What are early signs of hearing loss?
One of the most common symptoms of hearing loss is the inability to hear high-pitched tones, such as female voices.
Hearing loss often takes place gradually. Your family members and colleagues may notice you’re having trouble hearing before you do.
Signs of hearing loss
Does it sound like everyone around you is mumbling, and do you ask them to repeat themselves more than you used to?
Is it getting difficult to understand a one-on-one conversation in noisy locations like a restaurant?
Are you unable to hear when someone is speaking to you from another room?
These are some of the most common signs of hearing loss.
What are the causes of hearing loss?
Many people will find their ability to hear some sounds begins to decline around age 50. This is because hair cells in the cochlea, the spiral cavity in your inner ear, begin showing some wear and tear around that age.
But other causes of hearing loss can affect people much earlier in life. Sometimes an ear infection or other medical condition can cause hearing loss. Environmental factors can also affect hearing, from loud sounds like fireworks or gunshots to chemotherapy or medication side effects.
Still, the main cause of hearing loss is age. The cochlea in your ear has about 15,000 tiny hairs that transform sounds into electrical signals for your brain to process. Combined with the natural aging of your brain, the diminished function of these tiny hairs is one of the most common causes of hearing loss.
Can hearing loss be treated?
Certain types of hearing loss can be medically treated, but other types cannot. A person with hearing loss can however be helped with technology.
One of the most common hearing loss treatments is the fitting of individual amplification devices. Hearing aids are a type of amplification device that make sounds easier to hear.
Working with a professional will give you access to the best hearing loss treatments.
All hearing loss is unique, and a hearing care professional can help you choose the technology that is right for you.
Treat hearing loss as soon as possible
Waiting to treat hearing loss can result in people missing out on conversations with family and friends. It can even lead to feelings of isolation.
Research shows that seeking out hearing loss treatment as quickly as possible can help improve an individual’s cognitive abilities.
What is an audiogram?
When your specialist describes your hearing loss, he or she will always refer to the severity of the loss and its “configuration”, which means the pitches or frequencies you are unable to hear.
These tones will be placed on a graph called an audiogram.
An audiogram shows which frequencies you are able to hear, and at what volume. The audiogram gives your hearing professional a good idea of how severe your hearing loss is, and helps your professional select the best treatment options for you.
What is hearing loss?
Hearing loss means you have lost the ability to hear certain sounds. Maybe you can no longer hear high-pitched tones, like the voices of women or children. Or maybe you can’t pick out a single voice if there is a lot of conversation in the background.
Sometimes hearing loss is temporary, like a ringing in your ears after a noisy concert. Most often, it is permanent because the mechanisms that help you hear have been damaged.
How do you choose hearing aids?
Today’s hearing aids are comfortable, discreet and offer a variety of features. There’s a hearing aid out there for everyone. How can you choose the hearing aid that’s right for you?
Your lifestyle and the listening environments you frequent most have a great effect on what hearing aid will be ideal for you. By examining your unique requirements, you and your hearing care professional can determine the best fit for your needs.
