10 Signs and Symptoms of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss can develop at any age and may be caused by many different factors.  Did you know that there are three types of hearing loss?

Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when the inner ear or the hearing nerve itself becomes damaged. This is the most common type of hearing loss and is a result of aging, exposure to loud noise, injury, disease, ototoxic drugs, or an inherited condition. Although this type is not medically or surgically treatable, most people benefit from the use of hearing aids.

Conductive hearing loss occurs in the outer or middle ear, where sound waves are not able to carry all the way through to the inner ear. Often sound is blocked by earwax or a foreign object in the ear canal. The middle ear may also be impacted by fluid and infection, or the eardrum may be injured. Medical or surgical intervention may reverse conductive hearing loss. Otherwise, hearing aid use is recommended.

Mixed hearing loss is a combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.

How Do You Know You Have Hearing Loss?

Ninety percent of hearing loss occurs because the delicate hair cells in the inner ear are irreparably broken or do not otherwise function properly. This means that the brain is not receiving all of the information it should from the ears, and you can begin to misinterpret what is being said. Although hearing loss varies from person to person, here are the 10 common signs and symptoms of hearing loss:

  1. Difficulty hearing on the telephone
  2. Asking people to repeat themselves often
  3. Difficulty hearing people speaking when there is noise in the background
  4. Difficulty following a conversation when two or more people talk at once
  5. Finding that most people seem to mumble or not speak clearly
  6. Misunderstanding what others say and responding inappropriately
  7. Difficulty understanding the speech of women and children
  8. Turning the TV volume up until people complain it is too loud
  9. Frequently hearing ringing, roaring, or hissing sounds
  10. Finding that some sounds seem too loud or too soft

If you have two or more of these signs or symptoms, you may be missing some of the soundtracks to your life. Accessible Hearing provides assessments, evaluations, treatments, and comprehensive rehabilitative services for children and adults with common and complex auditory conditions. We also provide several hearing aid, implant, and hearing protector fittings and services.

Take the next step to bring hearing back to your life by contacting audiologist Dr. Joe “Tripp” Griffith, III, today at  504-738-4557 to schedule your hearing evaluation.