Symptoms of Hearing Loss

Many people don’t even realize that they are losing their hearing (usually hearing loss is a ongoing thing that gets progressively worse) until they notice one of the following typical symptoms of hearing loss:

* you have difficulty in understanding what people are saying.

* you listen to TV or audio at higher volume as before.

* you have pain in your ear or the area around your ear.

* you have a family history of hearing loss.

* you have been exposed to very high levels of noise.

* you have difficulty hearing the phone ring.

Types of Hearing Loss

There are several different types of hearing loss depending on the underlying cause of the hearing loss. The common types of hearing loss include:

Conductive Hearing Loss

Conductive hearing loss involves some sort of obstruction or blockage in the outer or middle ear. It can usually be treated successfully by medical or simple surgical procedures. A great example of this is imagining a large glob of ear wax clogging your ear. You will have some hearing loss as a result of the wax blocking or partially blocking the sound waves from reaching the inner parts of your ear.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Sensory hearing loss is the most common type of hearing loss. It involves either the inner ear, the auditory nerve called the Vestibulocochlear nerve or the brain itself. Sensory hearing loss it is most commonly treated by the use of a hearing air instrument to amplify sounds so that they can be heard by the wearer.

Mixed Hearing Loss

Mixed hearing loss is the the result of both conductive and sensorineural components.

Causes of Hearing Loss

In addition to the types of hearing loss described above there are many underlying reasons that hearing loss could occur.

Disease & Illnesses Causing Hearing Loss

There are many diseases and illnesses that can cause loss of hearing in people, however, with a few exceptions it seems hearing loss is rare effect. Common diseases that can cause hearing loss include: Measles, Meningitis, HIV/Aids, Mumps, Otosclerosis, Autoimmune Disease and many other common conditions and diseases. As with all hearing loss, someone experiencing it should be properly checked by a trained and licensed medical doctor.

Genetic Hearing Loss

Genetic conditions and mutations can also be the root cause of hearing loss. Common birth defects like irregular ear hair follicles can really play a number on someone’s hearing. Many times the condition will not manifest until the adult years.

Presbycusis

Presbycusis is a common medical condition that will affect most people once they start reaching their mid-20’s. The exact cause is unknown although it usually progresses slowly and can be managed at severe levels with the use of a hearing aid. Presbycusis can be easily determined by the ability or lack of ability to hear certain frequency tones. Try the free hearing test to determine which tones you can hear.

Noice Induced Hearing Loss

We experience sounds in our environment all the time. We hear noises and sounds from television and radio, household appliances, and traffic. We normally hear these sounds at safe levels that don’t affect our hearing. However, when we become exposed to harmful sounds that are either way too loud or loud sounds for an extended period of time, sensitive structures in our inner ear can become permanently damaged. This damage can cause noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). These structures, called hair cells, are small sensory cells that convert sound energy into electrical signals that travel to the brain that translates the signals into the sounds we recognize. Once these hair cells are damaged they cannot grow back.

Some people claim that the mosquito ringtone doesn’t work as they are older and can still hear the tones, this is only partly true. It really does work…… for the majority of the population. There is no known single cause of presbycusis, the medical condition that affects the ability to hear the Mosquito Ringotne, only things that “might” contribute to it.

We have seen adults that could hear the mosquito ringtone but based on our age range estimates they should not have been able to hear it. I myself have witnessed it’s effects as I can no longer hear some of the high frequencies I was be able to hear when this website was put online several years ago.

The whole ability to hear high frequencies seems to fascinate people when I show it to them, I thought it would a cool thing to share with your family this Thanksgiving.

This was unusual as there were four adults in the room, including one I know can hear the Ultra Sonic Ringtone, we call the Mosquito Ringtone.

I can remember growing up in the 80’s and hearing those big bulky tube TV’s turn on from across the house because they emitted a very high frequency sound. I don’t however have any idea if current flat panel LCDs and Plasma TV emit those same sounds because I haven’t been able ot hear the ultrasonic ringtone in years! Next time you that the ringtone is annoying or hurts your ears, go find some real old electronics and see if they aren’t worse!

