What Causes Hearing Loss?

Hearing is vital when it comes to making lifelong memories yet some of these adventures may cause damage to the ears resulting in hearing loss. It can be scary to experience hearing loss and it’s best to act fast if you do experience any symptoms. To go through life wondering if you will ever be able to listen to your favorite band again or even the sound of your own voice is a frightening thought to have. Fortunately, with Neosonic hearing aids your mind can be at ease knowing that these hearing aids are not only designed to provide high quality and superior sound but are also 80% less than competitors prices. Here are some ways you can identify if you or a loved one is experiencing hearing loss.

You or a loved one could be experiencing one of three types of hearing loss: sensorineural, conductive or mixed hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is the most common of the three. When the tiny hairs in our ears get damaged from either old age, loud noises, or maybe even a cue tip gone too far, this causes SNHL. It is natural for these tiny hairs to become damaged over time since it does come with aging. Although sensorineural hearing loss is permanent, it can be managed with the use of a hearing aid. 

For us to be able to hear well, sound must enter through the outer ear, traveling through the middle and reaching the inner ear. Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is unable to reach the inner ear because it can’t get through the outer and middle parts. This could be because of fluid in the ear, maybe a birth defect of the middle ear, earwax, or maybe some of that cue tip is stuck in there. Using a hearing aid can help with conductive hearing loss. Medicine or surgery could also be used as treatment if necessary. 

The third type, mixed hearing loss, is when conductive and sensorineural hearing loss occur at the same time. Mixed hearing loss is when there is damage to the outer, middle and inner area of the ear. This type of hearing loss can be caused from the same things as sensorineural and conductive, just at the same time, making it even more difficult to hear. If you have conductive hearing loss due to fluid in the ear and have been to one too many concerts that cause damage to the tiny ears in your hair, this can result in mixed hearing loss. 

What are some causes of hearing loss? 

Two of the number one reasons of what causes hearing loss are due to aging and being over exposed to loud sounds. That’s why our parents always told us to turn the volume down when using headphones. The vibrations from the headphones cause damage to those tiny hairs affecting our ability to hear. These two causes of hearing loss usually happen over time, unless you’re exposed to a very loud explosion or loud noise which could cause sudden hearing loss. 

What causes hearing loss for some may not be the case for others. Problems with your hearing can be hereditary. The middle part of our ear contains tiny bones and when these tiny bones are unable to move this is called otosclerosis, causing a conductive hearing loss. As mentioned earlier, this can be treated with the use of a hearing aid and sometimes surgery. Neosonic offers easy to use hearing aids that are so small you can’t even recognize it. No one wants to be the burden of the house by having their TV on too loud because they’re unable to hear it. Neosonic hearing aids offer several listening modes, speech mode, high noise mode, and low noise mode, to suit whatever environment you’re in. 

Another cause of hearing loss could be due to head trauma. After colliding your head into something, this can cause damage to your eardrum resulting in conductive hearing loss. It’s important to see a doctor immediately if you have experienced a head injury. Those tiny bones we talked about earlier could also become shattered and unable to move causing a more extreme hearing loss. 

Be careful when taking some medications because these too may cause hearing loss. Some medications include chemicals that damage the inner part of your ear. Be sure to consult with a doctor before taking any medication for hearing loss or any other reasons. Make sure to ask your doctor about the side effects of any medications and if they could cause hearing loss. Hearing aids can assist with hearing loss due to medications. 

You may be wondering if ringing of the ear is considered hearing loss. If you experience a piercing ringing noise in your ear this is known as tinnitus. This condition can mess with your hearing but overall it does not cause hearing loss. Damage to the inner ear is what can cause tinnitus and can be treated by having the earwax in your ear removed, surgery or even switching up medications. 

When it comes to hearing, Neosonic wants to provide you with the best technology possible to improve and treat hearing loss. Our small and affordable hearing aids are suitable for all ages and barely noticeable when wearing. Ditch the expensive, heavy hearing aids and switch to Neosonic to start all your new adventures with new and improved hearing.