Hearing loss is more common than many people believe. According to the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders, about 36 million adults in America suffer from some form of hearing loss. While loss of hearing may seem to be a natural part of aging, not all loss is natural. Tinnitus can be caused by trauma such as an explosion or it can be gradual in its onset.
Fact 1: Some Hearing loss can be corrected. Not all patients will respond to medicinal or surgical treatment..
Fact 2: Hearing loss can affect children, teens and adults. Physical trauma can cause deafness at any age. Malformation of the inner ear during growth can also lead to hearing loss in children and teens.
Fact 3: Fluid from colds, allergies can lead to conductive hearing loss. Medical treatment from a doctor can help in recovering all or part of your hearing from physical ailments such as ear infection.
Fact 4: There are three main categories of hearing loss. Those are Conductive, Sensorineural and Mixed. Conductive hearing loss involves loss due to the damage of the physical structure of the ear and ear canal, etc. Sensorineural hearing loss of the inner ear due to damage to nerves. Mixed hearing loss occurs when conductive and sensorineural causes are both present.
Fact 5: Sensorineural hearing loss can be caused by sudden loud noises (acoustic trauma) or as a gradual occurrence from being in a loud environment for months or years. This may be a work related injury or the result from trauma.
Fact 6: Some hearing loss is caused by virus such as the virus thought to cause Sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
Fact 7: Some loss of hearing is caused by diseases such as Meniere’s Disease. Some diseases that are not found in the ear may also cause hearing loss. Those diseases that affect the Central Nervous System can cause hearing loss and deafness. Parents should have their children’s hearing tested if their child uses ear buds, headphones, to listen to music. Being able to reverse some hearing loss depends on correcting the cause of the loss of hearing.
Fact 8: Surgery can help improve hearing for some conditions such as Foreign Body in the Ear, Physical damage caused by head trauma, and even from impacted earwax. Surgery is not the answer. Being examined by doctor who specializes in hearing loss can help determine the success of surgery on hearing problems.
Fact 9: Medication can help to cure some hearing loss. Those would include loss caused by allergies, some diseases and infection of the ear canal. The first step is seeing a doctor to determine the exact cause.
Fact 10: Being evaluated by an ear specialist is a key component of recovering from hearing loss. It can be beneficial to have your hearing tested. As we age, we may lose some hearing. Evaluation by a professional can help to minimize loss and may be critical correcting problems and medical ailments that cause loss of hearing.
