"Before I got my new hearing aids, I was missing out on so much. Teresa and her staff helped me get a big part of my life back. Thank you, Coastal Hearing Solutions!" John Singletary  |
Facts About Hearing Loss
It used to be that people were hesitant to realize a hearing loss or to do anything about it. It was simply considered one of the signs of aging. But nowadays, we understand more about the nature of different types of hearing loss. We have much better ways of preventing hearing problems — and of treating them if they do occur — so we’re simply unwilling to accept hearing loss as an unavoidable part of growing older. We’re all living longer, more active lives, and we demand the best tools to help us do so. That’s where Coastal Hearing Solutions comes in.
We want to help you live a full, dynamic life, and we realize the importance of good hearing in this quest. We want you to be able to fully enjoy your favorite music, to catch the best lines in a good movie, and to laugh with your family at all the funny little in-jokes that loved ones share — without having to repeatedly ask, “What did you say?”
To help you educate yourself about hearing loss and hearing loss prevention, we offer the following information.
Prevalence of Hearing Loss in the U.S.
The Impact of Hearing Loss
Signs of Hearing Loss
The Hearing Process
Types of Hearing Loss
Causes of Hearing Loss
Tinnitus
Hearing Loss Simulator
Untreated hearing loss has been linked to:
- irritability, negativism and anger
- fatigue, tension, stress and depression
- avoidance or withdrawal from social situations
- social rejection and loneliness
- reduced alertness and increased risk to personal safety
- impaired memory and ability to learn new tasks
- reduced job performance and earning power
- diminished psychological and overall health
- You frequently ask people to repeat things.
- You have difficulty following conversations involving more than 2 people.
- You think that other people frequently sound like they're mumbling.
- You have difficulty hearing in noisy environments, like restaurants, malls, or crowded meeting rooms.
- You have trouble hearing higher-pitched voices, like those of children and women.
- Others have often remarked that you have your TV or radio turned up to a high volume.
- You answer or respond inappropriately in conversations.
- You have ringing in your ears.
- You tend to read lips or more intently watch people's faces when they speaking.
The outer ear consists of both the pinna (your external ears), which collect sound waves and direct them through the ear canal to the eardrum. (PICTURE, if desired)
In the middle ear, those sound waves are turned into mechanical energy by your eardrum (tympanic membrane). That energy vibrates through three tiny bones (or ossicles) called the hammer (malleus), the anvil (incus), and the stirrup (stapes). (PICTURE, if desired)
In the inner ear, a spiral, fluid-filled structure called the cochlea transforms the vibrations into nerve impulses. The impulses are then carried to the brain through the auditory nerve. (PICTURE, if desired)
There are many places along the way for the original message to become distorted. It’s sort of like playing a game of “Telephone” where a message, passed around the room from one person to the next, is often something completely different by the time it gets to the last person in the line!
- Conductive hearing loss: caused by blocking or impeding the conveyance of sound as it travels through the middle ear. The sound that reaches the cochlea is reduced in intensity (loudness) as a result. Usually, conductive hearing loss can be treated with a complete or partial improvement in hearing.
- Sensorineural hearing loss: usually caused by inner ear or auditory nerve dysfunction. Like conductive hearing loss, sensorineural loss is also a reduction in the intensity of sound, but additionally, there may be a lack of clarity even when sounds, particularly speech, are loud enough. This type of hearing loss is often irreversible and permanent, but it can be treated by amplification through hearing aids.
- Mixed hearing loss: a mixture of both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. If caution is exercised, hearing aids can be beneficial for people with this condition.
- Aging
- Excessive noise
- Infections
- Head injuries
- Genetic or birth defects
- Reaction to drugs or cancer treatments
Some of the causes of tinnitus include:
- Cerumen (wax) buildup or obstructions in the ear canal.
- A perforated eardrum (or fluid accumulation behind it)
- Otosclerosis (when the stirrup bone becomes fixed)
- Ear infections
- Exposure to a sudden loud noise or repeated exposure to noise
- A trauma to the head or neck (i.e. concussion or whiplash)
- Some medications
- High or low blood pressure
- Anemia
While many causes are tinnitus are easily treatable, it can be symptomatic of a more serious condition. We would encourage anyone suffering from tinnitus to contact us for a free hearing evaluation. If an ear doctor is necessary, we will refer you to one immediately.