Single-Sided Deafness: Emotional and Social Handicap, Impact on Health Status and Quality of Life, Functional Hearing, and the Effects of Cochlear Implantation

Abstract

ObjectiveTo evaluate the functional and subjective outcomes in individuals with single-sided deafness (SSD) treated with a cochlear implant (CI).MethodsEighty-one adult CI users with SSD participated in this study. Functional assessments consisted of speech in noise testing and localization. Subjective assessments consisted of the Speech Spatial Quality of Hearing Scale, the Tinnitus Reaction Questionnaire, the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit questionnaire, the Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults questionnaire, and the Glasgow Health Status Inventory and the Glasgow Benefit Inventory questionnaires.ResultsSSD has remarkable consequences on quality of life (QoL) and imposes a substantial emotional and social handicap on the individuals. Self-reported QoL improved after CI with tinnitus intrusion significantly reduced as early as 3 months post-CI. A significant improvement was seen in all speech understanding in noise configurations. Localization ability significantly improved with CI on.ConclusionOur findings demonstrate that SSD reduces social and psychological QoL and imposes a remarkable level of handicap as per general and specific self-assessments tool. CI provided a significant improvement in function including speech understanding in noise and localization ability, as well as improved QoL and reduced tinnitus significantly in both the early and long terms.

Single-Sided Deafness – Mit dem „Zweiten“ hört man besser

“…Somit sind mit einem CI ein besseres Richtungshören und ein Hören im Störgeräusch möglich, auch der subjektive Höreindruck bessert sich deutlich [14]. Häufig ergeben sich nach der CI-Operation auch eine Reduktion des Tinnitus und eine bessere Lebensqualität [22].…”

Modulations of resting-static functional connectivity on insular by electroacupuncture in subjective tinnitus

“…Subjective tinnitus (ST) refers to the perception of one or more abnormal sounds heard in the ear or head in the absence of an external sound source, often accompanied by symptoms such as anxiety, depression and insomnia (1). More than 740 million adults around the world have been plagued by tinnitus for a long time, and it is regarded by more than 120 million people as a major problem affecting the quality of life (2), and even suicidal tendencies (3). At present, there is no effective medication for ST (4).…”