Your HEALTH

Have a medical problem or need health advice? Ask GP Dr Pixie McKenna

- Dr Pixie McKenna

Q I'm 58 and think I'm going deaf. It's annoying my family and frustrating me, as it's difficult to hear in a crowded room. Any clues as to why this might be happening?

You're not alone - one in six people have some degree of hearing impairment. Wax can be a common culprit! If the ear canal is clogged up with wax, it is easily seen when your doctor looks into your ear. It can be removed by using softening drops - which are available at the pharmacy- or by ear syringing or suction (the latter has to be carried out by a healthcare professional). A perforated eardrum can also cause deafness. This can occur due to trauma, for example excessive cotton bud use, exposure to loud noise, or an ear infection. There is usually (but not always) pain prior to this. Recurrent ear infections can also cause deafness, and other external factors may contribute. There are more than 100 prescription and over-the-counter drugs that can result in hearing loss. There may also be a genetic link - some people have deafness running in their families. This occurs if a person inherits a mutated gene(s) that can cause hearing loss.

Although you think that this has gone on for a few months, hearing loss can be quite subtle so it might have been lingering for much longer. Most people start to lose a small amount of hearing once they hit 40. Noise exposure, such as from factory work or nightclubs, can accelerate this. My impression is that this is either wax or old age. The answer lies inside your ear, so get your doctor to take a look.

Q I had a mole removed from my back-thankfully, it was not cancer. It started to heal well, but now I have a thick red scar, which is bigger than the original cut! What is it and can I have it removed? It's horrible.