All you need to know about singer Alka Yagnik’s rare condition: Sensorineural Nerve Hearing Loss
Recently, singer Alka Yagnik took to Instagram to share a significant health update about being diagnosed with a rare sensory neural nerve hearing loss. The singer underwent medical supervision and learned about her condition. She also urged her colleagues to be aware of this issue and asked her fans and followers to pray for her speedy recovery. Now, let’s delve into this story and understand what sensory neural nerve hearing loss actually is!
What is sensory neural nerve hearing loss?
According to the US National Library of Medicine, sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a type of hearing loss caused by issues affecting the cochlea, auditory nerve, or central nervous system.
How does sensory neural nerve hearing loss happen?
Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the hair cells in the inner ear, the vestibulocochlear nerve, or the brain’s processing centers for sound. This type of hearing loss is distinct from conductive hearing loss, which happens when sound waves cannot reach the inner ear.
Some primary causes of SNHL include exposure to high-volume music directly into the ear, trauma, or conditions present since birth, all of which can affect hearing. Changes in metabolic activity due to conditions such as diabetes and autoimmune diseases also contribute to SNHL.
What should be done after SNHL?
Patients experiencing new-onset SNHL loss should undergo a comprehensive evaluation by a multidisciplinary team, including specialists like an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor, audiologist, radiologist, and speech/language therapist. A full brain MRI should be done after consulting with a doctor.
In clinical settings, initial assessments often involve tuning fork tests, which are simple bedside tests, along with a pure tone audiogram (PTA) and tympanometry to assess the condition thoroughly.
About Alka Yagnik’s SNHL
Singer Alka Yagnik took to Instagram to disclose her recent diagnosis of rare hearing loss. She also cautioned about the risks of exposure to loud music and headphones. Yagnik revealed that she had been completely unaware of her condition until consulting with her doctor.
The singer requested her fans and colleagues to stay vigilant and also to pray for her speedy recovery so that she can return to work soon.
Disclaimer: The aforementioned information about the disease is reported by the National Library of Medicine US. If you know someone going through the same situation, please do reach out to medical officers and doctors for immediate help.