Hearing Loss Overview
Hearing loss affects 15% of the adult population of the US, but only 16% of people with hearing loss seek treatment. As one of the most common medical conditions, it is important to have the proper information to make informed decisions. Read on to learn more about hearing loss and what you can do if you think you have it.
What is hearing loss?
Hearing loss is when your hearing ability is decreased, making it harder for you to hear conversations and all the other sounds you enjoy in life. There are many conditions that could cause hearing loss, but age and loud noise exposure are the two main causes.
As we get older, the incidence of hearing loss rises. Approximately 91% of adults with hearing loss are over the age of 50.
How do I know I have hearing loss?
There are some signs that might mean you have a hearing loss.
- You ask people to repeat themselves often.
- Your family says you watch TV at too loud a volume.
- You hear a ringing sound in your ears.
- You find it hard to hear in noisy environments or groups.
- You tend to miss important sounds like the phone ringing or the doorbell.
In most cases, it is primarily the highest frequencies that are first affected with hearing loss. As these are essential to perceiving the so-called voiceless consonants (f, s, p, t), speech comprehension is often affected. Additional symptoms such as tinnitus, noise sensitivity or dizziness appear based on the kind of hearing loss. For almost all cases, hearing loss is irreversible once the damage has been done.
Where does hearing loss come from?
How do hearing aids help?
Hearing loss can come on very quickly, although it is incremental in most instances - that means that it occurs slowly. There is no treatment for hearing problems of this kind, but many consider hearing aids of enormous help.
Hearing aids can:
- amplify the important frequencies which you are lacking
- make it easier to converse with others in noisy places
- help you talk on the phone
- give you more confidence in your surroundings
- help reduce tinnitus symptoms
- help you hear important sounds better
If you think you have hearing loss, contact us today. We will help you find the optimal solution if you feel that you are starting to miss the sounds around you. We can run tests to confirm how much you might have, and propose solutions that will help you get back to living your life.