Hearing Loss Causes And Treatments
Hearing loss can occur at any age. There are different factors that can lead to a decrease in hearing. If you are suffering from hearing problems, it is important you know the signs and what you can do to restore your hearing.
What Causes Hearing Loss?
Hearing loss can occur for a range of reasons, including a buildup of wax in the ear. Some other causes of hearing loss include:
- Inner ear damage. As you age, your ears suffer from wear and tear. This can result in damage to the inner ear that is responsible for translating sound waves that enter your ear.
- Ear infection. Once infected, your middle or outer ear is susceptible to changes that could cause hearing loss.
- Ruptured eardrum. Whenever you have a sudden rush of pressure into your ear or are exposed to a loud blast of noise, your eardrum can rupture, which leads to decreased hearing quality.
In most instances, the hearing loss is treatable if detected early enough by a medical care provider.
What Are the Signs of Hearing Loss?
The most obvious sign of hearing loss is not being able to hear any sounds at all. There are other signs that can point to potential hearing problems, including:
- Trouble distinguishing phonetic sounds. You could experience trouble hearing the differences between various constants.
- Muffled speech. You could still possibly hear sounds, but they could be muffled.
- Social avoidance. As your hearing problems progress, you could start to separate yourself from others without realizing it. An inability to hear all or parts of a conversation can leave you feeling left out and self-conscious.
Depending on the circumstances surrounding your hearing loss, an ear doctor or audiologist might be able to help you regain all or some of your hearing.
What Can Be Done?
One of the first things you need to do is have your hearing assessed by a professional. The assessment will help pinpoint the cause of your hearing loss. Once that has been determined, you can receive treatment.
For instance, if you have earwax causing problems, the doctor can remove the ear wax. Surgery might be an option if you are suffering from repeated ear infections that are causing hearing problems.
You could also be fitted for a hearing aid by an audiologist. The audiologist can ensure that the hearing aid you have fits the level of your hearing loss and does not interfere with your lifestyle.
The most important thing to remember is to get help if you are suffering from diminished hearing. Continuing not to seek help could make the problem worse than it initially was.
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