Can Hearing Loss Be Cured?

Hearing loss is a permanent condition; it cannot be cured, but it can be treated. It is important to acknowledge the reality that is a hearing problem. Just acknowledging your hearing problem can solve many of your problems. It aids your mental health greatly. More often than not, people have trouble admitting their hearing issues and the fact that they may require assistance in hearing. Today hearing aids come in all sorts of sizes and advancement where they change their frequency according to the surroundings. Untreated hearing loss can result in difficulty in communication, which can lead to social isolation and anxiety.

Understanding Hearing Loss

There are three different types of hearing loss

Auditory Processing Disorders

These occur when the brain fails to process the information carried by the sound. This creates difficulties in understanding what the other person is saying and figuring out the source of the sound.

Conductive Hearing Loss

Conductive Hearing loss is a type of hearing problem that occurs due to the outer or the middle ear’s interference in passing the sound to the inner ear. This can be a consequence of too much ear wax or an ear infection, a punctured eardrum, abnormal bone growth, or maybe even fluid buildup. This type is common among children and the more ethnic population. This can be treated by hearing aids or by surgery.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Sensorineural Hearing loss is a type that is largely related to the hearing organ Cochlea or the auditory nerve, which malfunctions. It fails to accurately send the electrical signals to the brain. This type is mostly permanent. It can be genetic or caused by old age and certain other chemicals and medications. Hearing loss treatment for this type includes Cochlear implants and hearing devices.

Treatment Options

The most difficult step is to accept that you need external help to overcome your hearing loss. Hearing loss treatment isn’t just for older people, and they have become incredibly advanced and sophisticated. They are even more resistant to malfunctioning too. The contemporary hearing aids are almost invisible to their in-ear technology. Many of these now come with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings that offer a wide range of depth of sounds and allow you to easily adjust the volume.

Hearing Solutions

The three main types of hearing aid technologies are:

Digital Programmable

These are digitized sound processing. It converts sound waves into digital signals. It consists of a computer chip that decides whether a sound contains information or not. The DSP then changes the sound to give you a clear, loud signal. These hearing assistance devices adjust on their own and can change their settings to meet your requirements.

Conventional Analog

These are not as adjustable as the above category. The audiologist preset the device according to your own configuration, which is a result of your hearing test. The device works like an amplifier, which increases the volume of the sounds, including the speech and other noises. There are not many settings available manually, and it works all the time. This is the most basic type.

Analog programmable

These have a microchip installed in them that lets your audiologist program the aid for various needs. One of these settings is for a quiet room, another for a noisy one. These types of aids are a mix of all the other types of hearing loss treatment available.

Benefits of Treating Hearing Loss

Treating hearing problems can work to a great advantage for an individual. In fact, according to research, it increases their earning power. According to the Better Hearing Institute, untreated hearing loss can decrease the annual earning of a person by $30,000. Researchers also found out that increasing hearing ability can decrease atrophy. It concludes that the treatment of hearing loss results in a slow cognitive decline. It was also found that people who wear aids tend to enjoy a better lifestyle than many of those who remain unaware of the issue.

Orange County Physicians’ Hearing Services

It is important that you get your hearing test if you feel like you have trouble understanding speech. Although there is no cure available, there are trusted treatments that can help improve the situation so that you don’t have to compromise on the many opportunities life has to offer.

If you’ve noticed changes in your hearing and are struggling with communication, contact us today. We provide comprehensive hearing health services and we’re here to help!