How Stem Cells Are Being Used to Combat Deafness
Hearing loss affects many more people than you might think. It is estimated by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders that about 36 million Americans have some type of hearing loss. Deafness can be caused by a number of factors, including genetic or environmental factors. While there are many causes for deafness, the most common reason that people lose their hearing is that they lose a certain type of cell in the ear.
There are cells in the ear called the cochlea, which are hair-like structures that absorb sound and turn it into an electrical impulse read by the brain to determine what sound is being heard. These cells can become damaged or eliminated by injury, exposure to loud noises, or genetic diseases.
Hearing loss could be reversed or prevented from becoming worse with the use of stem cell treatments. Stem cells are being used to develop into cochlea that can restore some hearing. If stem cells can be successfully used to regenerate cochlea, it could mean improved hearing for many Americans. It could also mean a stop to further hearing loss in patients who are treated with these stem cells.
If you are interested in learning more about how stem cells are being used to combat deafness, contact us today for more information or to be matched with a doctor.
