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Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Hearing Loss


This article is about Hearing Loss...actually i want to post this article because now my housemate got problem with her ear..mybe this will help me to find some info at the same time will share to you all ladies out there...Happy Reading..


Hearing loss is the total or partial inability to hear sound in one or both ears.

Considerations

Minor decreases in hearing are common after age 20.
Hearing problems usually come on gradually, and rarely end in complete deafness.
There are many causes of hearing loss. Hearing loss can be divided into two main categories:
  • Conductive hearing loss (CHL) occurs because of a mechanical problem in the outer or middle ear. The three tiny bones of the ear (ossicles) may not conduct sound properly, or the eardrum may not vibrate in response to sound. Fluid in the middle ear can cause this type of hearing loss.
  • Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) results when there is a problem with the inner ear. It most often occurs when the tiny hair cells (nerve endings) that transmit sound through the ear are injured, diseased, do not function properly, or have prematurely died. This type of hearing loss is sometimes called "nerve damage," although this is not accurate.
CHL is often reversible. SNHL is not. People who have both forms of hearing loss are said to have mixed hearing loss.

Common Causes

Ear infections are the most common cause of temporary hearing loss in children. Fluid may stay in the ear after an ear infection. The fluid can cause significant hearing problems in children. Any fluid that remains for longer than 8 - 12 weeks is cause for concern.
Causes that are present at birth (congenital):
  • Birth defects that cause changes in the ear structures
  • Genetic syndromes (more than 400 are known)
  • Infections the mother passes to her baby in the womb (such as toxoplasmosis, rubella, or herpes)
Infections:
Traumatic causes:
  • Acoustic trauma such as from explosions, fireworks, gunfire, rock concerts, and earphones
  • Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis)
  • Barotrauma (differences in pressure, most often from scuba diving)
  • Skull fracture (temporal bone)
  • Traumatic perforation of the eardrum
  • Working around loud noises on a day-to-day basis (can damage the cells responsible for hearing)
Other:

Home Care

You can often flush wax buildup out of the ear (gently) with ear syringes (available in drug stores) and warm water. Wax softeners (like Cerumenex) may be needed if the wax is hard and stuck in the ear.
Take care when removing foreign bodies. Unless it is easy to get to, have your health care provider remove the object. Don't use sharp instruments to remove foreign objects.
See your health care provider for any other hearing loss.

Call your health care provider if

Call your health care provider if:
  • Hearing problems interfere with your lifestyle
  • Hearing problems do not go away or become worse
  • The hearing is worse in one ear than the other
  • You have sudden, severe hearing loss or ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
  • You have other symptoms, such as ear pain, along with hearing problems
  • You have new headaches, weakness, or numbness anywhere on your body

What to expect at your health care provider's office

The health care provider will take your medical history and do a physical examination.
Medical history questions may include:
  • Is the hearing loss in both ears or one ear?
  • Is the hearing loss mild or severe?
  • Is all of the hearing lost (inability to hear any sound)?
  • Is there decreased hearing acuity (do words sound garbled)?
  • Is there decreased ability to understand speech?
  • Is there decreased ability to locate the source of a sound?
  • How long has the hearing loss been present?
  • Did it occur before age 30?
  • What other symptoms are present?
  • Is there tinnitus (ringing or other sounds)?
  • Is there ear pain?
  • Is there dizziness or vertigo?
  • Do you have other family members with hearing loss?
The physical examination will include a detailed examination of the ears.
Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:
A hearing aid or cochlear implant may be provided to improve hearing.

Dedicated to my adik housemate " Masita Ali"..:-)

Ectopic pregnancy



Today Lunch with my kakak angkat sis chia su wah at pearl point hotel..so we discussed a bit about ectopic pregnancy...do you know what is ectopic pregnancy? actually i also dont know...here i want to share what is ectopic pre pregnancy..very important info for u all ladies..

