I’m Not Hearing! What Could it Be?

Even a mild hearing loss can affect our day-to-day. Untreated, hearing loss can result in withdrawal from social situations, irritability, self-criticism, impaired memory, depression, fatigue, less alertness to the environment and reduced overall psychological health.   You should have your hearing checked once a year, or immediately if you or your loved ones notice changes in your hearing and understanding. 

Different kinds of hearing loss:

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

• Occurs when there is damage to the cochlea (inner ear) or to the nerve pathways from the cochlea to the brain.
• Generally cannot be surgically or medically corrected.
• Most common type of permanent hearing loss.
• Reduces the ability to hear faint sound, resulting in speech being unclear or sounding muffled.

Possible Causes for Sensorineural Hearing Loss

• Age – known as Presbycusis or nerve damage. This is a very gradual, even unnoticeable loss. It usually occurs in the higher frequency range vital to understanding speech.
• Noise Damage- Exposure to firearms, industrial or home machinery and loud musical concerts. Can be caused by even a single incident. Prolong exposure to loud noise can cause permanent hearing loss.
• Disease/Trauma- Meniere’s Disease (which may also be accompanied by vertigo, nausea and tinnitus), tumours, birth injury, skull fractures and some viral infections.
• Medication-Large doses of aspirin, some forms of antibiotics, diuretics and chemotherapy can cause hearing loss.
• Genetic or hereditary- hearing loss can run in your family.

Conductive Hearing Loss

• Occurs when conditions interfere with the conduction of sound through the outer, middle or inner ear.
• Usually involves a reduction in sound level or the ability to hear faint sounds.
• May be treatable medically or surgically.

Possible Causes for Conductive Hearing Loss

• Fluid in the middle ear from colds or allergy
• Ear infections
• Poor Eustachian tube function
• Perforated Tympanic membrane (eardrum)
• Benign tumours
• Impacted cerumen (earwax)
• External otitis (infection of the ear canal)
• Otitis ecxterna (swimmer’s ear)
• Presence of a foreign body in the canal
• Absence or malformation of the outer ear, ear canal or middle ear

Mixed Hearing Loss

• Sometimes occurs in combination with a sensorineural hearing loss. In other words, there may be damage in the outer or middle ear and in the inner ear (cochlea) or auditory nerve.

Have you had your hearing checked? Count on us to listen and find a solution to your hearing issues.

Contact Living Sounds Hearing Centre today!

Cathy Robinson BC-HIS
Board Certified in Hearing Instruments Sciences
Registered Hearing Aid Practitioner