The world was very different millions of years ago. This steamy, volcano-laden landscape is where the long-necked Diplacusis roamed. Thanks to its really long neck and tail, Diplacusis was so large that it was afraid of no predator.
Actually, the long-necked dinosaur from the Jurassic Period is known as Diplodocus. Diplacusis is a hearing affliction that causes you to hear two sounds instead of one.
Diplacusis is an affliction which can be frustrating and confusing causing difficulty communicating.
Maybe you’ve been hearing some unusual things
We’re used to thinking of hearing loss as a sort of progressive lowering of the volume knob. Over time, the idea is, we simply hear less and less. But there are some other, not so well recognized, types of hearing loss. One of the most fascinating (or, perhaps, frustrating) such presentations is a condition called diplacusis.
Diplacusis, what is it?
Exactly what is diplacusis? The meaning of the medical term diplacusis is simply “double hearing”. Typically, your brain takes information from the right ear and information from the left ear and marries them harmoniously into one sound. That’s what you hear. The same thing occurs with your eyes. If you put a hand on your right eye and then a hand on your left eye, you see slightly different images, right? It’s the same with your ears, it’s just that usually, you never notice it.
When your brain can’t effectively combine the two sounds from your ears because they are too different, you have this condition of diplacusis. Monaural diplacusis is caused by hearing loss in only one ear while binaural diplacusis is due to hearing loss in both.
Diplacusis comes in two types
Diplacusis does not affect everyone in the same way. Usually, though, people will experience one of the following two types of diplacusis:
- Diplacusis dysharmonica: When the pitch of the right and left ear are off it’s an indication of this type of diplacusis. So when your grandkids speak with you, the pitch of their voice will sound distorted. Maybe your right ear thinks the sound is low-pitched and your left ear thinks the sound is high-pitched. Those sounds can be difficult to understand consequently.
- 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 different pitches. Artifacts like echoes can be the result. This can also cause challenges when it comes to understanding speech.
Symptoms of diplacusis
Here are some symptoms of diplacusis:
- Hearing echoes where they don’t actually exist.
- Hearing that seems off (in timing).
- Hearing that seems off (in pitch).
The condition of double vision may be a helpful comparison: It’s normally a symptom of something else, but it can produce some of its own symptoms. (It’s the effect, essentially, not the cause.) In these circumstances, diplacusis is almost always a symptom of hearing loss (either in one ear or in both ears). So your best course of action would be to Schedule an appointment with us for a hearing exam.
What causes diplacusis?
In a very general sense (and probably not surprisingly), the causes of diplacusis line up rather well with the causes of hearing loss. But you may develop diplacusis for a number of specific reasons:
- Earwax: In some circumstances, an earwax blockage can hinder your hearing. Whether that earwax causes a partial or full blockage, it can cause diplacusis.
- Your ears have damage caused by noise: If you’ve experienced hearing loss caused by noise damage, it’s feasible that it could cause diplacusis.
- An infection: Swelling of your ear canal can be the result of an ear infection, sinus infection, or even allergies. This swelling, while a natural response, can effect the way sound travels through your inner ear and to your brain.
- A tumor: In some extremely rare cases, tumors in your ear canal can cause diplacusis. Don’t panic! In most instances they’re benign. But you still should talk to us about it.
It’s clear that there are many of the same causes of diplacusis and hearing loss. Meaning that you probably have some level of hearing loss if you’re experiencing diplacusis. Which means you have a good reason to see a hearing specialist.
Treatments for diplacusis
The treatments for diplacusis differ based on the underlying cause. If your condition is the result of a blockage, like earwax, then treatment will focus on the removal of that blockage. However, diplacusis is often caused by permanent sensorineural hearing loss. Here are a few treatment options if that’s the situation:
- Hearing aids: The right pair of hearing aids can equalize how your ears hear again. Your diplacusis symptoms will slowly fade when you take advantage of hearing aids. It’s essential to get the proper settings on your hearing aids and you’ll need to have us help you with that.
- Cochlear implant: In circumstances where the hearing loss at the root of diplacusis is profound, a cochlear implant might be the only way to get relief from the symptoms.
All of this starts with a hearing exam. Here’s how you can think about it: whatever kind of hearing loss is the cause of your diplacusis, a hearing test will be able to determine that (maybe you just think things sound strange at this point and you don’t even recognize it as diplacusis). Modern hearing assessments are quite sensitive, and good at finding discrepancies between how your ears hear the world.
Hearing well is more fun than not
You’ll be better able to enjoy your life when you get the appropriate treatment for your diplacusis, whether that’s hearing aids or something else. It will be easier to carry on conversations. 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 grandkids telling you all about the Diplodocus.
Call today for an appointment to have your diplacusis symptoms assessed.