An ectopic pregnancy is an abnormal pregnancy that occurs outside the womb (uterus). The baby (fetus) cannot survive, and often does not develop at all in this type of pregnancy.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a pregnancy starts outside the womb (uterus). The most common site for an ectopic pregnancy is within one of the tubes through which the egg passes from the ovary to the uterus (fallopian tube). However, in rare cases, ectopic pregnancies can occur in the ovary, stomach area, or cervix.
An ectopic pregnancy is often caused by a condition that blocks or slows the movement of a fertilized egg through the fallopian tube to the uterus. This may be caused by a physical blockage in the tube by hormonal factors and by other factors, such as smoking.
Most cases of scarring are caused by:
  • Past ectopic pregnancy
  • Past infection in the fallopian tubes
  • Surgery of the fallopian tubes
Up to 50% of women who have ectopic pregnancies have had swelling (inflammation) of the fallopian tubes (salpingitis) or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
Some ectopic pregnancies can be due to:
The following may also increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy:
In a few cases, the cause is unknown.
Sometimes, a woman will become pregnant after having her tubes tied (tubal sterilization). Ectopic pregnancies are more likely to occur 2 or more years after the procedure, rather than right after it. In the first year after sterilization, only about 6% of pregnancies will be ectopic, but most pregnancies that occur 2 - 3 years after tubal sterilization will be ectopic.
Ectopic pregnancy is also more likely in women who have:
  • Had surgery to reverse tubal sterilization in order to become pregnant
  • Had an intrauterine device (IUD) and became pregnant (very unlikely when IUDs are in place)
Ectopic pregnancies occur in 1 in every 40 to 1 in every 100 pregnancies.

Symptoms

If the area of the abnormal pregnancy ruptures and bleeds, symptoms may get worse. They may include:
  • Feeling faint or actually fainting
  • Intense pressure in the rectum
  • Pain that is felt in the shoulder area
  • Severe, sharp, and sudden pain in the lower abdomen
Internal bleeding due to a rupture may lead to low blood pressure and fainting in around 1 out of 10 women.

Signs and tests

The health care provider will do a pelvic exam, which may show tenderness in the pelvic area.
Tests that may be done include:
A rise in quantitative HCG levels may help tell a normal (intrauterine) pregnancy from an ectopic pregnancy. Women with high levels should have a vaginal ultrasound to identify a normal pregnancy.
Other tests may be used to confirm the diagnosis, such as:
      * D and C
      * Laparoscopy
      * Laparotomy

Treatment

Ectopic pregnancies cannot continue to birth (term). The developing cells must be removed to save the mother's life.
You will need emergency medical help if the area of the ectopic pregnancy breaks open (ruptures). Rupture can lead to shock, an emergency condition. Treatment for shock may include:
  • Blood transfusion
  • Fluids given through a vein
  • Keeping warm
  • Oxygen
  • Raising the legs
If there is a rupture, surgery (laparotomy) is done to stop blood loss. This surgery is also done to:
  • Confirm an ectopic pregnancy
  • Remove the abnormal pregnancy
  • Repair any tissue damage
In some cases, the doctor may have to remove the fallopian tube.
A minilaparotomy and laparoscopy are the most common surgical treatments for an ectopic pregnancy that has not ruptured. If the doctor does not think a rupture will occur, you may be given a medicine called methotrexate and monitored. You may have blood tests and liver function tests.

Expectations (prognosis)

One-third of women who have had one ectopic pregnancy are later able to have a baby. A repeated ectopic pregnancy may occur in one-third of women. Some women do not become pregnant again.
The likelihood of a successful pregnancy depends on:
  • The woman's age
  • Whether she has already had children
  • Why the first ectopic pregnancy occurred
The rate of death due to an ectopic pregnancy in the United States has dropped in the last 30 years to less than 0.1%.

Complications

The most common complication is rupture with internal bleeding that leads to shock. Death from rupture is rare.

Calling your health care provider

If you have symptoms of ectopic pregnancy (especially lower abdominal pain or abnormal vaginal bleeding), call your health care provider. You can have an ectopic pregnancy if you are able to get pregnant (fertile) and are sexually active, even if you use birth control.

Prevention

Most forms of ectopic pregnancy that occur outside the fallopian tubes are probably not preventable. However, a tubal pregnancy (the most common type of ectopic pregnancy) may be prevented in some cases by avoiding conditions that might scar the fallopian tubes.
The following may reduce your risk:
  • Avoiding risk factors for pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) such as having many sexual partners, having sex without a condom, and getting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
  • Early diagnosis and treatment of STDs
  • Early diagnosis and treatment of salpingitis and PID
  • Stopping smoking

     

 P/S : Enjoy your life and make sure your life covered with insurans...:-)