Hearing Loss

Are you worried about your hearing health? Maybe you haven’t noticed the small changes to your hearing health over the last few months, but your family may have raised concerns that you’re not hearing as well as you used to. You might not realize how much your hearing has changed, since daily changes to your hearing health can be quite small, but if your loved ones have noticed that you can’t hear clearly, it’s time to take action on your hearing health.

Signs of Hearing Loss

Think about the last time you heard birds chirping outside the window. You might not think about it often, or realize you’ve lost these sounds, but high register sounds are the first you’ll lose with hearing loss, and that’s why you don’t hear the birds, miss the sound of the doorbell, or struggle to understand the stories your grandkids tell you about their day. Do you ignore the phone because you can’t follow the conversation? Do you often ask people to repeat themselves, or struggle to follow conversations when in a place with a lot of background noise? These are all signs of hearing loss, and a reminder that you need to look after your hearing health.

Signs of Hearing Loss

Think about the last time you heard birds chirping outside the window. You might not think about it often, or realize you’ve lost these sounds, but high register sounds are the first you’ll lose with hearing loss, and that’s why you don’t hear the birds, miss the sound of the doorbell, or struggle to understand the stories your grandkids tell you about their day. Do you ignore the phone because you can’t follow the conversation? Do you often ask people to repeat themselves, or struggle to follow conversations when in a place with a lot of background noise? These are all signs of hearing loss, and a reminder that you need to look after your hearing health.

Types of Hearing Loss

There are three main types of hearing loss that could be affecting you, and the first step to treating your hearing loss is finding out what kind of hearing loss you have. Hearing loss can range anywhere from mild to profound, and it will worsen over time if left untreated.

If you feel like you’re missing some important sounds and struggling to follow conversations, particularly in places with a lot of background noise, you probably have sensorineural hearing loss. This type of hearing loss is the most common form of hearing loss, and can be caused by aging, known as presbycusis, or by noise, called noise induced hearing loss (NIHL).

Sensorineural hearing loss is the result of damage to the cells of the inner ear, or cochlea. These cells sense the vibrations of the sound waves in the environment, convert them to electrical signals, and send this information to the brain. When cells are damaged, you won’t be able to hear certain sounds in the environment, and you’ll experience hearing loss in that register.

The second type of hearing loss is conductive hearing loss. Unlike sensorineural hearing loss where the ear cells are damaged, conductive hearing loss is the result of a blockage in the outer or middle ear. Sounds never even reach the inner ear, and you experience hearing loss. This hearing loss could be due to an illness or injury, or an infection that affects the ear. Even a build of up earwax, known as earwax impaction, can lead to conducive hearing loss. You’ll know you have conductive hearing loss because all the sounds around you will seem muffled, far away, or as if someone turned down the volume. Conductive hearing loss can be temporary or permanent, and if the blockage is removed, hearing will sometimes return to normal.

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How to Treat Hearing Loss

Do you suspect you may have a hearing loss? Treating hearing loss as soon as you realize you’re struggling to hear is important for your hearing health, as well as your overall health and wellbeing. Treating hearing loss will help the cells in your ear hear, and will keep your brain active. If you have conductive hearing loss, removing the blockage will protect the cells in the ear, and dramatically increase your quality of life. Most hearing loss is treated with a quality pair of hearing aids that are programmed to match your unique hearing needs and lifestyle.

How to Treat Hearing Loss

Do you suspect you may have a hearing loss? Treating hearing loss as soon as you realize you’re struggling to hear is important for your hearing health, as well as your overall health and wellbeing. Treating hearing loss will help the cells in your ear hear, and will keep your brain active. If you have conductive hearing loss, removing the blockage will protect the cells in the ear, and dramatically increase your quality of life. Most hearing loss is treated with a quality pair of hearing aids that are programmed to match your unique hearing needs and lifestyle.

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Have Questions?

Reach out to Selective Hearing Centers today!

Contact Us