Question
A 68-year-old female patient has experienced a decrease in hearing in her left ear, accompanied by tinnitus. She mentions that she struggles to hear during everyday conversations and needs to speak loudly to be understood. At night, she hears a buzzing sound, similar to a train passing by. She also notes that covering her left ear with her hand for a moment and then releasing it allows her hearing to recover temporarily.
Answer
The patient is a 68-year-old woman with decreased hearing in her left ear and accompanying tinnitus. There are many potential causes for hearing loss, including conductive hearing loss, which is caused by issues in the external or middle ear, sensorineural hearing loss, which is due to problems with the inner ear, auditory nerve, or auditory cortex, or a combination of both, known as mixed hearing loss. Tinnitus is a difficult symptom to treat. It is better to seek treatment for hearing loss as soon as possible, with the best outcomes often seen within the first 7 days. If treatment is delayed beyond a month, the chances of recovery are significantly reduced. If covering the ear with the hand temporarily improves hearing, this self-exercise can be practiced regularly and may aid in the recovery of hearing.