Hearing Loss - what is it?

Hearing loss is a loss of the loudness and/or clarity of sounds.

Most people have had temporary hearing loss at least once in their lives.

If you have a cold or have been exposed to loud noise for a short while you may feel ‘a little bit deaf’. Or if the air pressure around you is changing, for example while diving or flying, your ears may feel ‘blocked’.

In these cases your hearing should return to normal within a couple of days at most. If it doesn’t, see a doctor.

If you ever have a sudden and severe loss of hearing, see a doctor urgently.

Immediate treatment may save hearing, which might otherwise be lost. If your sudden hearing loss is not severe, go to your doctor within two days if it has not started to recover.

Two main types of hearing loss

Conductive hearing loss

This is due to problems affecting sound transmission through the outer or middle ear. It leads to a loss of loudness and can often be corrected. It’s like listening to someone speaking very softly or from a distance.

Sensorineural hearing loss

This arises in the inner ear or hearing nerve. It reduces loudness and clarity. As well as the sound not being loud enough, it is distorted so that it can’t be understood by the listener – a bit like listening to a language you don’t know.

How do I know if I have a hearing loss or impairment?

Unless you have a moderate to severe hearing loss you’ll probably have no problem talking face to face with someone. However,

• you might find it difficult hearing someone in a noisy environment or from a distance
• you may also find some higher pitched voices or words hard to pick up
• you may need to listen to the television or radio at a volume that is too loud for others
• and you may not always hear the telephone or doorbell when it rings

If you think you have some hearing loss, arrange through a doctor to have your hearing tested by a qualified audiologist.

Treatment for hearing loss

For many people hearing aids are the only real help available. Using hearing aids is really no different to wearing glasses. You’ll be able to enjoy life far more if you can hear what’s going on.

There is a wide range of operations, which correct the problems occurring in the middle ear.

In many cases hearing can be almost fully restored. Unfortunately an operation can rarely help someone with sensorineural hearing loss except for cochlear implants in those with profound deafness.

Drugs are often prescribed to clear up ear infection or underlying nose problems which lead to hearing loss.

Drugs may help sudden sensorineural hearing loss but rarely help other types of sensorineural deafness. Consult your doctor.

See also  

Test Your Hearing

Hearing Aids

Cochlear Implants     

(Source:  Oticon)

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