Select the question from the list below and click on it for the answer.

  1. Am I a candidate for hearing instruments?
  2. What are the signs of hearing loss?
  3. Can hearing loss affect mental well-being?
  4. What causes ringing/noises in the ears?
  5. How do I hear?
  6. What are the types of hearing loss?
  7. What if I have hearing loss and do not receive treatment for it?
  8. What is the progression of hearing loss and what are the implications?

1. Am I a candidate for hearing instruments and what are the signs of hearing loss?

Almost anyone who is experiencing difficulty with communication due to hearing loss is a candidate for hearing instruments. There are some hearing losses that can be medically treated without a need for amplification (hearing aids). However, that is typically the exception and not the rule. The good news is there are usually warning signs that there is a possible hearing loss.

2. What are the signs of hearing loss?

  • Do you feel that people mumble and do not speak clearly?
    • Do you understand some people better than others?
    • Do you frequently ask people to speak up or repeat themselves?
    • Do you have difficulty understanding on the phone?
    • Do you find it difficult to follow a conversation in a crowded room or with background noise?
    • Do you turn the volume of the television or radio up louder than is comfortable for others?
    • Do you find it difficult to hear in public places, such as an auditorium or church?
    • Do family and friends comment on your inability to hear?
    • Do you ever concentrate to listen so hard that you become fatigued?
    • Do you have ringing in your ears?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you may have a hearing loss and should have your hearing evaluated by a hearing professional. It is recommended that everyone have his or her hearing tested annually.

3. Can hearing loss affect mental well-being?

Yes, with a hearing loss, it is difficult to understand speech. What is not sufficiently appreciated is that a patient’s emotional and mental state may also be affected by the disrupted communication patterns caused by hearing loss. A patient with hearing loss is four times as likely to manifest psychological disturbances than a person with normal hearing. There is also evidence that hearing loss can exacerbate the behavioral picture of patients with Alzheimer’s and other cognitive disorders.

4. What causes ringing/noises in the ears?

Ringing (tinnitus is the technical term) in the absence of stimulating sound from outside the ear can be caused by many things, from fatigue to certain doses of medications such as aspirin. It is believed that the ringing is due to spontaneous activity in the cochlea. The most common cause of tinnitus is hearing loss, and in particular sensorineural hearing loss. This is probably because patients with sensorineural hearing loss have some damage in the cochlea that is causing the hearing loss. It is these damaged sections that are presumed to be producing the spontaneous activity that leads a patient to hear sounds in their ear.

5. How do I hear?

Sound is vibration that travels through a medium, typically the air. When these vibrations reach the outer ear, this is the beginning of hearing. The ear has four main parts that sound must travel through for you to hear: the outer ear, the middle ear, the inner ear, and beyond the inner ear that includes the VIIIth nerve and the brain.

6. What are the types of hearing loss?

There are three types of hearing loss:

  • Conductive
    • Sensorineural
    • Mixed

7. What if I have hearing loss and do not receive treatment for it?

If you have a hearing loss that is caused by a medically treatable problem, the problem could get worse over time without treatment. Studies show that untreated hearing loss is linked to depression, short term memory loss, confusion, and even dementia.   Hearing loss also increases your overall risk to safety, with research indicating a higher frequency of falling and inability to hear important sounds such as traffic and warning signals.  People who seek treatment for hearing loss enjoy an improved quality of life and are far more likely to stay involved and connected with friends and family.

We also know that the longer hearing loss goes untreated, the longer it takes to adjust to a new world of sound.   Sooner is much better than later!

8. What is the progression of hearing loss?

The progression of hearing loss in most cases is a subtle one from a small amount of hearing loss to greater and greater loss. The implications vary depending on the degree of hearing loss.

  1. Borderline/Normal Hearing
  2. Mild Hearing Loss
  3. Moderate Hearing Loss
  4. Severe Hearing Loss
  5. Profound Hearing Loss