Millions of years ago, the world was much different. The long-necked Diplacusis wandered this volcano-laden landscape. Thanks to its really long neck and tail, Diplacusis was so large that it feared no predator.
Actually, Diplodocus is the long-necked dinosaur from the Jurassic Period. Diplacusis is a hearing condition that causes you to hear two sounds instead of one.
Diplacusis is an affliction which can be frustrating and confusing causing difficulty communicating.
Perhaps your hearing has been a little strange lately
Usually, we regard hearing loss as our hearing getting muted or quiet over time. According to this notion, over time, we simply hear less and less. But sometimes, hearing loss can manifest in some unusual ways. One of the most fascinating (or, possibly, frustrating) such presentations is a condition called diplacusis.
What is diplacusis?
Exactly what is diplacusis? The meaning of the medical name diplacusis is basically “double hearing”. Typically, your brain gets information from the right ear and information from the left ear and combines them harmoniously into one sound. This combined sound is what you hear. The same thing occurs with your eyes. If you place a hand on your right eye and then a hand over your left eye, you see slightly different images, right? It’s the same with your ears, it’s just that typically, you don’t notice it.
Diplacusis happens when the hearing abilities of your ears vary so wildly that your brain can no longer combine them, at least not very well. Monaural diplacusis is caused by hearing loss in only one ear while binaural diplacusis is caused by hearing loss in both.
Diplacusis comes in two types
Different individuals are impacted in different ways by diplacuses. However, there are typically two basic types of diplacusis:
- Diplacusis dysharmonica: When the pitch of the right and left ear don’t match it’s an indicator of this form of diplacusis. So when your grandkids talk to you, the pitch of their voice will sound distorted. One side may sound high-pitched and the other low-pitched. Those sounds can be difficult to understand as a result.
- Diplacusis echoica: With this, what you hear will sound off because your brain receives the sound from each ear out of sync with the other instead of hearing two separate pitches. This might cause echoes (or, instead, artifacts that sound similar to echoes). And understanding speech can become complicated as a result.
Symptoms of diplacusis
Here are a few symptoms of diplacusis:
- Off timing hearing
- Hearing echoes where they don’t actually exist.
- Off pitch hearing
The condition of double vision might be a useful comparison: Yes, it can produce some symptoms on its own, but it’s normally itself a symptom of something else. (In other words, it’s the effect, not the cause.) Diplacusis, in these circumstances, is probably a symptom of hearing loss. So your best strategy would be to make an appointment with us for a hearing test.
What causes diplacusis?
The causes of diplacusis line up quite well, in a general sense, with the causes of hearing loss. But there are a few specific reasons why you may develop diplacusis:
- An infection: Ear infections, sinus infections, or even just plain old allergies can cause your ear canal to swell. This inflammation is a normal immune reaction, but it can influence how sound waves travel into your inner ear (and therefore your brain).
- Earwax: In some cases, an earwax obstruction can hinder your hearing. That earwax blockage can cause diplacusis.
- Your ears have damage caused by noise: If you’ve experienced enough loud sounds to damage your ears, it’s possible that the same damage has resulted in hearing loss, and as a result, diplacusis.
- A tumor: Diplacusis can, in rare situations, be the result of a tumor in your ear canal. But stay calm! In most cases they’re benign. Nevertheless, it’s something you should speak with your hearing specialist about!
Obviously, diplacusis and hearing loss have many of the same typical causes. This means that if you have diplacusis, it’s likely that something is impeding your ability to hear. So you should absolutely come in and talk to us.
Treatments for diplacusis
Depending on the main cause, there are several possible treatments. If your condition is the result of a blockage, such as earwax, then treatment will focus on the removal of that obstruction. But irreversible sensorineural hearing loss is more frequently the cause. Here are a few treatment options if that’s the situation:
- Hearing aids: Your hearing can be neutralized with the correct set of hearing aids. This means that the symptoms of diplacusis will most likely disappear. It’s essential to get the proper settings on your hearing aids and you’ll want to have us help you with that.
- Cochlear implant: In cases where the hearing loss at the root of diplacusis is profound, a cochlear implant may be the only way to get relief from the symptoms.
All of this starts with a hearing test. Think about it this way: a hearing exam will be able to establish what type of hearing loss is at the root of your diplacusis (maybe you just think things sound strange at this point and you don’t even identify it as diplacusis). Modern hearing assessments are quite sensitive, and good at detecting discrepancies between how your ears hear the world.
Life is more fun when you can hear clearly
Getting the proper treatment for your diplacusis, whether that’s a hearing aid or some other treatment option, means you’ll be more capable of participating in your daily life. Talking with others will be easier. It will be easier to stay in tune with your family.
So there will be no diplacusis symptoms getting in the way of your ability to hear your grandchildren telling you all about the Diplodocus.
If you believe you have diplacusis and want to have it checked, give us a call for an appointment.