Deafness or hearing loss can be congenital (present at birth) or acquired (become evident later in life). The distinction between acquired and congenital deafness specifies only the time that the deafness appears. It does not specify whether the cause of the deafness is genetic (inherited).
Thank you for reading this post, don’t forget to subscribe!Acquired deafness may or may not be genetic. For example, it may be a manifestation of a delayed-onset form of genetic deafness. Alternatively, acquired deafness may be due to damage to the ear due to noise or from other conditions.
Congenital deafness or hearing loss may or may not be genetic. In non-genetic causes, congenital deafness may be due to a condition or infection to which the mother was exposed during pregnancy, such as the rubella virus. Alternatively, congenital hearing loss may be associated with certain other characteristic findings. For example, a white forelock may be a sign of a genetic disease called Waardenburg syndrome that includes congenital deafness in the spectrum of disease. Overall, more than half of congenital hearing loss is inherited.
Types of Deafness or hearing loss
Deafness or hearing loss can also be classified based on which portions of the auditory system (hearing system) are affected. When the nervous system is affected, it is referred to as sensorineural hearing loss. When the portions of the ear that are responsible for transmitting the sound to the nerves are affected, it is referred to as conductive hearing loss.
Conditions affecting the cochlea, 8th cranial nerve, spinal cord or brain cause sensorineural hearing loss. Examples include:
- Meniere’s disease,
- Noise-induced hearing loss (such as prolonged or excessive exposure to loud music or machinery),
- Presbycusis (hearing loss of aging),
- Nerve injury from syphilis,
- Idiopathic hearing loss (hearing loss of unknown cause),
- Nerve tumors and;
- Drug toxicity (such as aspirin, aminoglycosides etc).
Conditions that affect the tympanic membrane (ear canal, eardrum), and middle ear lead to conductive hearing loss. For example:
- Ear wax blocking the ear canal,
- Otitis media and;
- Otosclerosis.
A substantial number of hearing impairments are caused by environmental factors (noise, allopathic drugs, toxins etc), and in rare cases inherited disorders.
There are four types of ear infections. Each type is defined according to where they occur in the ear canal (we will discuss only those which could be cause of hearing loss or deafness).
Swimmer’s Ear (Outer Ear Infection)
Middle Ear Infection
Eustachian Tube
The Eustachian tube is the canal that connects middle ear to throat. When the Eustachian tube is open as it is normally, it prevents fluid and air pressure from building up inside the ear. Infections like colds, the flu, or allergic reactions can cause the Eustachian tube to become swollen and blocked.
Inner Ear Infection (Labyrinthitis)
Labyrinthitis is inflammation inside the inner ear. Labyrinthitis occurs when the labyrinth, a part of the inner ear that helps control your balance, gets swollen. The inflammation of the labyrinth can be caused by respiratory illnesses, viral and bacterial ear infections.
Ruptured Eardrum
When the pressure from fluid buildup is too high inside the middle ear, the eardrum can rupture, as showing picture. When the eardrum bursts, brown, yellow, or whitish fluid can drain from the ear.
Sometimes when the eardrum bursts, the pain suddenly resolves because the pressure is relieved; but results could be hearing loss that may be partial or complete.
Symptoms of deafness or hearing loss
Symptoms of hearing loss include mild loss of high frequency hearing, hearing loss associated with ringing or noises (tinnitus), and complete deafness. Symptoms may develop gradually over time with many causes of hearing loss.
People who are experiencing hearing loss may refrain from taking part in conversations, may turn the volume up high on the radio or TV, and may frequently ask others to repeat what they have said.
Allopathic treatment for Deafness or Hearing Loss
The treatment of deafness or hearing loss depends on its cause. For example:
- Ear wax can be removed.
- Ear infection can be treated with medications.
- Diseases that cause inflammation of the ear can be treated with medication.
- Medications that are toxic to the ear can be avoided.
- Occasionally surgical procedures are necessary.
Homeopathic Medicines for Deafness or Hearing Loss
Here are some medicines working best in deafness or hearing loss of various causes:
Thiosinaminum:
Arterio-sclerotic vertigo. Tinnitus. Catarrhal deafness with cicatricial thickening. Subacute suppurative otitis media, formation of fibrous bands impeding free movement of the ossicles. Thickened drum. Deafness or hearing loss due to some fibrous change in the nerve.
