Top Health Tips on Dealing With Hearing Impairment (Adults)

An eardrum rupture or perforation is a little gap or tear in your eardrum and the tympanic membrane. The tympanic membrane is a thin tissue that partitions the canal of the middle ear and outer ear. This layer vibrates when sound waves enter your ear. The vibration proceeds through the bones of the center ear. Since this vibration allows you to listen, your hearing can be affected if your eardrum is harmed. A ruptured eardrum is additionally called a perforated eardrum. Permanent hearing loss could be an end result in some cases.

A ruptured eardrum, similar to thunder; can happen all of a sudden. You may feel a sharp pain in your ear, or an ear infection that you've had for some time all of a sudden leaves. In some cases, the person may not feel any signs of the rupture.

Some of the causes for such a perforation are:

Infection: Ear infections are a major reason for eardrum rupture, particularly in children. Liquids tend to deposit behind the eardrum in such cases.
Exercises: Exercising can bring about pressure changes in the ear and lead to a punctured eardrum. This is known as barotrauma, and takes place when the pressure outside the ear is not the same as the pressure inside the ear. Activities that can bring about barotrauma include scuba diving or flying on plane.
Other activities: Wounds can likewise burst your eardrum. Any injury to the ear or side of the head can bring about a crack.
Diagnosis: Your specialist can use a few approaches to find out whether you have a ruptured eardrum:

A liquid test in which your specialist tests liquids that might spill from your ear from infection.
An otoscope exam in which a specific gadget with a light is used to investigate your ear channel
An audiology exam, in which your specialist tests your listening to range and eardrum limit
Tympanometry, in which your specialist uses a tympanometer to test the pressure changes in your ear.
Treatment: The treatments are as follows:

Patching: In the event that your ear does not recuperate by itself, your specialist may fix the eardrum. Fixing includes setting a sedated paper patch over the tear in the film.
Antibiotics: Anti-toxins can clear up contaminations that may have prompted your eardrum break. They additionally shield you from growing new diseases from the aperture. Your specialist may endorse oral antibiotics or eardrops.
Surgery: In uncommon cases, surgery might be required to fix the gap in the eardrum. A surgical repair of a punctured eardrum is called tympanoplasty.
A cracked eardrum generally recuperates without any invasive measures. Many patients with cracked eardrums encounter just transitory listening problems.

Calcium is known for its role in maintaining the bone health, from keeping your teeth stronger to normal functioning of the cells. But there are various factors, which lead to a deficiency of calcium in the human body and paves the way for several complications.

Here are the top three signs that indicate you are suffering from calcium deficiency.

Difficulty in sleeping: Sleep is essential for your bone health and calcium is directly associated with your sleep cycle. The level of calcium in your bones rises and falls when you are asleep and it reaches its peak when you are in deep slumber. This indicates that when you are unable to sleep properly, it is a warning sign of calcium deficiency. There are various researches that have confirmed, that by increasing the level of calcium, it is possible to restore the normal sleep cycle of an individual. This is also related to the role that calcium plays in the production of a sleep hormone called melatonin. When the calcium content in the body is really low, this hormone is not produced, thus, making it difficult for a person to sleep.
Difficulty in losing extra pounds: Yet another frustrating aspect of any individual s life is the inability to shed off excess pounds. This issue is also linked with the lack of calcium supply in the body. The calcium that s stored in the cells assists in the processing and storage of fat. So the fat cells with high calcium content burn faster, making you lose weight. Thus, if you have trouble losing weight in spite of having a well-regulated diet and regular workout, it s a sign that you are suffering from low calcium.
Paresthesia: Though this ailment is not much heard of, it could be a sign of calcium deficiency. Paresthesia is a nervous disorder, which causes tingling sensation, tremors, numbness and loss of sensitivity. It could also lead to poor concentration, amnesia, confusion, hearing impairment, twitches and other physical as well as neurological impairment. This is because low calcium in the blood is connected with the health of your nerves.
The deficiency of calcium can manifest itself in different intensity, ranging from the non-existent to minimal to severe levels. Chronic calcium deficiency can lead to life-threatening diseases like rickets, osteopenia, and even osteoporosis. Therefore, you shouldn t ignore these signs and consult an expert without delay.

BAHA Implant
Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA) is a device surgically implanted to help people suffering from a loss of hearing. Most conventional hearing aids transmit sound through air conduction. The BAHA device is suitable for conductive or mild-moderate mixed hearing loss.

Problems with hearing in the middle or outer ears can be helped with the BAHA device. The sound waves received by the BAHA device bypass the middle ear and get delivered straight to the functioning cochlea in both ears.

A BAHA device comprises of two parts:
a) The processor
b) A fixture which is surgically implanted behind the ear in the bone.

The implant is embedded in the bone. The processor, which remains outside, is attached to the implant. There is a microphone on the processor that picks up sounds. The sounds are passed on to the implant. The implant vibrates which triggers the Cochlear. You can consider wearing a BAHA implant if other conventional hearing aids do not work for you. BAHA implants are also given to people with collapsed or irritated ear canals.

Cochlear Implant Surgery

A complex, small electronic device that helps hearing in people with severe hearing loss or deafness is used in the Cochlear Implant Surgery. The cochlear implant comprises of an external piece behind the ear and another piece that is surgically implanted under the skin. A cochlear implant comprises of four parts:
1. A microphone which picks up sounds from the surroundings
2. A speech processor which chooses and arranges the sounds the microphone picks up
3. A receiver/stimulator and transmitter that picks up signals from the speech processor and changes them into electric impulses
4. An electrode ray, a bunch of electrodes, receives impulses the stimulator sends and transmits them to different areas of the auditory nerves.
The implant does not cure deafness; it only gives you a useful portrayal of sounds in the environment and considerable aid in understanding speech.

The surgery is done in the following way:
i. The area around the site of the implant is shaved or cleaned
ii. The patient's vital signs are monitored through cables, patches and monitors attached to him or her
iii. General anaesthesia is administered through IV or through a face mask
iv. After the device is implanted, the patient is taken to the recovery room for the anaesthesia effect to lessen.

Your hearing is one of the most important function your body carries out and sometimes you realize that you are losing your sense of hearing when it is too late to get it back. There are two main reasons for this. One of the reason is age and the other is when the inner ear's hair cells break down and do not pick up sound well.

Here are 7 ways to safeguard your hearing:

Try to avoid loud places: It is not advisable to go to places where you have to shout to be heard, such as in a street, a concert or a construction site.
Buy low noise rating equipment: The equipment in your house will make a sound that you hear the most. Try to avoid this equipment by buying appliances with a low noise rating.
Wear hearing protection at loud places: However, it is true that it is not always possible to avoid loud noises. This is when you need to get hearing protection. Earplugs and earmuffs are two of the best ways to make sure that even when you are in a loud place, your hearing does not get affected. Earplugs and earmuffs generally reduce sound by 15 to 30 decibels, which may be crucial to making sure that later in your life, you do not lose your hearing.
Avoid smoke: Smoking raises your chance of hearing loss. Second-hand smoke does the same thing. Therefore, try to avoid, both smoking and secondhand smoking.
Avoid medications which reduce hearing: Certain medications increase the hearing loss. Therefore, double check with your doctor to make sure your medicines will not make you lose your hearing.
Get your hearing tested: Finally, get your hearing tested as identifying the problem early on can help stop worsen the situation.

BAHA Implant
Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA) is a device surgically implanted to help people suffering from a loss of hearing. Most conventional hearing aids transmit sound through air conduction. The BAHA device is suitable for conductive or mild-moderate mixed hearing loss.

Problems with hearing in the middle or outer ears can be helped with the BAHA device. The sound waves received by the BAHA device bypass the middle ear and get delivered straight to the functioning cochlea in both ears.

