Hearing Disorders

Hearing disorders refer to the impairment in perceiving or processing auditory information. Hearing loss can be partial or complete, and may occur in one or both ears. Auditory processing disorder, hearing loss, tinnitus, endaural phenomena, hyperacusis and presbycusis are common hearing disorders. They may be acquired, inherited or caused due to perinatal problems and aging. Chronic ear infections can be a common cause of hearing loss. Syphilis and rubella infections during pregnancy can lead to hearing loss in children. Some cases of hearing loss can be addressed medically, while others are irreversible and therefore, permanent. When hearing loss occurs at a young age, it interferes with spoken language acquisition and development. Use of hearing aids, cochlear implants, sign language and subtitles can help individuals deal with this condition. Research aimed at the use of stem cell transplant and gene therapy for the regrowth of cochlear cells and nerve cells, and recovery of hearing loss is being actively explored. This book contains some path-breaking studies in the field of hearing disorders. It discusses the fundamentals as well as modern approaches in the management of hearing disorders and the recent researches in this domain. Researchers and students in this field will be assisted by this book.