Baryta Carb:
In my (Dr. Qaisar Ahmed) experience persons with hypertension, Diabetes and hyper cholesterol levels may face an early onset of hearing loss. Baryta Carb her gives good results. Hardness of hearing. Crackling noise. Glands around ears painful and swollen. Reverberation on blowing nose.
Ferrum Picricum
Deafness or hearing loss before menses. Crackling in ears and low-pitched voice. Vascular deafness. Dental neuralgia, radiating towards ears and eyes. Humming in ears as from telegraph wires. Tinnitus.
Arnica:
Arnica mostly covers the hearing loss in result of blunt injuries, after being hit with a hand or fist for example. Noises in ear caused by rush of blood to the head. Shooting in and around ears. Blood from ears. Dullness of hearing after concussion. Deafness or hearing loss. Pain in cartilages of ears as if bruised.
Calcarea Flour
Calcareous deposits on tympanum; sclerosis of ossicula and petrous portion of temporal bone, with deafness, ringing and roaring. Chronic suppuration of middle ear.
Hypericum Perforatum:
Hypericum is a very beneficial Homeopathic medicine for injury of nerve origin. Sticking through ear. Itching in meatus. Sensitiveness of hearing during menses. Deafness or hearing loss.
Syphilinum
Deafness or hearing loss due to syphilis, Skin infections, pustule with faited pus, copper colored pus. Nervous system especially central infections. Enlargement of cervical glands and a number of pedunculated pinhead warts on neck, cured by Syco-syphilinum. Enormous swelling of glands of head and neck (Hodgkin’s disease).
Chenopodium Anthelminticum:
Chenopodium is a best resulting medicine to treat hearing loss due to weak auditory nerve. The hearing loss may be accompanied by tinnitus (noises in ear). Torpor of auditory nerve. Deafness or hearing loss. Hearing better for high-pitched sounds. Comparative deafness to sound of voice, but great sensitiveness to sound, as of passing vehicles and also a shrinking from low tones. Buzzing in ears. Enlargement of tonsils. Aural vertigo.
Chenopodium provides strength to the auditory nerve and hence improve the hearing ability.
Floricum Acid
Chronic diseases with syphilitic and mercurial history. Glabella region bloated. Acts especially upon lower tissues, and indicated in deep, destructive processes, bedsores, ulcerations, varicose veins, and ulcers. Deafness or hearing loss. Caries of ossicles and mastoid, with copious discharge; worse warmth. Exostosis.
Kali Phosphoricum:
Kali Phos is well known medicine for its action on the nervous system. Weak nervous system, weak auditory nerve from any cause. Humming and buzzing in the ears. Itching and pimples in canal and external ear. Deafness or hearing loss. Deep-seated pain in ears, stinging, itching. Sharp pain ear radiating down to cheek (could be infection). Fulness, singing, and surging in ears. Hearing too sensitive; cannot endure noise.
Verbascum Thapsus:
Verbascum Thapsus (Mullein) is ideal medicine when there is extreme dryness of ear meatus. Otalgia, with a sense of obstruction. Deafness or hearing loss. Dry, scaly condition of meatus. Prescribe it as drops/local use along with oral medication.
Pulsatilla:
Hearing loss due to middle ear infections; thick, offensive discharges with deafness. Deafness or hearing loss. Pulsatilla is very beneficial when hearing loss following measles. Hearing difficult, as if the ear were stuffed. Otorrhea. Thick, bland discharge; offensive odor. External ear swollen and red. Catarrhal otitis. Otalgia, worse at night. Diminishes acuteness of hearing.
Chininum Sulph:
Chininum Sulph for hearing loss occurring as a part of Meniere’s Disease (hearing loss with vertigo and Tinnitus/noises); decreased sense of hearing of human beings but increased sensitivity to other sounds like moving vehicles etc. Violent ringing, buzzing, and roaring in ears, with deafness. Deafness or hearing loss.
Elaps Corallinus:
Ear wax can be a cause of hearing; hearing loss due to wax in ear are Elapse and Silicea. Elapse can help patients with dry hard ear wax. Cerumen black and hard, with difficult hearing, or serous greenish discharge, offensive; buzzing, and illusion of hearing. Sudden attack of nightly deafness, with roaring and crackling in ears, cracking in ears on swallowing. Intolerable itching in ear.