A BAHA device comprises of two parts:

The processor
A fixture which is surgically implanted behind the ear in the bone.
The implant is embedded in the bone. The processor, which remains outside, is attached to the implant. There is a microphone on the processor that picks up sounds. The sounds are passed on to the implant. The implant vibrates which triggers the Cochlear. You can consider wearing a BAHA implant if other conventional hearing aids do not work for you. BAHA implants are also given to people with collapsed or irritated ear canals.

Cochlear Implant Surgery

A complex, small electronic device that helps to hear in people with severe hearing loss or deafness is used in the Cochlear Implant Surgery. The cochlear implant comprises an external piece behind the ear and another piece that is surgically implanted under the skin. A cochlear implant comprises of four parts:

A microphone which picks up sounds from the surroundings
A speech processor which chooses and arranges the sounds the microphone picks up
A receiver/stimulator and transmitter that picks up signals from the speech processor and changes them into electric impulses
An electrode ray, a bunch of electrodes, receives impulses the stimulator sends and transmits them to different areas of the auditory nerves.
The implant does not cure deafness; it only gives you a useful portrayal of sounds in the environment and considerable aid in understanding speech.

The surgery is done in the following way:

The area around the site of the implant is shaved or cleaned
The patient's vital signs are monitored through cables, patches and monitors attached to him or her
General anaesthesia is administered through IV or through a face mask
After the device is implanted, the patient is taken to the recovery room for the anaesthesia effect to lessen.

What is a foreign body (FB)?
Foreign body or FB is an object or piece of extraneous matter that has entered the body by accident or design. It is common to see certain items getting stuck in the ear, nose or throat especially, in young children. While most of the time they do not raise an alarm, however, sometimes they can lead to severe consequences like rupture of the eardrum or even choking.

How do FBs affect ear, nose and throat?

Children over 9 months develop an ability to pick up objects. As they explore the environment around them, they tend to put items such as peas, beans, marbles, beads, cotton, paper, etc, in their mouth, nose or ears. Similar trend may be seen in adults with mental disorders.
Trauma/ fall/accident can force FBs like rock, pebbles into the ear, nose or throat.
Adults while riding a bike or sleeping on the ground (campsites) can have insects: flies, ants, roaches fly into the nose or ear.
Choking occurs when FBs block the airway, common reasons are: not chewing the food properly, diseases like Parkinsonism, drinking alcohol or certain drugs that slowdowns the process of swallowing.
Managing FB in the ear, nose and throat

Foreign bodies in the ear
Symptoms: Pain in the ear, discharge or bleeding from the ear, feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear and dizziness and nausea in extreme cases.

Management:

Make sure the patient is sitting in an upright position, pull the pinna or outer semicircle of the ear towards the back. This can help you see the object clearly and also loosen it to wiggle out. If you can see the object clearly, use a tweezer to grasp the object and gently remove.
In case a live insect gets trapped inside the ear lie down and place few drops of warm vegetable or baby oil. Use oil only if symptoms of eardrum perforation like pain, bleeding/discharge from the ear is absent.
Tilting the head to the affected side can facilitate gravity to dislodge the object.
Foreign bodies in the nose:
Symptoms: Pain and difficulty in breathing from that side of the nose.
Management: Keep the uninvolved nostril closed by pressing a finger against the side of the nose and gently ask the person to blow from the affected nostril.

Foreign bodies in the throat:
Symptoms: Choking, inability to breathe and speak
Management: Perform Heimlich maneuver: abdominal thrusts, if trained otherwise, it is advised to call for medical help immediately.

How can you prevent foreign bodies from entering your ear, nose, throat?

Discourage talking, playing, laughing when food is in the mouth.
Do not give whole grapes, popcorn, nuts to children below 3 years.
Keep small objects out of reach of small children.
Teach children to avoid placing objects into their nose, ears.

Some people experience symptoms of erectile dysfunction and think of consuming Viagra. Viagra is the market name of a substance called Sildenafil, which is used for the correction of erectile dysfunction. It creates hypertension in the blood vessels, enabling you to get an enhanced erection. Viagra is quite useful for boosting your sexual performance. However, you may experience several side effects on your health. Before deciding on using a pack of Viagra, it is advised to consult a doctor to know the exact dosage that would work for you.

