- SYMPTOMS
OF HEARING LOSS
-
- You should
suspect a hearing loss if you:
- have a family
history of hearing loss
- have been repeatedly
exposed to high noise levels
- are inclined
to believe that "everybody mumbles" or "people
don't speak as clearly as they used to"
- feel growing
nervous tension, irritability or fatigue from the effort to hear
- find yourself
straining to understand conversations and watching people's faces
intently when you are listening
- frequently misunderstand
or need to have things repeated
- increase the
television or radio volume to a point that others complain of
the loudness
- have diabetes;
heart, thyroid, or circulation problems; reoccurring ear infections;
constant ringing in the ears; dizziness; or exposure to ototoxic
drugs or medications
- Types of
Hearing Loss
-
- A number of
conditions can exist that cause a disruption in the hearing process
and lead to hearing loss. The two most common types of hearing
loss are sensori-neural and conductive.
-
- Sensori-Neural
Hearing Loss
-
- Sensori-Neural
(or "nerve" hearing loss) results from damage to the
hair cells, nerve fibers or both in the inner ear. This is the
most common type of hearing loss and is often caused by aging
or prolonged exposure to noise. It also can be caused by high
fever, birth defects and certain drugs. People with sensori-neural
hearing loss can hear speech, but frequently have difficulty
understanding it. The problem is usually compounded when background
noise is present. Sensori-neural hearing loss is most commonly
treated by the use of a hearing instrument, and generally cannot
be corrected through surgery or medicine.
-
- Conductive
Hearing Loss
-
- Conductive hearing
loss typically involves an obstruction in the outer or middle
ear, which reduces transmission of sound vibration through air,
bone or tissue to the inner ear. Fortunately, many conductive
hearing losses can be treated successfully by medical or surgical
procedures. Hearing instruments can also successfully treat conductive
hearing loss.
-
- Persons with
both conductive and sensori-neural hearing loss are commonly
referred to as having mixed hearing loss. Most of these cases
can be helped by either a hearing instrument or surgery.
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