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Hearing Concerns
Hearing loss is the decrease in one’s ability to hear or understand speech and sounds. It can occur when a part of the ear or nerves responsible for transmitting sounds to the brain doesn’t function properly.
While some types of hearing loss can be temporary, most cases are permanent especially if the vital parts of the ear have incurred damage beyond repair.
Losing your hearing can be caused by various factors – aging, heredity, noise, or an underlying medication condition. A person with difficulty hearing may find it challenging to have conversations with family, friends, and colleagues. Untreated hearing loss can lead to issues with cognition and memory.
Several studies have shown that older people with untreated hearing loss are more likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Children with unaddressed hearing difficulties may also encounter problems with their speech and language development, and social and behavioral skills.
Loud noises are particularly harmful to the inner ear or cochlea. Being exposed to loud noises for a long period of time increases one’s risk of hearing loss because the hair cells in the ear can become damaged or broken.
Once these hair cells get damaged, there’s no way to reverse it. Hearing loss worsens as the exposure continues.
A one-time exposure to extremely loud sounds can also cause hearing loss. Detrimental effects can continue even after noise exposure has ceased.
This is why using hearing protection is very important because once the inner ear or auditory neural system is damaged, the effects are generally permanent.
Hearing loss is categorized into three basic categories: conductive, sensorineural/sudden, and mixed.
In conductive hearing loss, the outer or middle ear is affected as the sound waves are not able to travel to the inner ear. Possible causes include:
In some cases, conductive hearing loss can be reversed through surgical or medical intervention. This condition is common in pediatric patients who have recurrent ear infections.
Sensorineural hearing loss affects the inner ear or the actual hearing nerve itself. This occurs when the hair cells of the cochlea are broken or damaged.
This is the most common type of hearing problem and can be caused by aging, disease, exposure to loud noise, certain drugs (ototoxic drugs), or an inherited condition. Unlike conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss is not medically or surgically treatable. However, most people diagnosed with this type of hearing problem find hearing aids to be greatly beneficial.
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) may literally happen suddenly or over the course of a few days. For cases like SSHL, it is essential to seek professional help immediately. A delay in treating SSHL lowers the chances of medications successfully treating the condition.
In some cases, people can experience a combination of both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. Usually, mixed hearing loss starts as sensorineural and develops into conductive hearing loss along the way.
You may lose your hearing suddenly or gradually. Below are some symptoms that you need to take note of:
Loss of hearing is primarily caused by damage to the hairs and nerve cells in the inner ear. Other causes include:
Impacted earwax
Earwax can block the ear canal and prevent the conduction of sound waves. If the hearing loss is caused by impacted earwax, earwax removal can help improve or restore hearing.
Ruptured eardrum (tympanic membrane perforation)
Poking the eardrum, loud blasts of noise, infection, and sudden changes in pressure can trigger the rupture of your eardrum which can lead to hearing loss.
Outer ear infection and middle ear disorder
Recurrent or chronic ear infections that involve fluid in the middle ear may lead to hearing loss. Incurring permanent damage, scarring, or perforation to the middle ear structures or the eardrum may significantly damage the auditory system.
For the past decades, several prominent studies linking hearing loss to many disabling conditions have surfaced. Such conditions include clinical depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, falls/accidents, heart disease, and many more.
Looking at the bigger picture, the loss of hearing itself is a comorbidity that can be linked to other comorbidities. Aside from the conditions noted above, other comorbidities linked to hearing loss include rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, anemia, kidney disease, psoriasis, and sleep apnea.
Social isolation
Losing one’s hearing abilities increases one’s risk of social isolation. As loss of hearing progresses and becomes more challenging, hearing-impaired people avoid social situations, including business or transactional situations where hearing is critical and instead choose to back away from these activities.
Depression
Losing the sense of hearing can leave a person feeling lonely, depressed, or isolated. Exerting effort to hear all day at home, work, or in various social situations can be stressful and tiring.
Untreated hearing loss may be linked to depression and with all the available hearing aid technology today, finding the right hearing solution is more accessible than before.
Falls
Falls and accidents are the leading cause of injuries among the elderly. Not being able to hear properly is one of the many factors of falls, slips, and accidents.
Older people with hearing loss and limited reflexes are very susceptible to falls. Even the mildest degree of hearing loss increases an elderly person’s risk up to three times. Using the appropriate hearing devices can significantly reduce the risks of accidents.
Loss of hearing in the early stages can be hard to detect. However, if you experience active drainage, bleeding from the ear, pain, dizziness, ringing in the ears, sudden or rapid progression of muffled hearing, seek medical attention right away.
If you are in Fort Bend County, TX, Fort Bend Hearing provides professional audiology services to address hearing loss and other hearing concerns.
As one of the five major senses, hearing comes naturally as breathing or blinking.
However, once hearing loss is present, the condition could be irreversible. Not to worry though as there are various treatment plans and hearing solutions to help manage loss of hearing.
The point is, as cliche as it may sound, prevention is better than cure. Hence, hearing protection should be a priority, especially for individuals who are constantly exposed to loud noises.
Hearing conservation is essential because it plays a key role in preventing noise-induced hearing injuries that could lead to total or permanent loss of hearing. Audiologists at Fort Bend Hearing do not simply address hearing loss, but are also advocates of hearing protection and conservation.
Why should you address hearing loss?
Hearing loss can make it difficult to communicate with others, which can lead to social isolation and loneliness. It can also make it difficult to participate in activities that require hearing, such as work, school, and hobbies.
In terms of safety, hearing loss can make it difficult to hear important sounds, such as traffic, alarms, and people calling your name. This can increase your risk of accidents and injuries.
Your overall health can also be affected with untreated hearing loss. In fact, untreated hearing loss has been linked to a number of other health problems, including dementia, heart disease, and stroke.
Are you ready to hear better?
Fort Bend Hearing provides comprehensive preventative, diagnostic and rehabilitation hearing services for pediatric and adult patients. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.
A hearing aid is an electronic device, small in size,
Hearing aids are an essential tool for hearing loss since
The goal of a diagnostic hearing evaluation is to establish
Are you ready to hear better?
Fort Bend Hearing provides comprehensive preventative, diagnostic and rehabilitation hearing services for pediatric and adult patients. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.
Best Audiologists for Hearing Loss in Fort Bend County, TX
Addressing hearing loss can help you maintain your health for years to come.
Hearing testing is crucial in discovering the exact type of hearing loss. Through accurate hearing evaluation, the appropriate hearing care solution can be mapped out.
Fort Bend Hearing offers various hearing solutions in many styles, sizes, and technologies.
We offer personalized hearing solutions to address each of our patient’s unique hearing loss.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment!