Hearing Loss Symptoms, Risks & Prevention
Do You Have Hearing Loss?
Do any of these apply to you?
- I have trouble understanding what people are saying.
- I often ask people to repeat themselves.
- I have trouble understanding conversations when there’s background noise, for example, at a restaurant or in a busy workplace.
- I avoid social situations because I have trouble following the conversation.
- I turn up the TV and radio to levels that others tell me is loud.
- I often have ringing in my ears.
- I hear in one ear better than the other.
- I’ve been told that I have a hearing problem.
If you answered yes to more than one of the above, you may have hearing loss. Don’t let communication problems like these keep you from enjoying life to the fullest. Call or text us now to schedule a hearing evaluation.
Is Hearing Loss Treatable?
Hearing loss is sneaky. It typically happens so slowly and gradually that you may think it’s them, not you. Meanwhile, you can miss out on conversations and connection. People can sound muffled, like they’re talking through a towel. Movies, the news and TV programs can become harder to follow.
The good news? Most hearing loss is mild and treatable. There’s no reason to tough it out or to feel left out when you could be getting more from life.
How many people suffer from hearing loss?
Hearing loss is more common than you might think. It’s estimated that 48 million Americans experience hearing loss, including one in six baby boomers. Noise, diabetes or other factors can cause hearing loss. But most often it’s simply a result of getting older.
Of course, you can’t stop the clock. But you can treat hearing loss. With the right hearing treatment plan and hearing aid, you’ll be able to turn up the volume on everything. You can stop asking people to repeat themselves. You can turn down the TV so your next-door neighbors aren’t hearing it, too. With treatment, you’ll be able to participate in the activities you enjoy and live to the fullest again.
We treat our patients like our own family because we recognize that hearing well is important in all of your relationships!
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How Does The Ear Work
Hearing involves teamwork between your ears and your brain. Hearing begins when sound waves enter your outer ear (the part that’s visible on the outside of your head). The waves travel through your auditory canal, a tube-like passageway lined with tiny hairs and small glands that produce earwax to your middle ear.
The middle ear has three small bones, often referred to as the hammer, the anvil and the stirrup, and the eardrum. The middle ear has an important job: to amplify sound. If any of the middle ear’s parts get disrupted, significant hearing loss can result.
Hearing: The Inside Story
When waves of sound, such as the chirp of birds in your backyard, travel to your middle ear and hit your eardrum, your eardrum vibrates and, in turn, moves the hammer (the small bone is shaped like a hammer). The hammer moves the anvil, which moves the stirrup, transmitting the vibrations into your inner ear.
Your inner ear consists of the cochlea (a small, snail-like structure) and the auditory nerve, which carries information between the cochlea and the brain. With the help of tiny hair cells, the auditory nerve converts sound waves into nerve impulses that travel to your brain. Your brain interprets the sound so you “hear” it as birds chirping, a voice or music. All told, hearing is an amazing process that happens in a split second.
Certain drugs, diseases, noise or simply aging can damage hair cells. Once these hair cells are gone, you can’t use Rogaine to make them grow back. But hearing aids can help compensate.
If you’re experiencing hearing loss, we’re here to help. We can determine what’s not working as well as it should be. We’ll explain your options and help you choose the best solution for your hearing needs and your lifestyle.
