Millions of years ago, the world was a lot different. The long-necked Diplacusis roamed this volcano-laden landscape. Diplacusis was so large, due to its long tail and neck, that no other predators were a threat.
Actually, the long-necked dinosaur from the Jurassic Period is known as Diplodocus. Diplacusis is a hearing condition that causes you to hear two sounds at the same time.
While it’s not a “horrible lizard,” in many ways diplacusis can be a menace on its own, resulting in a hearing experience that feels bewildering and out of sorts (often making communication difficult or impossible).
Perhaps your hearing has been a bit weird lately
Typically, we think of hearing loss as our hearing getting muted or quiet over time. Over time, the story goes, we just hear less and less. But sometimes, hearing loss can manifest in some unusual ways. Diplacusis is one of the stranger, and also more frustrating, of these hearing problems.
What is diplacusis?
So, what is diplacusis? The meaning of the medical name diplacusis is basically “double hearing”. Typically, your brain gets signals from your right ear and signals from the left ear and combines them harmoniously into one sound. That’s what you hear. Your eyes are doing the same thing. If you place a hand on your right eye and then a hand over your left eye, you see slightly different images, right? Usually, with your ears, you don’t even notice it.
Diplacusis happens when the hearing abilities of your ears vary so significantly that your brain can no longer merge them, at least not well. Monaural diplacusis is caused by hearing loss in only one ear while binaural diplacusis is due to hearing loss in both.
Two forms of diplacusis
Different people are affected in different ways by diplacuses. However, there are usually two basic forms of diplacusis:
- Diplacusis echoica: This occurs when the pitch is nearly the same from ear to ear, but due to your hearing loss, the timing is all wonky. This could cause echoes (or, rather, artifacts that sound similar to echoes). And understanding speech can become complicated because of this.
- Diplacusis dysharmonica: This type of diplacusis happens when the pitch of the right ear and the pitch of the left ear seem off. So when your grandkids talk to you, the pitch of their voice will sound distorted. One side might sound high-pitched and the other low-pitched. Those sounds can be hard to understand as a result.
Symptoms of diplacusis
Here are a few symptoms of diplacusis:
- Off pitch hearing
- Off timing hearing
- Hearing echoes where they don’t actually exist.
Having said that, it’s useful to think of diplacusis as akin to double vision: It’s usually a symptom of something else, but it can produce some of its own symptoms. (Essentially, it’s the effect, not the cause.) In these circumstances, diplacusis is nearly always a symptom of hearing loss (either in one ear or in both ears). So your best strategy would be to Schedule an appointment with us for a hearing exam.
What are the causes diplacusis?
In a very general sense (and maybe not surprisingly), the causes of diplacusis align quite well with the causes of hearing loss. But there are a few particular reasons why you might develop 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.
- An infection: Ear infections, sinus infections, or even just plain old allergies can cause your ear canal to become inflamed. This inflammation, while a standard response, can impact the way sound moves through your inner ear and to your brain.
- Earwax: Your ability to hear can be impacted by an earwax blockage. That earwax blockage can cause diplacusis.
- A tumor: In some extremely rare cases, tumors in your ear canal can result in diplacusis. But remain calm! They’re normally benign. Still, it’s something you should talk to your hearing specialist about!
It’s obvious that there are many of the same causes of hearing loss and diplacusis. This means that if you’re experiencing diplacusis, it’s a good bet something is impeding your ability to hear. Which means you have a good reason to visit a hearing specialist.
Treatments for diplacusis
Depending on the root cause, there are a few 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. In these situations, the best treatment options include:
- Hearing aids: The right pair of hearing aids can equalize how your ears hear again. Your diplacusis symptoms will slowly fade when you benefit from hearing aids. You’ll want to talk to us about getting the correct settings for your hearing aids.
- 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 begins with a hearing assessment. Here’s how you can think about it: a hearing assessment will be able to identify what type of hearing loss is at the root of your diplacusis (perhaps you just think things sound strange at this point and you don’t even identify it as diplacusis). Modern hearing tests are quite sensitive, and good at detecting inconsistencies 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 interfering with your ability to hear your grandkids telling you all about the Diplodocus.
If you believe you have diplacusis and want to have it checked, call today for an appointment.