Hearing Loss
Hearing education for the people of Arcadia and Bakersfield
What is Hearing Loss?
Hearing loss is incredibly common, affecting over 48 million Americans. Hearing loss is the inability to hear sound in one or both ears. When left untreated, hearing loss can have a negative impact on your overall health and well-being. Hearing loss doesn’t just make the world sound quieter; it prevents your brain from receiving certain sound signals. After time, this can result in cognitive decline and even difficulty with speech comprehension.
The best solution to managing hearing loss is with hearing aids. Our hearing center carries a wide range of hearing aids to help you manage your hearing loss. Our audiologists are experts in the different hearing aid technologies and can help you find a device that will help you hear better.
Signs of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss often occurs gradually, over the course of a few years. For this reason, it can be difficult to recognize the signs of hearing loss. Often, a family member or close friend will notice the signs of hearing loss before you do. If a loved one has suggested you have your hearing checked, then you most likely have some degree of hearing loss.
Some common signs of hearing loss include:
- You often ask people to repeat themselves
- It seems like everyone around you mumbles
- You have a hard time understanding people when there is background noise (i.e., when you are in a restaurant or a crowded environment)
- You feel tired after conversations
- You have a difficult time hearing the person on the other end of the phone
- You turn the TV volume up louder than everyone else
- You hear a ringing in your ears
Types of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is measured in degrees: mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe or profound. In addition, there are also three main types of hearing loss.
Conductive hearing loss
Conductive hearing loss is when sound can’t travel from the outer ear to the inner ear. This is usually due to a build-up of earwax, trauma to the ear, or because of an ear infection. Conductive hearing loss can be successfully corrected with antibiotics or surgery.
Sensorineural hearing loss
Sensorineural hearing loss is when there is damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or within the hearing nerve. This type of hearing loss is often due to genetics, age, noise exposure, medication, or disease. Sensorineural hearing loss responds well to hearing aids.
Mixed hearing loss
Mixed hearing loss is a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. This can happen if someone has sensorineural hearing loss due to genetics in which they would wear hearing aids for amplification and clarity; and they may have a build-up of earwax which can be removed to correct the conductive portion.
Tinnitus
Tinnitus, commonly known as “ringing in the ears,” is when you perceive a sound inside your ears or head when there is no external sound present. Tinnitus itself is not a hearing disorder, but rather a symptom of another condition. People who experience tinnitus often describe it as ringing, buzzing, beeping, humming, or whooshing sound. Millions of Americans have some degree of tinnitus and it can range from mildly annoying to debilitating.
At Your Hearing Connection, we carry hearing aids that have a special tinnitus masking feature. With this feature, you can play soothing sounds straight through your hearing aids that will help distract your brain from the symptoms of tinnitus. Many of these hearing aids can be controlled through an app on your smartphone so you can be in control of when you need relief from tinnitus.
Don’t let tinnitus affect your quality of life, contact Your Hearing Connection today!