite easy to use, so their wearing is prescribed even for people who are in old age and with impaired coordination of movements. Such devices are suitable for hearing restoration in case of sensorineural hearing loss of the 4th degree.

The classic option is the behind-the-ear device. In appearance, it is a semicircular plate located behind the ear, connected by a thin tube with an insert. A kind of behind-the-ear device - with a remote receiver in the ear. Those have less power, which does not allow using for the correction of hearing loss of 3-4 degrees.

The in-ear device has a miniature size. Suitable for the treatment of pathology of moderate and moderate severity. Not suitable for children, since the size of the shell is fixed, and the device will have to be changed as the child's auricle grows (about every year).

The intracanal device is placed in the cavity of the ear canal, which makes it invisible to people around. Despite being smaller than in-the-ears, they are weaker in power. Used to correct hearing loss 1 and 2 severity. Among the contraindications for wearing are chronic otitis media, perforation of the eardrum, advanced age.

cochlear implantation

During the rehabilitation period for sensorineural hearing loss, the doctor may prescribe cochlear implantation. Surgical intervention consists in placing a special device in the inner ear, namely, in the cochlea, which stimulates intact nerve structures and perceives sounds.

With the help of such an implant, it is possible to achieve the restoration of a completely absent or lost hearing. Before the operation, standard preoperative preparation is required, which is as follows:

• in an extended audiological test, which allows you to confirm or refute the diagnosis;
• in carrying out computed tomography of the temporal region, the results of which develop the tactics of conducting the operation;
• in a visit to a teacher who will determine the level of hearing loss and select a rehabilitation program.

The prosthesis is implanted under general anesthesia. The duration of surgery is no more than 6 hours. Implantation is carried out in stages:

1. Apply markings in the behind-the-ear area and determine the localization of the device.
2. A small incision is made to reach the mastoid process and middle ear.
3. A recess is created in the bone tissue, the implant is placed and fixed.
4. A hole is made in the cochlea to connect the electrodes of the prosthesis.
5. The electrode is placed near the ganglion cells.
6. Checking the implant.
7. Impose postoperative sutures.

The cochlear device processor is connected 4-6 weeks after surgery. During this period, the equipment is adjusted for comfortable hearing and information processing by the patient.

Complications may occur after surgery, but they are rarely diagnosed, especially if the operation was performed correctly and by an experienced surgeon. You can watch:

• damage to the facial nerve;
• headache;
• ringing in the ear;
• violation of coordination of movements;
• dizziness;
• pain in the inner ear.

In such cases, you should not self-medicate, but you need to consult a doctor.

ethnoscience

Folk remedies only help to enhance the effect of the main methods of recovery, so they should be used in complex therapy. However, despite the safety of natural components, they have some contraindications for use, among which is individual intolerance.

To improve auditory function and activate blood circulation in the affected area help:

• almond oil: instill 1 drop into the ear canal daily for a month;
• onions: cut the peeled onion in half, heat some of it, wrap it with gauze and insert it into the ear like a turunda, keeping it until the morning (put a compress before going to bed);
• calamus calamus: take a teaspoon of raw materials, pour boiling water in a volume of 0.5 liters, insist for 3 hours (the finished product is filtered and taken orally 0.5 cups three times a day before meals).

Sensorineural hearing loss is a common pathology that is mainly faced by older people. In any case, only a doctor can tell you how to restore hearing. Self-medication is often ineffective and leads to irreversible consequences.