Hearing Loss: Types, Symptoms, Causes, and Natural Treatments
Introduction
Hearing loss is a serious condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It has a number of causes, some temporary and others permanent. Some are correctable.
Introduction
Hearing loss is a common problem. If you’ve ever had a conversation with someone and they ask, “What?” more than once, then it’s likely they have some degree of hearing loss.
Though the most common types of hearing loss are temporary and treatable—such as that caused by an ear infection or exposure to loud noises—there are many other types of permanent hearing loss that cannot be fixed without medical intervention or surgery. In this article we’ll discuss how to recognize the different types of permanent hearing loss and make sure you get the right treatment for your needs!
Causes of hearing loss
- Genetics: Inherited hearing loss is a common cause of hearing loss.
- Age: As we age, our ears are more vulnerable to damage from loud noise and infections.
- Exposure to loud noise: Prolonged exposure to loud noises can result in permanent hearing loss if not addressed properly.
- Tumors and infections: Tumors such as acoustic neuromas may press against the auditory nerve or inner ear structures causing deafness. Infections like meningitis often affect both ears at once, damaging the inner ear structures that control balance and sense of orientation (equilibrium). These infections are also linked with damage to the auditory nerve which transmits sound information from the eardrum into the brainstem where it’s processed as sound signals sent outwards towards various parts of your body as needed for further processing into meaningful information by your nervous system (brain).
Types of hearing loss
There are five different types of hearing loss:
- Conductive hearing loss is caused by a problem in the canals or eardrum. It can be fixed with surgery or medication, but it doesn’t affect your ability to hear as much as other types of hearing loss do.
- Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when your inner ear has been damaged and there’s no cure for this type of damage yet. However, cochlear implants might help you regain some control over what you hear if all else fails!
- Mixed hearing loss is a combination of both conductive and sensorineural problems that make it difficult for people with this condition to hear certain sounds clearly or at all (like high pitches). This type can sometimes be treated with surgery if one part of their ears is damaged enough that it affects their speech comprehension skills (which would be most helpful). But if both parts are equally affected then they’ll need more intensive therapy sessions instead.”
Symptoms of hearing loss
Hearing loss is a problem that affects many people. It’s usually caused by genetics, age, or exposure to loud noises.
If you have hearing loss, you may notice difficulty with the following:
- Hearing in noisy environments. You may have trouble hearing conversations in restaurants or cafes.
- Hearing on the phone. Your friends and family may ask that you repeat what they say more often than normal because they can’t understand your responses over the phone or when talking through video chat services like Skype and FaceTime.
- Hearing at a distance. You may have difficulty hearing people who are speaking from across the room even though their voice doesn’t seem loud to them (or perhaps even if it does). For example, asking someone sitting across from you at lunch if they want coffee would be difficult if your hearing loss isn’t addressed first by wearing an earplug or other device that helps protect against loud sounds like when riding around in an open convertible car where wind noise can make it hard for others nearby without proper protection).
Diagnosing hearing loss
- Hearing tests
- Hearing aids
- Other tests
Treatment for hearing loss
You can treat hearing loss with:
- Hearing aids *
- Cochlear implants *
- Surgery *
- Cognitive behavioral therapy *
- Counseling
- Auditory training
Hearing aid use
- Wear a hearing aid that fits comfortably, without slipping or falling out. The device should be worn as directed by your doctor. If necessary, ask for a custom-made device to better fit the shape of your ear canal and ear mold for best results. Some people may find that it’s helpful to wear their hearing aid in both ears (binaural use), while others may prefer only one (monaural use). Be aware that some models come with features such as volume control and feedback suppression technology built into them; these could make wearing them more comfortable and effective than other options on the market today such as standard analog systems which produce static sounds when worn improperly due to poor fitting around behind an individual’s head area where they rest against skin tissue directly under ear lobes instead being pushed inside deeper into canal openings where they belong
Hearing loss is a serious condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It has a number of causes, some temporary and others permanent. Some are correctable.
Hearing loss is a serious condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It has a number of causes, and some are temporary while others are permanent. Some are correctable.
Conclusion
Hearing loss is a serious condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It has a number of causes, some temporary and others permanent. Some are correctable.