audiogram

Signs Of Hearing Loss

Suspect You Have Hearing Loss?

Many people take their hearing for granted. They use it so often that it becomes part of their everyday background, and they process music, voices, city sounds, and more without a second thought. However, sometimes people experience trauma, disease, and other changes that affect their hearing, and they become concerned that they could lose their ability to hear altogether.

If you have these concerns, come to Union Hearing Aid Centre. An audiologist can help you assess your hearing with a test, and this test will tell you if you’ve developed a temporary, degenerative, or permanent condition. Contact us today if you would like to schedule a hearing test at our location in Toronto.

Types of Hearing Loss

There are various causes of hearing loss that affect people of all ages, which makes it important to know the key signs that are associated with each type. Hearing loss can be due to hereditary reasons, certain medications, aging, infections, continuous exposure to excessive noise at work, and even an alarming loud blast or injury can affect the state of your hearing. Without adequate protection for your ears, even certain hobbies can damage one’s hearing with time; these might include hunting, motorcycling, musical events, or skeet shooting.

Conductive Hearing Loss, Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Mixed Hearing Loss, are the three primary types. Distinguishing which part of the auditory system has been damaged will determine the type of hearing loss you’re likely suffering from.

Conductive Hearing Loss

Conductive hearing loss can be both temporary and permanent. Conductive hearing loss is the result of problems with the outer or middle ear which stop the ability for sound to reach the inner ear. There are many possible causes of conductive hearing loss such as ear infections, wax buildups, and fluid buildups. Typically this form of hearing loss is mild to moderate, but in some rare cases, it can cause deafness if untreated.

Additional causes of conductive hearing loss include:

  • Allergies
  • Poor Eustachian tube function
  • Benign tumors
  • Compressed earwax or presence of a foreign body
  • Malformation of outer or middle ear or ear canal
  • Punctured eardrum

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

This form of hearing loss is caused by damage to the inner ear; when the small hair cells that grow on the cochlea are damaged. It is also often called “nerve deafness” and it’s usually permanent. Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common form and is often caused by aging or exposure to excessive noise. Loud noise during sporting events and concerts can contribute to sensorineural hearing loss, as well as listening to music with headphones/earbuds at extremely high volume settings. Sensorineural problems are most often be treated with hearing aids, though other treatment plans such as bone-anchored hearing aids, cochlear implants, and auditory brainstem implants may be recommended in cases of severe hearing loss or profound deafness that can’t be treated using hearing aids

Additional causes of sensorineural hearing loss include:

  • Viral Infection
  • Tumors
  • Medications
  • Disease
  • Trauma
  • Drug use
  • Smoking
  • Genetic factors

Mixed Hearing Loss

Mixed hearing loss is exactly what is sounds like; a combination of both sensorineural and conductive components. Mixed hearing loss occurs when an individual experiences problems with both the inner and middle or outer ear. Causes of mixed hearing loss can vary tremendously. In most cases, the sensorineural hearing loss has already occurred and the conductive hearing loss forms down the road due to something entirely unrelated. While uncommon, sometimes a conductive hearing loss can cause sensorineural hearing loss to develop. The only method of determining the particular cause of mixed hearing loss is through a diagnostic hearing test and evaluation.

Treatment will then be determined based on the cause of the hearing loss, the frequency, and of course the overall severity. Based on these discoveries, treatment may include surgery, medication, and/or hearing aids.

Recognize the Signs of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss rarely occurs without warning. As you monitor your hearing or your loved one’s hearing ability, watch for the following signs:

  • Frequent requests to have words, sentences, or entire comments repeated
  • Careful attention to speakers’ lip movement, or complete dependence on lip reading
  • Misunderstanding of words or phrases
  • Inability to hear children’s or women’s voices
  • Frequent requests to turn the TV or radio volume all the way up
  • Inability to distinguish words or conversations in large groups or noisy environments
  • Difficulty hearing on the telephone
  • Tinnitus, or ringing, clicking, or buzzing in the ears

If you have noticed any of the above signs, you may benefit from a hearing test at our location in Toronto. The test may reveal what caused your hearing loss, and it will help our audiologists create a treatment plan. We can also give you a hearing aid evaluation if necessary.

Give Us a Call

If you would like to learn more about what the Union Hearing Aid Centre can do for you, call us at 416-364-2264 today. We look forward to connecting with you and helping you make your life a little easier.

Please contact our clinic if you have noticed a change in your hearing. It may be time to have your hearing tested.