Silicea Terra:
Silicea, is of great help when soft ear wax fills the ear, leading to loss in hearing. Fetid discharge. Caries of mastoid. Loud pistol-like report. Sensitive to noise. Roaring in ears. Deafness or hearing loss.
Agraphis Nutans:
Agraphia Nutans is a wonderful medicine when hearing loss due to enlarged tonsils or Adenoids. Agraphis Nutans helps in reducing the unnatural enlargement of glands, thereby improving hearing. Excessive discharge from the throat or ear’s mucous membranes. Mutinism of childhood unconnected with deafness.
Belladonna:
Useful in homeopathic treatment for Deafness (Hearing Loss) where hearing loss accompanied by pain. Humming, roaring and ringing noises in ears with intolerance to sounds. Hears one’s own voice in ears. Tearing pain in middle and external ear. Humming noises. Membrana tympani bulges and injected. Parotid gland swollen. Sensitive to loud tones. Hearing very acute. Otitis media. Pain causes delirium. Child cries out in sleep; throbbing and beating pain deep in ear, synchronous with heartbeat. Hematoma auris. Acute and subacute conditions of Eustachian tube. Autophony-hearing one’s voice in ear.
Graphites:
Dryness of inner ear. Cracking in ears when eating. Moisture and eruptions behind the ears. Hears better in noise. Hardness of hearing. Hissing in the ears. Detonation in ear like report of a gun. Thin, white, scaly membrane covering membrane tympani, like exfoliated epithelium. Fissures in and behind the ear.
Spigelia Anthelmia:
Indicated in homeopathic treatment for Deafness (Hearing Loss) where left-sided symptoms predominate, with noises in ear of the roaring or buzzing type. Pulsating sensation along with congestion. Tendency to periodic deafness. Pain beneath frontal eminence and temples, extending to eyes (Onos). Semi-lateral; pain violent, as if a band around head throbbing; worse, making a false step. Vertigo.
Hepar Sulphuricum:
Fetid pus, Painful earaches, sensitive to wind and touch. Whizzing, throbbing and roaring sounds in ears with difficulty of hearing. Pustules in auditory canal and/or in auricle. Scurf on and behind the ears. Discharge of fetid pus from the ears. Whizzing and throbbing in the ears, with hardness of hearing. Deafness or hearing loss after scarlet fever. Pustules in auditory canal and auricle. Mastoiditis.
Kali Muriaticum:
Wonderful medicine for Deafness or Hearing Loss where cause of blockage is “Blockage in Eustachian tube. Chronic, catarrhal conditions of the middle ear. Glands about the ear swollen. Snapping and noises in the ear. Threatened mastoid. Great effusion about the auricle.
Causticim:
Tinnitus/noises: Ringing, roaring, pulsating, with deafness; words and steps re-echo; chronic middle-ear catarrh; accumulation of earwax. Deafness or hearing loss.
Lycopodium Clavatum:
Thick, yellow, offensive discharge. Eczema about and behind ears. Otorrhoea and deafness with or without tinnitus; after scarlatina. Humming and roaring with hardness of hearing; every noise causes peculiar echo in ear. Deafness or hearing loss.
I (Dr. Qaisar Ahmed) start deafness/hearing loss treatment always from straight/attack dose of “Tuberculinum-1M; after fifteen minutes Mezereum-1M”.
Medorrhinum, Gingko Biloba, Kali Phos, Arnica and Kali Mur, Pulsatilla or Belladonna according to sign and symptoms in highly diluted dose should be administered. (Dr. Qaisar Ahmed).
P. S: This article is only for doctors having good knowledge about Homeopathy and allopathy, for learning purpose(s).
For proper consultation and treatment, please visit our clinic.
None of above-mentioned medicine(s) is/are the full/complete treatment, but just hints for treatment; every patient has his/her own constitutional medicine.
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Dr. Sayyad Qaisar Ahmed (MD {Ukraine}, DHMS), Abdominal Surgeries, Oncological surgeries, Gastroenterologist, Specialist Homeopathic Medicines.
Senior research officer at Dnepropetrovsk state medical academy Ukraine.
Location: Al-Haytham clinic, Umer Farooq Chowk Risalpur Sadder (0923631023, 03119884588), K.P.K, Pakistan.
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