More than 48 million Americans have hearing loss of some degree. Loss occurs when any part of the auditory system that includes the ear, auditory nerve or brain is not working properly. It can be mild to profound deafness and affects all age groups. Depending on the cause and type of loss, it may be permanent.
More than 48 million Americans have hearing loss of some degree
The three types of hearing loss are conductive, sensorineural and mixed. Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound cannot be conducted through any part of the hearing system. Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the inner ear or nerve pathways that sense sound and send it the brain. Mixed hearing loss is a combination of both conductive and sensorineural loss.
Hearing loss is caused by various factors. Conductive loss can be caused by fluid in the middle ear from colds, ear infections, allergies or impacted earwax. Sensorineural loss can be caused by exposure to loud noise, illness, certain drugs, genetics, age or head trauma.
In adults, signs of hearing loss include trouble hearing in noisy places, asking people to repeat themselves, turning up the volume on TV or music louder than others need it, and hearing a ringing in one or both ears. In children, signs of loss can range from not responding to sounds in infants to delayed speech in toddlers.
If you or someone you care for is showing signs of hearing loss, the first step is getting a hearing test. Whether the loss is permanent or temporary, a hearing test and audiological evaluation will narrow options for treatments. Please contact our office at (818) 859-7730 to schedule an appointment for a hearing test.
