Facts About Hearing Loss from Vernon, BC Audiologists

If you have ever wanted to separate the myths from the facts regarding hearing loss, your Vernon, BC audiologist urges you to read through the following article. Too often, individuals who are losing their hearing fail to make an appointment with an audiologist because of fear, misunderstanding, or lack of knowledge.

The truth is, over half a billion people worldwide suffer from some degree of hearing loss. The older you get, the greater your chances of losing your hearing to some extent, but you may be surprised to realise that the age group of 45 to 64 actually suffer from this problem more frequently. Much of it can be attributed to the increased amount of noise-making devices and electronics we are constantly being exposed to, from iPods to traffic to machinery. Hearing loss cannot be “fixed”, but it can be treated through any number of sophisticated devices on the market today available through a Vernon, BC audiologist.

Kinds of Hearing Loss

There are three different kinds of hearing loss that can affect an individual.

Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage to the inner ear. This damage can be the result of excessive noise, an infection, aging, or damage to the nervous system or auditory nerve.

Conductive hearing loss is a more temporary problem from a build-up of fluid or wax behind the eardrum.

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A Mixed hearing loss is a combination of both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.

Hearing Loss Causes

There are any number of things which may cause a loss of hearing.

*Noise: Excessive and repeated exposure to loud noises is perhaps the most common.
*Age: As we get older, our organs tend to deteriorate, and the ear is no different.
*Illness: Some illnesses, such as mumps, measles, meningitis, and Meniere’s syndrome could also be at fault.
*Infection: Infections in the ear as the result of viruses or allergies sometimes cause otitis media.
*Medications: Taking large doses of aspirin, diuretics or others have been known to affect hearing.
*Damage: Perforations to the eardrum from foreign objects or the change in pressure experienced when flying or scuba diving are likely to cause a loss of hearing.
*Genetics: Sometimes genetics can also play a role in hearing loss.
*Wax: Excessive wax build-up is easily treated in a doctor’s office and is a very common form of slight hearing loss.

Symptoms

If you are experiencing any of the following conditions, you may need to visit an audiologist in Vernon, BC to get a diagnostic and options for treatment:

*Difficulty understanding conversation at normal levels of speech
*Avoiding social situations because of the inability to understand
*High-pitched voices are hard to hear
*Inability to hear voices over the phone
*Favouring one ear when listening
*Ringing sensation in either or both ears
*Others telling you they have noticed a problem in your hearing ability

As you can see, in some cases a Vernon, BC audiologist may need to only clean your ears in order for you to once again enjoy the full scope of hearing. In other instances, it may be necessary to be fitted with a hearing aid. Either way, it is always best to seek the help of a professional so you can go back to living a full life and hearing everything being said.