Impacts of Hearing Loss?
“Blindness separates you from objects, hearing loss separates you from people.”
Hearing loss can occur at any age and can have a huge impact on your quality of life. It can strain relationships as communication becomes more labored. It can impact employment opportunities and your readiness or confidence to participate in social outings. Everything you need to know about hearing loss. There has even been a number of studies that show a link between hearing loss and dementia and how even with mild hearing loss, early intervention can lead to better long-term outcomes.
In summary, hearing loss of all degrees and types affects everyone differently. Although there are many repercussions of hearing loss, the unifying aspect is how it impacts our relationships with the people around us.
What are the Types & Causes of Hearing Loss?
Hearing Loss can be caused by many conditions and can describe as either being sensorineural, conductive or mixed. To find out if you have sensorineural, conductive, or mixed hearing loss, you will require a comprehensive hearing assessment.
Sensorineural
Sensorineural hearing loss is due to damage or wear and tear to the delicate structures inside the cochlear or auditory nerve. With this kind of loss, the problem is permanent and accounts for 90% of all hearing losses. This includes hearing loss due to aging (presbycusis), noise exposure or damage to the outer/inner hair cells within the cochlear. People will often describe that not only volume but clarity is compromised with this hearing loss.
Conductive
Conductive Hearing Losses occur due to complications, blockages or infections in the middle or outer ear (middle ear cavity, ear canal or pinna). It attenuates sound being transferred to the cochlear thus making sounds more dull and soft. These hearing losses are usually temporary if due to earwax or middle ear infections. However, for some pathologies or anatomical abnormalities, the problem can be permanent.
Mixed
It is quite common for a patient to present with both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss. In this case, their hearing loss would be described as a mixed hearing loss.
Causes of Hearing Loss in Adults
- Excessive noise exposure – whether this be industrial (factory or machine noise) or recreational (concerts, overuse of personal listening systems, tools etc.)
- Family history
- Growths in the middle or inner ear
- Congenital
- Ototoxic drugs/medication
- Disease-related
- Middle or Outer ear problems such as Otitis Media (“Glue Ear”), middle ear infections, Otosclerosis, Exostoses or perforations of the eardrum
- Age-related
- Central Auditory Processing Disorder
Possible Causes of Hearing Loss or Listening Difficulties in Children
For children everything you need to know about hearing loss
- Middle ear infections or Glue Ear / Chronic Otitis Media – Approximately 80% of children aged between 24-48 months will suffer from middle ear infections or glue ear
- Central Auditory Processing Disorder
- Family history of hearing loss
- Congenital defects
- Various syndromes
- Excessive noise exposure
If you are concerned about hearing loss, get expert support and advice today. Just call.
Book Now