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Types of Hearing Loss

The type of hearing loss you have determines which treatments will work best for you.

Not all hearing loss is the same. Treatment will depend on the type of hearing loss you have. Audiologists can help.

The type of hearing loss you have depends on what part of your hearing is damaged. There are three basic types or categories: Conductive, Sensorineural and Mixed.

Conductive, meanwhile, means sound is not reach the inner ear, usually due to an obstruction or trauma.

Sensorineural means there is a problem occurring in either the inner ear or the auditory nerve, which delivers sound to the brain.

Mixed means the hearing loss is being caused by a combination of the two.

What they all have in common is that one’s hearing capacity is, in part, significantly reduced. This has a direct impact on a person’s quality of life, health, and social interactions. What you do to manage your reduced ability to hear depends on its severity. Hearing aids are the currently the best solution to improve your hearing.

This condition can affect many aspects of your life. Communication with family and friends, business meetings, telephone calls, or spending time with your children can become a challenge. In some cases, you can even feel socially isolated. Family and friends, unfortunately, might not fully understand your hearing situation, which can lead to misunderstandings and feelings of frustration. Therefore, it is essential for the people around you – spouse, grandchildren, children, colleagues, friends – to understand what you are experiencing

Is it temporary or permanent?
It’s not easy to determine precisely when inability to hear is permanent (sometimes leading to deafness), a sign of a disease/disorder, or a symptom that will clear up on its own. It is common for the ear to recover after brief noise trauma. One of the typical causes of permanent loss of hearing is long-term exposure to loud noises. Many other factors, like nutrition and stress levels, also play a role in your hearing health.

Why are hearing aids the best form of treatment?
Hearing is an extremely important aspect of human perception and our overall health. We depend on our hearing to understand speech, listen to the sounds we love, and enjoy spending time with our family. There is no medicine a doctor can prescribe that can cure this kind of hearing disorder. However, the best treatment is the use of hearing aids, without the need of a cochlear implant. Not only does everything around you sound better and clearer, but your general health also feels the positive impact of wearing hearing aids. Today’s devices can even play music directly to your smartphone. When your hearing aid is programmed by a provider, it will never be too loud; thus, you won’t have to worry about further ear damage.

Consequences of hearing difficulties

Studies show that people feel unhappy and depressed when they decide not to wear hearing aids. Moreover, your concentration, self-esteem, and speech comprehension are significantly reduced.

The physical effects include fatigue, exhaustion, headaches and stress. If you suspect a sign of hearing loss, please call us to schedule a hearing test appointment with a local hearing aid provider in your area.

Recent research by Dr. Frank Lin at Johns Hopkins University has found that untreated hearing loss increases the incidence of cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer’s Disease. The brain requires consistent sound stimulation to remain active and healthy. By not wearing hearing aids, people living with hearing loss are missing out on richer experiences, whether they are cultural, professional or social.

One in six has a hearing loss

Most people think that seniors are the only ones who experience this condition. However, this is a national problem that touches all age groups. Moreover, one in six Americans are affected by this phenomenon. In most cases, high frequencies are the first ones that go missing. After that, the ability to hear is in a state of gradual decline. An important fact to remember is that the brain has less support when can’t hear, which makes it difficult to distinguish sounds and words. Therefore, it is very important you address any signs of poor hearing early on.

Emergence and causes of hearing loss

Difficulties hearing can fall into three categories: sound conduction, sensorineural, and sound perception.

  • Sound conduction: Sound waves can’t enter the inner ear due to a blockage.
  • Sensorineural: Involves a physical change of the inner ear or auditory nerve. In some cases, the ; auditory nerve does not send the received signal to the brain properly.
  • Sound perception: The brain does not process incoming signals correctly.

Other causes include diseases or certain medications. In the case of medical treatment, it is not necessarily the drug itself but the amount administered. An overdose of painkillers can damage one’s hearing, which can lead to permanent deafness. If an overdose occurred in the past, it is important to know the extent of inner ear damage to find a proper solution.

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