How often do you contemplate your nervous system? Most likely not all that frequently. Generally, you wouldn’t have to worry about how your neurons are sending messages to the nerves in your body. But you tend to take a closer look when something isn’t working right and the nerves start to misfire.
One distinct disease known as Charot-Marie-Tooth Disease which normally affects the extremities can also have a fairly wide-scale impact on the overall nervous system. And there’s some evidence that implies that CMT can also lead to high-frequency hearing loss.
Charot-Marie-Tooth Disease, What is it?
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is a set of inherited disorders. The protective sheathing surrounding the nerves fail to function properly due to a genetic condition.
There is a problem with the way signals move between your brain and your nerves. Functionally, this can cause both a loss in motor function and a loss of feeling.
A mixture of genetic elements typically leads to the appearance of symptoms, so CMT can be present in a few varieties. Symptoms of CMT commonly start in the feet and go up to the arms. And, high-frequency hearing loss, curiously, has a high rate of occurrence in those with CMT.
A Connection Between Loss of Hearing And CMT: The Cochlear Nerve
The connection between CMT and hearing loss has always been colloquially recognized (that is, everyone knows somebody who has a tells about it – at least within the CMT community). And it was difficult to recognize the connection between loss of sensation in the legs and problems with the ears.
A scientific study firmly established the connection just recently when a group of researchers examined 79 people with CMT at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
The results were quite conclusive. Almost everyone with CMT passed their low and moderate frequency hearing exams with flying colors. But all of the people showed loss of hearing when it came to the high-frequency sounds (usually around the moderate levels). According to this research, it seems probable that CMT can at least be linked to high-frequency hearing loss.
The Cause of Hearing Loss and How to Treat It
At first, it may be puzzling to try to figure out the link between high-frequency hearing loss and CMT. Like every other part of your body relies on properly functioning nerves. Your ears are the same.
The hypothesis is, CMT impacts the cochlear nerve so sounds in the high-frequency range aren’t able to be interpreted. Anybody with this type of hearing loss will have a hard time hearing specific sounds, and that includes people’s voices. Particularly, make out voices in crowded and noisy rooms can be a real obstacle.
This form of hearing loss is usually treated with hearing aids. There’s no known cure for CMT. Modern hearing aids can select the precise frequencies to boost which can give considerable assistance in fighting high-frequency hearing loss. Most modern hearing aids can also do well in noisy environments.
Hearing Loss Can Have A Number of Causes
Beyond the untested hypothesis, it’s still not well understood what the relationship between CMT and high-frequency hearing loss. But hearing aid tech offers a definite treatment for the symptoms of that hearing loss. So scheduling an appointment to get a fitting for hearing aids will be a good choice for individuals who suffer from CMT.
There are numerous causes for hearing loss symptoms. Commonly, it’s a matter of loud noise contributing to injury to the ears. Obstructions can be yet another cause. It turns out that CMT can be still another reason for hearing loss.
