Symptoms of hearing loss
The symptoms of hearing loss can vary depending on the type of hearing loss, the cause of hearing loss, and the degree of loss.
In general, people who have hearing loss may experience any or all of the following:
- Difficulty understanding everyday conversation
- A feeling of being able to hear but not understand
- Having to turn up the TV or radio
- Asking others to repeat often
- Avoidance of social situations that were once enjoyable
- Increased difficulty communicating in noisy situations like restaurants, lively family gatherings, in the car or in group meetings
- Tinnitus, or ringing and/or buzzing sounds in the ears
Types of hearing loss
There are three main types of hearing loss, and you can read more about each type here.
- Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common type of hearing loss. It is permanent and caused either by damage to tiny hair-like cells in the inner ear or to the auditory nerve. The auditory nerve carries important information about the loudness, pitch, and meaning of sounds to the brain. Most adults with hearing loss have a sensorineural loss. Sensorineural hearing loss can often result in difficulty understanding sound or speech even though it is loud enough to hear.
- Conductive hearing loss is caused by a mechanical problem in the outer or middle ear or an obstruction in the ear canal such as ear wax that blocks sound from getting to the eardrum. It can be permanent but more often, it is temporary and can be medically treated.
- Mixed hearing loss results when there are components of both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss present.
Causes of hearing loss
The cause of a particular hearing loss is important to understand since it factors heavily into determining the right treatment. There are many causes of hearing loss and some causes are responsible for only certain types of hearing loss. For example, earwax blocking the ear canal causes a temporary conductive hearing loss while prolonged exposure to excessively loud noise causes permanent sensorineural hearing loss.
Hearing loss can be caused by any of the following:
- Advancing age (age-related hearing loss is called presbycusis)
- Certain medications sometimes called “ototoxic” drugs
- Trauma or injury to the head
- Genetic factors
- Prolonged exposure to excessively loud noise
- A single episode of acoustic trauma
- Certain illnesses such as mumps, Meniere’s disease, otosclerosis or autoimmune disease
- A tumor on the acoustic nerve or acoustic neuroma
Hearing loss treatments
Hearing loss is a well-understood medical condition that has many tried-and-true treatment options. Finding the right treatment is a joint venture between you and your hearing care professional, and if done properly, takes into consideration the following factors:
- Type of hearing loss
- The severity of hearing loss
- Cause, if known
- Your lifestyle
- Your age and your communication needs
- Your cosmetic preferences
- Your budget
Some types of hearing loss, especially conductive types, can be medically or surgically corrected but others cannot. The most common treatment for sensorineural hearing loss is properly fitted hearing aids. Hearing aids are widely available in a range of styles, colors, sizes, technology levels, and price points.