Hearing loss
Hearing loss is the result of damage to one or multiple parts of the outer, middle or inner ear. Once the hair cells in the inner ear are damaged, permanent sensorineural hearing loss occurs.
How do you know if you’re affected by hearing loss?
The answer isn’t as obvious as you’d think. For many people, hearing loss comes on gradually enough that they continue to think their hearing is fine, even when it’s not.
Symptoms and signs of hearing loss
- Difficulty hearing other people clearly, and misunderstanding what they say, especially in noisy places.
- Asking people to repeat themselves.
- Difficulty hearing women and children’s voices.
- Other people comment that yout TV or radio is too loud.
- Having to concentrate hard to hear what other people are saying, which can be tiring or stressful.
- Ringing sensation int he ears.
It's not always easy to tell if you're losing your hearing. The signs can be slightly different if you only have hearing loss in one ear or if a young child has hearing loss.
Medical cues of hearing loss:
- Exposure to loud sounds over a long period
- Single exposure to explosive noise
- Diabetes, heart, circulatory or thyroid conditions
- Family history of hearing loss
- Medications (ototoxic drugs) that may affect hearing
Hearing loss can have many different causes. For example:
- Exposure to loud sounds over a long period
- Single exposure to explosive noise
- Diabetes, heart, circulatory or thyroid conditions
- Family history of hearing loss
- Medications (ototoxic drugs) that may affect hearing
