Have you ever bought one of those “one size fits all” t-shirts only to be disappointed (and shocked) when the shirt doesn’t, in fact, fit as advertised? It’s kind of a bummer, right? The fact is that there’s pretty much nothing in the world that is really a “one size fits all”. That’s not only true with clothing, it’s also true with medical conditions such as hearing loss. There can be numerous reasons why it occurs.
So what causes hearing loss? And what’s the most prevalent kind of hearing loss? Let’s find out!
Hearing loss comes in different forms
Because hearing is such an intricate mental and physical process, no two people’s hearing loss will be exactly the same. Maybe you hear just fine at the office, but not in a crowded restaurant. Or maybe you only have difficulty with high or low-pitched sounds. There are numerous forms that your hearing loss can take.
The underlying cause of your hearing loss will dictate how it manifests. Because your ear is a very complex little organ, there are any number of things that can go wrong.
How does hearing work?
It’s helpful to get an idea of how hearing is supposed to work before we can understand what level of hearing loss requires a hearing aid. Check out this breakdown:
- Outer ear: This is the part of the ear that you can see. It’s the initial sound receiver. Sounds are efficiently funneled into your middle ear for further processing due to the shape of your outer ear.
- Middle ear: The eardrum and a few tiny bones are what your middle ear is composed of (Yes, there are some tiny little bones in there).
- Inner ear: Your stereocilia are found hear. These fragile hairs pick up on vibrations and start translating those vibrations into electrical signals. Your cochlea plays a part in this too. Our brain then receives this electrical energy.
- Auditory nerve: This nerve sends these electrical signals to the brain.
- Auditory system: All of the elements listed above, from your brain to your outer ear, are components of your “auditory system”. It’s important to understand that all of these elements are constantly working together and in unison with one another. Usually, in other words, the entire system will be impacted if any one part has problems.
Hearing loss varieties
There are multiple types of hearing loss because there are multiple parts of the ear. The root cause of your hearing loss will determine which kind of hearing loss you experience.
The prevalent types of hearing loss include:
- Conductive hearing loss: This kind of hearing loss occurs because there’s a blockage somewhere in the auditory system, often in the middle or outer ear. Usually, fluid or inflammation is the cause of this blockage (when you have an ear infection, for instance, this usually occurs). Sometimes, conductive hearing loss can be the result of a growth in the ear canal. When the obstruction is removed, hearing will usually go back to normal.
- Sensorineural hearing loss: When the delicate hairs that detect sound, called stereocilia, are damaged by loud noise they are usually destroyed. Normally, this is a chronic, progressive and permanent form of hearing loss. Usually, individuals are encouraged to use ear protection to avoid this kind of hearing loss. Even though sensorineural hearing loss is irreversible, it can be successfully treated with hearing aids.
- Mixed hearing loss: It occasionally happens that somebody will experience both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss simultaneously. This can sometimes be difficult to treat because the hearing loss is coming from different places.
- Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder: ANSD is a relatively rare condition. When sound isn’t effectively transmitted from your ear to your brain, this type of hearing loss occurs. A device called a cochlear implant is normally used to manage this type of hearing loss.
The desired results are the same even though the treatment option will differ for each type of hearing loss: to improve or preserve your ability to hear.
Variations on hearing loss types
And there’s more. Any of these common kinds of hearing loss can be categorized further (and with more specificity). Here are some examples:
- Unilateral or bilateral hearing loss: It’s possible to experience hearing loss in one ear (unilateral), or in both (bilateral).
- Fluctuating or stable: Fluctuating hearing loss refers to hearing loss that appears and disappears. If your hearing loss remains at roughly the same levels, it’s known as stable.
- Congenital hearing loss: Hearing loss you were born with.
- Progressive or sudden: Hearing loss that slowly gets worse over time is called “progressive”. If your hearing loss arises all at once, it’s known as “sudden”.
- Acquired hearing loss: Hearing loss that develops due to outside forces (such as damage).
- Symmetrical or asymmetrical: This indicates whether your hearing loss is the same in both ears or unequal in both ears.
- Pre-lingual or post-lingual: If your hearing loss developed before you learned to speak, it’s called pre-lingual. Hearing loss is post-lingual when it develops after you learned to speak. This can have ramifications for treatment and adaptation.
- High frequency vs. low frequency: You might have more difficulty hearing high or low-frequency sounds. Your hearing loss can then be classified as one or the other.
If that seems like a lot, it’s because it is. The point is that each categorization helps us more accurately and effectively address your symptoms.
Time to get a hearing test
So how can you tell which of these categories pertains to your hearing loss scenario? Unfortunately, hearing loss isn’t really something you can self-diagnose with much accuracy. It will be hard for you to determine, for instance, whether your cochlea is working correctly.
But you can get a hearing exam to find out precisely what’s going on. It’s like when you have a check engine light on in your car and you take it to a skilled auto technician. We can connect you to a wide range of machines, and help identify what type of hearing loss you’re dealing with.
So contact us as soon as you can and schedule an appointment to find out what’s going on.
References
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hearingloss/types.html
https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/types-of-hearing-loss/