What everyday devices do you know of that emit these Mosquito Ringtone like sounds? – leave your comments below

As a result of the condition known as presbycusis, most adults over the age of 24 lose the ability to hear high frequency sounds like the mosquito ringtone. There are no exact numbers but based on polls conducted on our site, we estimate that at least 90% of adults cannot hear the ringtone that high schoolers and college students are using in class to receive cell phone calls and text messages. Seeing as all the presidents are over the age of 24, in fact US law dictates that the president must be at least 35 years old, statistical averages say that only 4 of the 43 Presidents of the United States could have heard the ringtone if they were alive to be tested. As for the 44th president, whether it is Barack Obama or John McCain who wins the election tomorrow, there is only a 1 in 10 chance that either of them would be able to hear the mosquito ringtone if they wanted to, and a 1 in 100 chance that both of them would be able to hear it!

For those that can hear the ringtone, you are able to do something that most Presidents of the United States cannot do and will never be able to do!

*statistics derived from random sampling of website visitors during the first half of 2008 and should not be substituted for actual scientific research in a controlled environment. We are not liable any statistical inaccuracies during the course of our study.

Here is a sample of the results from the test:

Try it out and put the results badge on your profile or blog!

What do you think of the audio test?

We decided not to include the very upper end range of the ultrasonic frequencies in our hearing test, if you want to check your hearing on tones above 18khz, please see the full list of Teen Buzz, the Ultrasonic Mosquito Ringtones.

The condition affects most adults and it is considered a natural side effect of aging, almost everyone will be affected by it at some point in their life. The exact cause of the sensorineural hearing impairment in individuals is unknown, but there are several suspected multifactorial reasons for it.

Possible Causes of Presbycusis:

• Arteriosclerosis: Arteriosclerosis may cause reduced perfusion and oxygenation of the cochlea. Hypoperfusion leads to the creation of reactive oxygen metabolites and free radicals, which may damage inner ear structures directly as well as destroy or damage mitochondrial DNA of the inner ear. This damage may result in the development of presbycusis.

 

• Diet and metabolism: Diabetes speeds the process of atherosclerosis, which might interfere with perfusion and oxygenation of the cochlea. Diabetes causes diffuse proliferation and hypertrophy of the vascular intimal endothelium, which may also interfere with perfusion of the cochlea. Increased intake of a fatty diet may also accelerate atherosclerotic changes in old age as well.

 

• Accumulated exposure to noise: Continuing Exposure to loud noises stresses the already hypoxic cochlea, speeding up the presbycusis process.

 

• Drug and environmental chemical exposure: Scientists presume smoking will accentuate atherosclerotic changes in blood vessels and therefore cause presbycusis to occur. Ingestion of ototoxic drugs (drugs that can be dangerous to the ear and or hearing process.) like aspirin may quicken the presbycusis process

 

• Stress

 

• Genetics: Genetic programming for early aging of parts of the auditory system may influence the development of presbycusis. Often, concomitant impairment of hearing, balance, sense of smell, taste, and visual acuity is associated with the aging process. Likewise, genetically programmed susceptibility to environmental factors (eg, noise, ototoxic drugs and chemicals, stress) may be involved.

Presbycusis and the Mosquito Ringtone:
As a result of people losing the ability to hear high pitch frequencies in middle and later stages of life; teenagers quickly discovered that they could use the ability of their youthful ears to their advantage by being able to hear notifications (text messages, incoming calls, etc… ) from their cell phones without adults being able to hear it. The mosquito ringtone allows teenagers to be notified of text messages and incoming calls when cell phone use is inappropriate (i.e. classroom, church, movie theater, etc…).

Presbycusis Diagnosis:
A quick method to determine if one is affected by presbycusis is to listen to our Teen Buzz / Mosquito Ringtones which are popular with teenagers because for the most part they have not yet developed presbycusis and can hear high frequency noises. The mosquito ringtone test should NOT be used as a substitute for medical advice from your doctor, if you have concerns you should speak with a Otologist.