There are several patterns of hearing loss. It can be broken down into high frequency, low frequency, mid-frequency, notches, and flat. Cookie bite hearing loss is a genetic condition that can either be inborn or develop gradually, which is provoked by damage in the inner ear or nerve that transmits auditory information to the brain. It can also breed from a rare tumor known as acoustic neuroma or vestibular schwannoma. It occurs when the audiogram results are shaped like a bell or the letter “U” and signals mid-range frequency hearing loss.
This is a rare type of hearing loss, and not everybody is familiar with it. Cookie bite hearing loss is also known as pool hearing loss, soup plate hearing loss, or U-shaped hearing loss.
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Symptoms that are barely noticed
Cookie bite hearing loss is a form of sensorineural hearing loss. Cookie bite hearing loss is mostly affected by mid-range sounds. People having it can not hear the sounds of mid-range frequency between 500 HZ to 2000 HZ. They might notice sudden changes in hearing; for example, they might want to increase the television or radio volume due to less hearing of certain sound, speech, music, etc.
Some might have difficulty hearing while being surrounded by crowded environments. This hearing loss condition might be left unnoticed by the individual himself unless people around him observe it at first. It creates a communication barrier between the sender and the receiver.
People having this hearing loss can still hear high-frequency noises like birds chirping or whistleblowing and childrens’ voices. They can also hear low-frequency noises like road vehicles, aircraft, industrial machinery, mining explosions, etc. They are mostly affected by the mid-frequency noises.
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Treatments that can hardly be found for cookie bite hearing loss
It is sad but true that there is no particular medication for hearing loss. It is permanent, and no surgery or medicine can restore it or reverse it to normal hearing. However, there are treatments available to control it to not transcend, causing severe health issues.
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Treatments include:
Making adaptations
Changes have to be adapted to understand conversations, be it simple. For example, change your usual seats in the classroom, office, restaurant, or other social gatherings and move closer to the person speaking to hear them loud and clear. If the person is speaking over a microphone or any other device, you can move closer to the device to understand clearly.
Hearing Aids
Hearing aids are the best solution to these kinds of hearing loss problems. Hearing aids can help in hearing clearly, and communications can be carried on more clearly without any interference. According to your choice and preferences, these devices are automated particularly to serve one’s prescription. You can wear it according to your style and budget, which your audiologist can prescribe.
Rare Causes of Mid Frequency Hearing Loss
Although it is considered as a genetic condition, a few other factors can also lead to cookie bite hearing loss which includes:
● Side effects of drugs
● Different kinds of disease
● Head injury
● Ear injury
● Long term exposure to loud noises
Types of hearing loss
● Conductive hearing loss- It happens when there is a problem. Sound waves are conveyed anywhere along the pathway through the outer ear, eardrum, or middle ear.
● Sensorineural hearing loss- caused by damage to the structures in the inner ear or the auditory nerves.
● Central hearing loss- It is caused by a lesion in the central auditory pathway or the auditory cortex.
● Mixed hearing loss- There may be damage in the outer, middle ear, and inner ear or nerve pathway to the brain. This is a mixed hearing loss.
● Functional hearing loss- Nonorganic or functional hearing loss in children.
Bottom Line
This type of hearing loss can cause a huge disruption in everyday life. It becomes difficult to concentrate and communicate with people, which can be very frustrating and create misunderstandings and miscommunications. Your surroundings might not initially understand and might take it negatively when you cannot respond to them.
They might even get furious at you, for instance, your boss asking you a question in the conference room and you are not responding to him due to not being able to hear him, or your lecturer might ask you a question, and you are not responding to him.
You have difficulties hearing, but you are also not aware of it. People aged 20 to 30 who are facing such problems should not make any further delay and seek help immediately before it worsens. Through proper check-ups and treatment, it can be under control, and with the help of audiologists, proper choices of hearing aids can be customized according to lifestyle, choices, and desire.
