Understanding Hearing Loss

Many people that start looking for Audiologists or Hearing Aid Practitioners to help them with their hearing problem might be doing it reluctantly. By the time they admit they might have hearing loss, they have probably gone through several months of not hearing correctly and maybe longer. Of course, there is birth defect hearing loss, but many people start experiencing hearing loss because of long exposure to excessive noise levels, or single incidences of an extremely loud noise. The most common hearing loss comes as we age, however.


Many adults are unwilling to acknowledge it is time to go see Audiologists, but yet they will go get glasses when their eyesight starts to go. Of course, glasses can be more affordable than getting hearing aids because today's hearing aids are like miniature computers, but there are affordable models that start at around $1,000 per ear and there are payments available.

When it comes to most people, hearing loss that comes with aging is harder for them to notice because it is a more gradual process than those that are exposed to a single loud explosion, for example. Often, they have to turn up the television louder, they start talking louder and they say, "what?" a lot more often. Hearing loss can be dangerous in some cases, so it is important that you see an Audiologist as soon as possible, once it is discovered.

To understand hearing loss, it is important to understand that there are a number of processes involved for you to hear a sound. The outer hear will capture the sound, send it down the canal into the inner ear and the small bones in the ear, including the eardrum and cochlea chamber, will vibrate the sound through a series of micro hairs and fluid that fills the chamber.

This is before the signal is sent through the nervous system to the brain where the sound is recognized. This entire process happens in a split second and there are a number of parts involved, which can stop working efficiently as we get older. The problem with waiting to improve your hearing is that it can cause additional strain on the other parts and the hearing problem can get worse.

What it comes down to for most people is that glasses can be a fashion accessory, but hearing aids have not been traditionally known for that trait. That is no longer the case; in fact, they now make some of the out-of-the-ear hearing aids in bright neon colors or fashionable patterns like zebra pattern. Of course, not all hearing aids have to be worn out of the ear. You can get ones that are worn in the canal, in the rim of the ear and several models that feature a combination, including out-of-the-ear hearing aids.

The best thing to do is talk with your hearing aid practitioner to see what the best option is for your type of hearing loss. Since not all hearing losses are the same, it can be a matter of individual testing and choice. Hearing is a sense that you don't want to lose any more than sight, so it is important that you take care of your hearing and get hearing aids as soon as you recognize a problem.