Dosages

1. 50 mg is the recommended dosage for men in general. The dose can be sometimes increased up to 100 mg. It depends on tolerance and effectiveness. The dose may also be decreased to 25 mg in some cases. It is also advised not to take Viagra more than once a day. The dosage will have to be altered if you take other prescribed medicines.

2. Viagra single packs are also prescribed by doctors. Single packs are available in dosages of 25, 50 and 100 mg.

When should you avoid viagra?

Viagra should be avoided in some cases.

These include the following:

1. In case you take prescribed nitrates for chest pain or pulmonary disorder, your doctor would advise you not to use Viagra due as it increases the risk of high blood pressure, which can be quite disastrous for your health.

2. Many people are allergic to sildenafil, which is a substance present in Viagra.

Side effects of consuming viagra

Viagra causes several serious side effects on the body. Therefore, it is very important to take a doctor s advice and know about the different adversities. The most common side effects include the following:

1. Priapism: This is a condition where your erection lasts for about four hours or longer and does not end. Permanent damage to the penis is indicated if this condition is not treated.

2. Loss of vision and hearing impairment: Viagra may cause Non-arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NAION). This disorder may lead to loss of vision in one or both the eyes. Tinnitus or hearing impairment is another condition, which may occur as a side effect of consuming Viagra.

You should always consult a doctor before you decide to take as he would know best about the dosage required by your body. He will also advise you about an ideal method of usage.

Earaches can make life miserable. At times, the pain gets so intense that it throws life in jeopardy. This is where homeopathic medicines come as a huge relief. Earaches of different origins can be effectively treated with homeopathic medicines.

* Chamomilla: Chamomilla is the best homeopathic relief for people suffering from excruciating earache. The pain usually aggravates at night. The maddening pain leaves the person mentally very agitated. The medicine is equally helpful for children who get agitated and irritated due to the unbearable pain.

* Pulsatilla: At times, the earache is accompanied by a thick (mostly greenish) discharge from the ear. As a result, the ear feels quite heavy. A person might also experience difficulty in hearing. The darting pain is at its worst self at night. Such earaches and associated symptoms are best treated with the homeopathic medicine, Pulsatilla.

* Hepar sulph: It is an excellent remedy for earaches triggered due to otitis, cold or any other upper respiratory infections. It quickle releives the earpain of children.

* Sometimes, even a little exposure to cold air can result in earaches. Worse still, there is pus like discharge from the ear and fever. The ear is very sensitive to touch. Hepar Sulph is an ideal homeopathic remedy under such circumstances. Psorinum is mainly used when the pus like discharge has a very unpleasant odour.

* At times, dental problems and throat infections can result in severe earache. Homeopathy has a solution for all. Plantago is an excellent homeopathic medicine to treat earaches resulting from toothache. Merc Sol is effective against earaches originating from dental problems. In such cases, there may be blood or yellow discharge from the ear. The pain gets unbearable at night.

Lachesis and Phytollaca are known to provide great relief from earaches resulting from throat infections. Lachesis is helpful when the throat pain slowly shoots up to the left ear. Swallowing of food makes the situation worse. Phytollaca, on the other hand, is the best medicine when the shooting ear pain is right sided. Belladonna helps to deal with severe and throbbing ear pain.

* Infection of the Otitis Media (middle ear) is a common factor, resulting in earaches. There may be fever and pus like discharge. The hearing is also greatly impaired. At night, the pain reaches the superlative degree. Go for Hepar Sulph if the pain intensifies upon slightest exposure to cold air. Use Belladona in case the ear infection is at a very nascent stage. Pulsatilla is equally effective to treat such earaches.

* Many a times, the ear pain can be of nerve origin. It is more of a facial pain, with the ear being affected. Verbascum Thapsus (Mullen Oil) can be of great help and can also be effectively used as an ear drop to provide some relief.

