Hearing Loss
Nearly 1 in 5 people have some degree of hearing loss in one or both ears. One of the most common medical conditions, hearing loss affects 15-20% of adults. Impairment to hearing typically happens gradually so it can take some time to notice the changes your auditory system is experiencing. Because of this, people who could often benefit from hearing solutions delay seeking treatment.
At Gold Canyon Hearing our priority is providing individualized care that leads to life-changing benefits. By being aware of hearing loss, its challenges, and focusing on effective solutions, your health outcomes can drastically improve. Hearing loss is manageable and hearing capacity can be maximized, allowing you to navigate daily life with greater ease.
Understanding Hearing Loss
There are three main types of hearing loss: sensorineural, conductive, and mixed hearing loss.
Sensorineural: is the most common form of hearing loss, accounting for 90% of the hearing loss that people experience. It occurs when the hair cells, or nerves in the inner ear are damaged.
Conductive: less common and often temporary, impacting 10% of people with impaired hearing. Conductive hearing loss describes the sound being obstructed and prevented from traveling from the outer to inner ear.
Mixed: refers to a combination of both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.
Causes of Hearing Loss
Hearing Loss Symptoms
Being able to recognize the signs of hearing loss is an incredibly helpful way to intervene early to address changes you are experiencing. Early detection and treatment can help you transition into better hearing health sooner!
Hearing loss reduces a person’s ability to understand speech and process sound. This produces a range of symptoms including:
- Tinnitus which is a buzzing or ringing like noise in one or both ears
- Increasing the volume on electronic devices
- Sounds are muffled or slurred
- Difficulty understanding what others are saying and/or identifying individual words
- Asking others to repeat themselves, speak loudly, and/or slowly
- Feeling fatigue after social interactions and conversations
- Needing to move to a quieter area to hear more clearly
- These symptoms can be experienced mildly to profoundly, impacting daily life, health, and wellness.
Effectively Treating Hearing Loss
Treating hearing loss not only alleviates associated symptoms, but has countless benefits including strengthening communication, improving relationships, and enhancing overall health.
Treatment depends on the specific type of hearing loss present. Conductive hearing loss can often be addressed with surgical options or medication. In this case, we are able to make necessary recommendations to an otolaryngologist for further assessment.
The most common treatment for sensorineural hearing loss is hearing aids. These are electronic devices that are designed to absorb, amplify, and process sound, providing significant hearing support. This maximizes hearing capacity across all environments and allows people to hear and understand much more easily.
Similar to most electronic devices today, hearing aids have experienced exciting innovations. There is a wide range of options, styles, features, and technologies that enhance user experience while providing ample hearing support. Hearing aids improve both hearing health and cognitive abilities which have far-reaching effects on all aspects of life.
