Hearing Loss
Hearing loss and your quality of life
The sounds of nature, conversations with friends and family, and concerts—our ears play a significant role in how much we enjoy these activities. Our ears are also a natural warning system, able to detect oncoming traffic, register a home intrusion and alert us of any potential danger.
The famous quote, “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone”, is an excellent daily reminder not to take these wonderfully complex organs for granted. But it’s not always easy to admit that our hearing is not what it used to be. Many people wait several years after noticing the first signs of hearing loss before seeking help.
Hearing aids can drastically improve your health and quality of life. Read on to discover the causes of hearing loss and difficulties, or click on the links above to learn more about different types of hearing loss, hearing tests and your general hearing health.
What causes hearing loss?
It’s a well-known fact that too much noise can be harmful to our ears. Whether on the street, at a concert, at home or work, the world can be a loud place. When played at high volume, music on headphones or earbuds can increase the likelihood of hearing damage. Hearing loss can also just be a natural function of ageing.
Other factors may include head injury, disease, infection, trauma, stress, diet, and even certain medications. In the case of medical treatment, it’s not necessarily the drug itself, but the amount—an overdose of painkillers can result in permanent damage. Genetics can be a culprit too.
Hearing difficulties fall into three categories: sound conduction, sensorineural, and sound perception.
- Sound conduction difficulties reduce, or block, the sound waves entering the inner ear.
- Sensorineural difficulties involve a pathological change of the inner ear or auditory nerve. Sometimes, the auditory nerve does not send the received signal to the brain accurately.
- Sound perception difficulties show that the brain does not process the incoming signal correctly.
When is the right time to seek help?
Look out for these signs:
- Difficulty following a conversation with two or more people at once
- Difficulty understanding what people are saying in loud environments, such as busy shops or restaurants
- Others sound like they’re mumbling
- You have to listen to the TV at high volume
- Ringing in the ear
- Group conversations are exhausting