A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF INCIDENCE, ETIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OF SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS IN ADULTS

Hearing impairment is the most frequent sensory deficit in human population, affecting more than 250 million people in the world. Consequences of hearing impairment include inability to interpret speech sounds, often producing a reduced ability to communicate, delay in language acquisition, economic and educational disadvantage, social isolation and stigmata. In this study, 100 adult patients who came with hearing impairment and diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss were reviewed retrospectively to study the various etiological factors and effective management strategies for sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). The study was conducted at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Medical College & Hospital over a period of 2 years (October 2012 to September 2014) in patients with hearing impairment. It was noted that males were predominantly involved and noise- induced hearing loss turned out to be the most common cause of SNHL in this study. Since the hearing impairment either worsened or remained the same, it was concluded that once the cochlea is damaged secondary to any etiological agent, the damage is irreversible.