What is Hearing Loss?
Hearing loss occurs when an individual is unable to hear a full range of high-pitched and low-pitched sounds. According to American Hearing Aid Associates, an estimated 28 million people in America suffer from some degree of hearing loss. There are three common types of hearing loss: • Conductive hearing loss occurs when damage to the middle or outer ear prevents incoming sound waves from reaching the inner ear. Individuals with conductive hearing loss experience a muting of sounds in all frequencies. Certain medications or surgery can be used to treat this type of hearing loss; however, if left untreated, conductive hearing loss can lead to permanent hearing impairment. • Sensorineural hearing loss, also called nerve deafness, occurs when the inner ear or acoustic nerve becomes damaged, making it difficult to hear sounds and understand speech. Sensorineural hearing loss is not only the most common type of hearing loss, but it is also permanent. The only treatment that exists for this
The term “hearing loss” is used when audiometric tests demonstrate a child is not responding to sounds which are established as normal hearing levels. Hearing loss does not necessarily mean a complete inability to hear. There are degrees of hearing loss, referred to as: mild, moderate, severe and profound. Sometimes mild hearing loss may go unnoticed, while severe and profound hearing loss makes it impossible for a child to develop speech and language skills without help. What Does a Hearing Test Show? A baby who does not pass the infant screening, or a child for whom there is special concern about hearing or speech development, should have a comprehensive audiological evaluation conducted by an audiologist, preferably one with expertise in pediatric testing. The hearing test results are charted on an audiogram, which documents two important types of information: frequency (the ability to hear a range of sounds from low pitch sounds like bass drums to high pitch sounds like whistles or
Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting older adults. One in three people older than 60 years of age and half of those older than 85 years of age have hearing loss. Hearing problems can make it hard to understand and follow a doctor’s advice, to respond to warnings, and to hear doorbells and alarms. They can also make it hard to enjoy talking with friends and family. All of this can be frustrating, embarrassing, and even dangerous.
