How Hearing Loss Sneaks Up On You

For most of us, hearing loss is something that happens gradually. It can be hard to tell when you first start losing your hearing. After all, it’s not like you can see your ears getting worse! But there are some telltale signs that your hearing might not be as good as it used to be.

It’s easy to take your sense of hearing for granted. You might not even realize it’s happening, but hearing loss can sneak up on you. As you age, it’s natural for your hearing to change. But there are a lot of other factors that can contribute to hearing loss, too.

While it is a good idea to speak to your hearing instrument specialist if you are concerned about this, we’re going to take a closer look at how hearing loss can happen and what you can do about it in this blog post.

Types of Hearing Loss

There are three main types of hearing loss: conductive, sensorineural and mixed. Conductive hearing loss happens when there is a problem with the ear canal, eardrum or middle ear bones. This type of hearing loss is usually temporary and can be treated with medication or surgery. Sensorineural hearing loss is the more common type of hearing loss.

It happens when there is damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve. This type of hearing loss is usually permanent, but there are treatments that can help make it easier to cope with. Mixed is a combination of conductive and sensorineural.

What Causes Hearing Loss and How to Treat it

There are a lot of different factors that can contribute to hearing loss. Age is the most common cause, but exposure to loud noise, certain medications and underlying health conditions can also play a role. In some cases, hearing loss can be genetic. If you have a family history of deafness or if you were born prematurely, you may be more likely to experience hearing loss later in life.

Fortunately, there are treatments available for both types of hearing loss. Hearing aids are the most common treatment for sensorineural hearing loss. There are a variety of different hearing aid styles available. They amplify sound so that it’s easier to hear. Surgery may also be an option in some cases. For conductive hearing loss, medication or surgery may be able to treat the underlying condition and improve your sense of hearing.

Signs That Hearing Loss May be Sneaking Up on You

At this point, you may also be wondering how hearing loss may be able to sneak up on you and what the symptoms might be? When this is the case, here are a few things to look out for:

Asking People to Repeat Themselves More Often

If you find yourself asking people to repeat themselves more often than you used to, it could be a sign that your hearing isn’t what it used to be. Of course, there are other factors that could contribute to this, such as ambient noise or the person’s speech patterns. But if you notice that you’re having trouble understanding people even when it’s quiet, it’s worth getting your hearing checked out.

Thinking People Are Mumbling More

Again, this is something that can have a number of causes. But if you find yourself thinking that people seem to mumble more than they used to, it might be because you’re having trouble hearing high-frequency sounds. This is a common early symptom of age-related hearing loss.

Ringing in Your Ears After Being Exposed to Loud Noises

If you have ringing in your ears after being exposed to loud noises, it’s important to get checked out by a hearing instrument specialist as soon as possible. This could be a sign of damage to the tiny hair cells in your inner ear. Once these cells are damaged, they don’t grow back, so it’s important to catch the problem early.

Trouble Following Conversations

If you find yourself struggling to follow conversations when there are multiple people talking at once, it could be a sign of hearing loss. Our brains are good at sorting out multiple streams of auditory information, but if we’re having trouble hearing the individual parts, it can be tough to keep up.

Taking Action Today

Hearing loss can happen for a lot of different reasons and it’s not always easy to tell that it’s happening until it’s too late. If you think you might be experiencing hearing loss, don’t wait to seek treatment. There are options available that can help improve your quality of life and make it easier for you to communicate with the people around you.

If you would like to speak to a hearing instrument specialist about hearing loss, learn more about Hear Clear today by calling us at (603) 455-8777.