Hearing Loss Overview

According to current statistics, 2 out of every 10 Americans, or some 48 million people, suffer from hearing impairment of some kind, and this number is likely to continue to grow.

This serious condition needs serious intervention, both in terms of prevention and assistance. If you or someone you know suspects a loss of hearing, please consider or suggest a hearing test by our licensed audiologist. An audiologist can perform a simple, painless evaluation of their hearing and get them back into enjoying life more fully. Hearing loss can often prevent people from fully participating in life, but solutions are available. Life is worth hearing about, and you can trust us to help you hear better.

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Common Signs of Hearing Loss

Below are some of the common symptoms that might be present in someone with hearing loss. Ask yourself these questions in order to discover if you might have hearing loss of one of the three types listed above.

Do others say that you turn the television too loud?
Do others accuse you of not paying attention?
Do you misunderstand the number 50 for 15 or 60 for 16?
Can you hear better with one ear than the other on the phone?
Have you stopped attending plays and lectures because of the strain necessary to hear what is being said?
Do you hesitate to attend social events where you will be expected to carry on conversations?
Do you have trouble understanding someone speaking to you from another room?
Do you have difficulty understanding speech when there is background noise?
Do you miss the punch line of jokes?
Do you seem to hear the words but not understand them?
Do you have a history of ear infections, earaches or running ears?

If you have answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, it is likely that you are experiencing some kind of hearing loss. If you find any of these barriers to living a full life, a hearing exam is in order. Don’t let hearing loss rob you of a better quality of life. Contact us today to schedule an evaluation.

Types of Hearing Loss

Although each individual’s experience is different, there are three main categories of hearing loss depending on the location of the loss. Sensorineural hearing loss is located in the inner ear or the auditory nerve connecting the ear to the brain. Conductive hearing loss is located in the middle or outer ear. Mixed hearing loss is a combination of the two types, meaning that an issue exists in at least two locations within the ear.

The most common type of hearing loss is located at the tiny hairs inside the inner ear. These hairs are responsible for sensing sounds and translating them into electrical impulses that the brain can understand. Alas, these hairs are quite sensitive and easily damaged. When this loss takes place, a person may lose the ability to distinguish voices in a crowd, and words may sound like a jumbled mess.

Hearing loss can also occur due to a problem in the outer or middle ear. This type of hearing loss may be due to illness, injury, or a serious infection, such as measles, mumps, or a high fever. On the other hand, it can occur for simple reasons such as waxy buildup in the ears or a foreign obstruction in the ear canal. Those who experience conductive hearing loss tend to find lower volume or a muffled sound, often hearing their own voices quite loudly compared with other sounds. This form of hearing loss may be asymmetrical, as well, meaning that only one ear is affected or that the ears have different degrees of loss.

Start your journey to better hearing today!

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