The world was extremely different millions of years ago. The long-necked Diplacusis roamed this volcano-laden landscape. Diplacusis was so large, thanks to its long tail and neck, that no other predators were a threat.
Actually, the long-necked dinosaur from the Jurassic Period is called Diplodocus. When you’re hearing two sounds at the same time, that’s a hearing condition known as diplacusis.
While it’s not a “horrible lizard,” in many ways diplacusis can be a menace on its own, leading to a hearing experience that feels bewildering and out of sorts (frequently making communication difficult or impossible).
Maybe you’ve been hearing some strange things
Typically, we regard hearing loss as our hearing becoming muted or quiet over time. Over time, the story goes, we just hear less and less. But there are some other, not so well recognized, forms of hearing loss. Diplacusis is one of the stranger, and also more frustrating, of these hearing conditions.
What is diplacusis?
Exactly what is diplacusis? Diplacusis is a medical term that means, basically, “double hearing”. Typically, your brain gets information from the right ear and information from the left ear and marries them harmoniously into a single sound. This blended sound is what you hear. The same thing happens 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? Normally, with your ears, you won’t even notice it.
When your brain can’t efficiently combine the two sounds from your ears because they are too different, you have this condition of diplacusis. Monaural diplacusis is a result of hearing loss in only one ear while binaural diplacusis is caused by hearing loss in both.
Two forms of diplacusis
Diplacusis doesn’t affect everybody in the same way. However, there are typically two basic forms of diplacusis:
- Diplacusis echoica: With this, what you hear will seem off because your brain gets the sound from each ear out of sync with the other rather than hearing two different pitches. This may cause echoes (or, instead, artifacts that sound like echoes). This can also cause difficulty with regard to understanding speech.
- Diplacusis dysharmonica: When the pitch of the right and left ear are off it’s a sign of this type of diplacusis. So the sound will be distorted when someone speaks with you. Perhaps your right ear hears the sound as low-pitched and your left ear thinks the sound is high-pitched. This can cause those sounds to be difficult to make out.
Symptoms of diplacusis
The symptoms of diplacusis could include:
- Off timing hearing
- Hearing that sounds off (in pitch).
- Hearing echoes where they don’t actually exist.
The condition of double vision could be a useful comparison: It’s normally a symptom of something else, but it can create some of its own symptoms. (In other words, it’s the effect, not the cause.) Diplacusis, in these circumstances, is most likely a symptom of hearing loss. So your best course of action would be to Schedule an appointment with us for a hearing exam.
What are the causes diplacusis?
The causes of diplacusis line up very well, in a general way, with the causes of hearing loss. But there are some specific reasons why you could develop diplacusis:
- Earwax: Your ability to hear can be impacted by an earwax obstruction. Whether that earwax forms a partial or complete obstruction, it can lead to diplacusis.
- An infection: Ear infections, sinus infections, or even just plain old allergies can cause your ear canal to become inflamed. This swelling, while a natural response, can impact the way sound travels through your inner ear and to your brain.
- Noise-related damage to your ears: If you’ve experienced enough loud noises to damage your ears, it’s feasible that the same damage has resulted in hearing loss, and consequently, diplacusis.
- A tumor: Diplacusis can, in rare situations, be the result of a tumor in your ear canal. But stay calm! They’re normally 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. Which means that if you have diplacusis, it’s likely that something is interfering with your ability to hear. Which means it’s a good idea to visit a hearing specialist.
How is diplacusis treated?
The treatments for diplacusis vary based on the root cause. If your condition is the result of an obstruction, like earwax, then treatment will focus on the removal of that obstruction. But permanent 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 right set of hearing aids. This means that the symptoms of diplacusis will likely fade. You’ll want to talk to us about finding the correct settings for your hearing aids.
- Cochlear implant: A cochlear implant might be the only way of dealing with diplacusis if the root cause is profound hearing loss.
All of this starts with a hearing test. Think about it like this: a hearing exam will be able to identify what type of hearing loss is at the root of your diplacusis (perhaps you simply think things sound weird at this point and you don’t even identify it as diplacusis). Modern hearing tests are very sensitive, and good at detecting 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 proper treatment for your diplacusis, whether that’s hearing aids or some other treatment. It will be easier to talk to people. It will be easier to communicate with your family.
Which means, you’ll be able to hear your grandchildren tell you all about what a Diplodocus is, and you (hopefully) won’t have any diplacusis to impede you.
If you think you have diplacusis and want to have it checked, give us a call for an appointment.