Proper and sound hearing is essential for healthy living. If you are suffering from lack or loss of hearing, chances are that you are missing out on life itself. Therefore it is imperative that you undergo treatments in case you are suffering from any kind of hearing ailment. There are various reasons that contribute to the loss of hearing.

Some of the common causes are-

1. Age
2. Increasing noise
3. Genetically inherited

Over the years various surgical and non-surgical methods have surfaced that repair hear loss and damage. Among the other branches of medicines, Ayurveda is the eldest and ancient method. It uses natural herbs in order to correct and treat hearing loss. This has proved to be extremely beneficial and potent and it cures hearing ailments by various natural methods. Some of them are:

1. Lukewarm mustard oil or sesame oil
If you are suffering from earache or loss in hearing, try putting a few drops of warm mustard oil and sesame oil in your ear and hold it with index fingers. At the same time store the air in your mouth and let your cheeks contract and bulge for a minute or so. This ayurvedic tip considerably improves hearing and reduces ear pain.

2. Radish juice and sesame oil
If you are suffering from sores and hearing problems, a mixture of the two can be beneficial. In this method, a small quantity of radish juice should be boiled with a small quantity of sesame oil until the juice absorbs the oil. This mixture should be administered twice a day in order to experience the results.

3. Applewood oil
A variety of ingredients are required in order to create the resultant oil. Initially, cow's urine should be boiled and the applewood powder must be added to it. This mixture should then be filtered and further added with sesame and goat's milk. This concoction then should be boiled and the resultant oil should be stored and applied with cotton daily. This improves hearing a great deal.

4. Mixture of neem and turmeric
In this method, turmeric and neem leaves are boiled together. The steam should be taken as well as the water must be applied to the ears and surrounding areas. This has proved to be an extremely effective remedy in treating puss in the ears and consequent hearing loss.

5. Mixture of raddish juice, turmeric, sesame oil and ajwain seeds
All these ingredients must be taken in selective quantities and boiled to get the resultant oil. This oil must be stored and used to treat hearing loss and other ear diseases.

Proper and sound hearing is essential for a healthy living. If you are suffering from lack or loss of hearing, chances are that you are missing out on life itself. Therefore it is imperative that you undergo treatments in case you are suffering from any kind of hearing ailment.

There are various reasons that contribute to loss of hearing. Some of the common causes are-

1. Age

2. Increasing noise

3. Genetically inherited

Over the years various surgical and non-surgical methods have surfaced that repair hear loss and damage. Among the other branches of medicines, Ayurveda is the most old and ancient method. It uses natural herbs in order to correct and treat hearing loss. This has proved to be extremely beneficial and potent and it cures hearing ailments by various natural methods. Some of them are:

1. Lukewarm mustard oil or sesame oil

If you are suffering from ear ache or loss in hearing, try putting few drops of warm mustard oil and sesame oil in your ear and hold it with index fingers. At the same time store the air in your mouth and let your cheeks contract and bulge for a minute or so. This ayurvedic tip considerably improves hearing and reduces ear pain.

2. Raddish juice and sesame oil

If you are suffering from sores and hearing problems, a mixture of the two can be beneficial. In this method, a small quantity of raddish juice should be boiled with a small quantity of sesame oil till the juice absorbs the oil. This mixture should be administered twice a day in order to experience the results.

3. Applewood oil

A variety of ingredients are required in order to create the resultant oil. Initially cow's urine should be boiled and the applewood powder must be added to it. This mixture should then be filtered and further added with sesame and goat's milk. This concoction then should be boiled and the resultant oil should be stored and applied with cotton daily. This improves hearing a great deal.

4. Mixture of neem and turmeric

In this method turmeric and neem leaves are boiled together. The steam should be taken as well as the water must be applied on the ears and surrounding areas. This has proved to be an extremely effective remedy in treating puss in the ears and consequent hearing loss.

5. Mixture of raddish juice, turmeric, sesame oil and ajwain seeds

All these ingredients must be taken in selective quantities and boiled to get the resultant oil. This oil must be stored and used to treat hearing loss and other ear diseases.