People who suffer from hearing loss are often severely limited in their everyday life and in their perception of the world around them. Communication with fellow human beings is also significantly more difficult, as many affected people are uncomfortable asking if they have not understood something. This can lead to social isolation.
Indications of early hearing loss are: Parental concern about the child’s hearing, speech development or general development. Cardinal symptom of hearing loss in old age (presbycusis) is impaired communication due to bilateral hearing loss.Examples of presbycusis include limited understanding of speech with multiple people, poor hearing on the telephone, and making the sound louder when watching television. Background noise is particularly bothersome. Furthermore, a common behavior in unilateral hearing loss is turning the healthy ear toward the sound source.
Warning signs (red flags)
- Anamnestic information:
- Diabetes mellitus – doubles the risk of hearing loss.
- Sudden onset (within 72 hours) or progressive (rapidly progressing) symptomatology
- With/without sudden onset of hearing loss (sudden onset, unilateral, near-total hearing loss)
→ think of: Acoustic neuroma DD vascular (“vessel-related”) or viral (“virus-related”) severe sensorineural hearing loss.
- Bleeding from the ear (after head trauma or temporal bone fracture).
