What You Need To Know About Hearing Loss
Losing your hearing can be an extremely troubling time. Whether you are living with mild levels of hearing loss or you have a more significant deficit with your hearing, it can be a massive life adjustment to get used to, and it's likely you have many questions.
Your audiologist is a key ally in this journey. They can work with you to answer your questions and provide guidance. Understanding your condition can help you make the most of your life as it is now, and knowing that you have a professional by your side can bring peace of mind.
Let's take a look at a few things you need to know about hearing loss.
There Are Different Types of Hearing Loss
There are three basic categories of hearing loss you need to know about: sensorineural, conductive, and mixed hearing loss.
Conductive hearing loss is an issue with the inner or outer ear that prevents sound from reaching the inner ear. It can be treated.
Sensorineural hearing loss is hearing loss due to an inner ear issue or a problem with the hearing nerve, and mixed hearing loss is a combination of both. There are other types of hearing loss, but for simplicity, these are the main three you need to know about.
Is Hearing Loss Permanent?
If you're wondering can hearing loss be cured, the answer is yes for some types. Conductive hearing loss, often caused by an infection or illness, can be treated with medication or surgery, restoring your hearing. While not all types of hearing loss can be cured, for some, it's a possibility, but if you have mixed or sensorineural loss, it's likely to have some permanence.
Hearing Loss Can Occur From Many Things
There isn't just one way to lose your hearing; your hearing can be impacted in many ways. Age is a significant factor for some people, as people over 50 are especially at risk of age-related hearing loss. Health conditions can impact your hearing. Those with diabetes, poor circulation, and some heart-related conditions are more at risk of losing their hearing.
Hearing loss can be achieved over time due to being in excessively noisy environments, either with or without hearing protection, or you might have no explanation or be genetically at risk of losing your hearing. There's no singular way to lose your hearing; however, you can help prevent hearing loss in many ways.
Hearing Loss Impacts Your Life
There have been many scientifically studied links between hearing loss, depression, and loneliness. Not being able to hear the world as well as you once did can increase isolation and make you feel like you are not part of the world. Add to this reduced communication, fewer social activities, and potential confusion due to not being as aware of your surroundings, and it's not hard to see the impact hearing loss can have on your life. Even the slightest level of hearing loss can be detrimental and impact your life in multiple ways.
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