Ever wondered why we lower our voices when communicating with those suffering from hearing loss and not raise it? Join me, Dr. Hobbock, as we explore the delicate mystery of sensory health, focusing especially on hearing loss. In this insightful episode, we break down the two primary types of hearing loss - conductive and sensory neural. We get to the root of conductive hearing loss, often caused by infections, trauma or wax build-up, and discuss simple solutions such as wax removal and the use of hearing aids. More importantly, we share some respectful and helpful tips on how to interact with those dealing with this type of hearing loss.
Moving on to the more complex sensory neural hearing loss, we delve into how sound distortion in the inner ear or cranial nerve, often caused by infection, ototoxic drugs, trauma, neuromas, noise, or the aging process, contributes to this type of hearing loss. We explore various ways to assess this condition, employing tools like a tuning fork or a whisper test. Further into the episode, we share some practical advice on how to communicate effectively with patients who have hearing loss, from reducing distractions to using visual aids. Lastly, we provide hands-on tips on how to look after hearing aids and cochlear implants. Tune in and gain practical insights into the common sensory issue that is hearing loss.
Speaker 1:
Hey and welcome to nursing with Dr Hobbock. I'm continuing our sensory journey today, so we're gonna go over hearing loss. There's really only two types of hearing loss that we're gonna talk about. We have conductive hearing loss and sensory Neural, and just remember to keep the terms in your mind. Sensory neural so probably that's gonna have to do with the nerves. Let's remember that there are three different parts to the ear. You have the external ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. So inner ear disorders, those are usually going to be a problem with the sensory fibers that go to the central nervous system. Typically those are related to nerve issues and they're not really helped with a hearing aid. External and middle ear problems, which are conductive, can result from infection, trauma or, a lot of the time, seromon or wax buildup. Those we can actually treat either by removing the wax or with a hearing aid. It's conductive hearing losses, the first one we're going to talk about.
Speaker 1:
This is more likely what you think about when you think of hearing loss or Prispecusis, that loss of Hearing. As we age and usually this is the higher pitch sounds are lost first. I always recommend to my students when you're speaking to someone with hearing loss Because of age. You want to make sure that you lower your voice, don't raise it. You want to go in the lower registers. It's easier to hear this hearing loss. Usually the sound is less. It's still clear. So if they raise the volume they can hear hearing is normal. So when we're speaking with them, lower the register but speak a little bit more forcefully. Don't yell at people. That's not cool for anyone, even if you think that that's going to help. That's not. That's not okay. So we don't use those little horns anymore that you know, you see in the cart. Maybe I'm too old, maybe they just had them in my cartoons, loony tunes, you know, put the horn in the anyway. Sensory neural hearing loss this is when the sound passes properly through the outer and middle ear but it's distorted by something in the inner ear or damage to the cranial nerve eight or both. It usually involves perceptual loss, so progressive and bilateral loss of hearing. It usually there's damage to that eighth cranial nerve and this is what you would use that tuning fork for.
Speaker 1:
If you're trying to find out if a patient has hearing loss, a lot of the Times we're going to see this caused by infection, ototoxic drugs remember we have medications that can cause ototoxicity, which is they're going to cause damage to hearing, trauma, neuromas, noise and aging process Things that we want to do to assess. You're going to use that tuning fork, your whisper test. Test if the patient can hear you whisper something on either side, one to two feet away. If they can't respond, if you cover your mouth or you're wearing a mask, indicates the patient lip reads. If they can't hear the watch ticking five inches from their ear. If they shout when they're having a conversation. If they seem like they're straining to hear, they're turning their head in favor of one ear. My husband does that. He's got one ear that's worse than the other. Hopefully he won't listen to this and know I talked about him answering questions With inappropriate or incorrect responses because they didn't hear what you said and, of course, raising the volume of the radio or the TV, whatever they're listening to Things that we can do.
Speaker 1:
We want to make sure we were just reduced Distractions for our patients. Close the door, make sure the TV is off. Patients are not going to mind if you ask them if they can turn the TV off or mute it while you have your conversations. Make sure that we're paying close attention To the patients. We want to look and listen at them during the conversation you want to be facing the patient. Don't try to turn your head away or talk while you're doing other things. If you don't understand what they're saying, make sure that you let them know. Let the patient know that if they don't understand what you're saying, to let you know. Try not to hurry them. Give them time to process what you've said to them and then use your active listening techniques. Speak slowly and distinctly. Don't get going a hundred miles an hour. I know we can do that sometimes we feel rushed, but every patient should be your one patient that's in front of you right now. Everybody should feel like they're your only patient, and then we'll use visual aids if we need to. That might be a what whiteboard that the patient can write on, or a piece of paper, if needed.
Speaker 1:
A Lot of the time You'll be thinking about questions that have to do with communication. How will you communicate With an older adult who's hearing impaired? So make sure that everybody knows this patient may have some hearing loss and we can maybe get an amplifier earphone attachments. You can actually use air pods and iPhone nowadays to help with this and Make sure that we're taking care of cochlear implants or hearing aids properly, so we don't want to dunk them in water. These things are expensive. Make sure the patient has their case and make sure that you get those put away properly. But we want to make sure that the patient has them if they need them, want them to have their hearing aids and stuff. That's really all I have to say about Hearing loss and I knew this would be a short episode. I'm gonna move on to Neurological conditions shortly after I get this uploaded. I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you next time on nursing with dr pelvic.