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WHAT IS ALKA YAGNIK’S ‘RARE’ HEARING LOSS CONDITION ALL ABOUT?

All the deets treatment to prevention, here’s From symptoms to causes and about sensorineu­ral hearing loss (SNHL) that the singer is suffering from

Veteran Bollywood singer Alka Yagnik shared on Monday night that she has been diagnosed with a rare condition known as sensorineu­ral hearing loss (SNHL). In an Instagram post, she explained, “A few weeks ago, as I walked out of a flight, I suddenly felt I was not able to hear anything.” This condition, caused by a viral attack, led her to advise fans and colleagues to be cautious with loud music and headphone use. Let’s explore what exactly her condition is all about:

WHAT IS IT?

SNHL involves “a sudden loss of hearing in one ear over a period of one to three days”, according to Dr Swapnil Brajpuria, senior consultant ENT at Asian Hospital, Faridabad. As per ENT Health organisati­on, unlike conductive hearing loss, which affects sound delivery to the inner ear, SNHL impacts the inner ear, cochlea or auditory nerve. Experts share that this condition affects about 1 million Indians annually, primarily older adults.

SYMPTOMS

Muffled hearing

Loss of hearing Difficulty hearing

A full or stuffy sensation in the ear (aural fullness) Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) Vertigo

“Patients may also experience noise sensitivit­y, vomiting, headaches and difficulty walking,” says Dr Bhaskar Shukla, a neurology consultant at PSRI

Hospital, Delhi, adding that other common symptoms include “dizziness, otalgia (ear pain) and aural pressure”.

CAUSES

“SNHL is often caused by various infections, including viral, fungal, and bacterial,” explains Dr Brajpuria. Other causes, as per the National Council on Aging, include:

Ageing

Loud noise exposure

Head trauma

Chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, hypertensi­on, hypothyroi­dism) Ménière’s disease, a rare inner ear condition that can affect your balance and hearing Mumps, a contagious viral infection that affects the salivary glands

TREATMENT

Treatment primarily involves bed rest, antiviral or antimicrob­ial agents and oral or injected steroids. Dr Anand Kumar Gupta, head of department and senior consultant ENT, Head and Neck Surgery at Marengo Asia Hospitals in Faridabad, shares, “The maximum time for hearing recovery is three weeks. If there is no recovery within this time frame, the deafness may be permanent.” He says that “additional treatments include anti-inflammato­ry medication­s, neurotonic­s and hyperbaric oxygen therapy”. He also cautions, “Delayed treatment increases the risk of permanent hearing loss, necessitat­ing hearing aids or, in severe cases, cochlear implants.”

PREVENTION

Preventing SNHL involves managing underlying health conditions. Dr Brajpuria advises “avoiding air travel or highaltitu­de regions as it may cause the infection to spread to the ears causing SNHL”. He adds, “We must take strict control over our liver and kidney functions.” Dr Shukla says that “protecting your ears with earplugs or earmuffs in noisy environmen­ts, avoiding prolonged exposure to loud sounds, and maintainin­g good cardiovasc­ular health can reduce the risk of SNHL. Regular hearing tests, especially for those at risk, are also recommende­d”.

Patients may also experience noise sensitivit­y, vomiting, headaches and difficulty walking. DR BHASKAR SHUKLA, Neurology consultant, PSRI hospital