Studies reveal that about 15% of people above 18 years in the United States have a level of hearing loss. Further research shows that in the US, for those between the age range of 65 to 75, about one-third experience some amount of hearing loss. Hearing loss could affect only the inner ear or the outer ear, or in some cases, both. Are you wondering how you can tell whether you’re losing your hearing? This article should help.
What is hearing loss?
Hearing loss involves not being able to hear sounds partially or completely. Some instances of hearing loss may make it difficult to hold conversations when there is a lot of background noise, whilst some more severe conditions may require an advanced ear aid. In that case, top doctors at hearing clinics such as Hearing Health USA are available to provide further awareness of your condition’s severity while offering extensive and quality hearing healthcare.
Several hearing aid brands can provide you with a free online hearing test as well as different types of hearing aids, based on the severity of your hearing loss as well as your personal preferences. These brands are readily available under Hearing Health USA, which is currently the largest group of hearing health clinics that place a premium on providing hearing solutions based on your specific situation and preference.
The difference between hearing loss and deafness lies in the degree or type of hearing loss. Hearing loss minimizes your ability to hear sounds as clearly as other people, but deafness affects your ability to understand speech, even when there is amplification. In the case of profound deafness, the ears aren’t able to hear at all.
Causes of Hearing Loss
One may develop hearing loss due to several factors, including accidents, health conditions such as diabetes and some forms of cancer, some medical treatments, ear infections, from birth, old age, and exposure to situations like constant excessive noise and even second-hand smoking. These factors can cause extensive damage to the eardrum, which is found in the inner ear.
Depending on the severity of the loss, you may have to go for a hearing test and eventually invest in assistive listening devices. How can you tell whether you need to visit a medical expert to make an informed decision? Below are some symptoms of hearing loss.
Symptoms of Hearing Loss
Symptoms of hearing loss may become more pronounced over time. These symptoms include:
- Having to ask people to repeat themselves with phrases such as “What did you say?” “Pardon,” and “Can you repeat that?”
- Speaking in a louder voice than usual because you may not hear your own voice as well as you should.
- Having difficulty in hearing properly during phone calls.
- A constant ringing sound in your ear.
- Often wanting to increase the volume of your radio or TV.
- A sudden loss of hearing in one ear or the other.
If not well understood by those around you, these symptoms could lead to miscommunication and loneliness. But thankfully, companies such as MediFind help you and your loved ones to gain a better understanding of the causes of these symptoms and which medical treatment will be suitable for you.
In these times where there is so much medical knowledge, MediFind helps you make sense of this information to help you make an informed decision. Now you don’t have to worry about missing out on the best treatment or clinical tests available on the market.
How can you deal with these symptoms?
Effectively dealing with these symptoms is vital to prevent further damage. This requires research and a visit to the right medical experts. Thanks to the advancement in technology, there are many ways by which you can deal with these symptoms and hearing loss. Having the right care team also positions you to know more about the type of hearing aid that works best for you and any treatment protocols you may have to go through.
To avoid further hearing loss in general, make it a point to wear items that protect your ears from harsh conditions, also test your hearing regularly, and avoid placing any objects in your ear.
