Can Hearing Loss Be Cured?

If you have recently been diagnosed with hearing loss you are not alone.  It is estimated that 466 million people live with hearing loss across the world. This is a serious condition that can affect all aspects of your life from your personal relationships, mood, work, sense of independence and physical health. The treatment for hearing loss depends on what manner of hearing loss you have. In some cases hearing loss can be reversed but in others you can only treat the symptoms. There are three major types of hearing loss:

Sensorineural hearing loss: Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common type of hearing loss. It is caused when there is damage to the tiny hairs in the inner ear, called cilia, which are responsible for picking up sound waves and sending them to your brain to process. This type of hearing loss is most often caused by the natural breakdown of the cilia from old age or from exposure to harmful levels of noise. Sensorineural hearing loss cannot be reversed but can be treated effectively with hearing aids.

Conductive hearing loss: Conductive hearing loss is caused by an obstruction in your middle or outer ear. This can manifest as an ear infection, impaction of wax, a growth or tumor, a foreign object or a hole in your eardrum. Often it is possible to clear the obstruction to return hearing to its former function, though this is not always the case.

Mixed hearing loss: This type of hearing loss is a combination of both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss. For instance if someone has a loss of cilia in the inner ear but also has an impaction of earwax, this is referred to as mixed hearing loss.

Treating Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Hearing aids: As stated before, sensorineural hearing loss cannot be reversed but it can be treated using hearing aids.  Hearing aids are tiny devices that are worn in or behind your ear, which picks up sound and converts them to electrical signals. These signals are delivered to your ear via an amplifier, which helps you pick up lost sound with your existing hearing. 

Cochlear implants: When sensorineural hearing loss is so severe that hearing aids are not effective a cochlear implant can often help. These tiny devices bypass the damaged part of the ear and directly stimulate the auditory nerve, responsible for sending signals to the brain. 

Treating Conductive Hearing Loss

Because conductive hearing loss is caused by a blockage to the middle or outer ear, sometimes it only takes a doctor to clear the blockage for hearing to return to normal. In cases where there is an excess of wax causing an impaction, an ear infection, a tumor or growth, or something lodged in your ear your ears can be cleared and returned to normal. An excess of wax can be flushed out, an ear infection can usually be cleared using antibiotics, and a medical professional can remove growth and foreign objects.

There are certain conditions that cause conductive hearing loss that are connected to a malformation in the ear such as exostoses, which is the thickening of the bone surrounding the ear canal or ossicular chain discontinuity, which is a separation of the middle ear bones. Sometimes surgery can correct these conditions. If surgery is not a viable option your doctor may recommend hearing aids, bone conduction hearing aids or middle ear implants. Talk to your doctor about which option may be best for you.

Home Remedies

While there are some homeopathic remedies reported to aid in hearing loss it is important to understand how important it is to refrain from ever inserting anything in your ear canal, including cotton swabs. Ideally speak to your doctor before attempting anything that could put your ears at risk. Your ears are extremely fragile and any interference can potentially make a problem worse than before.

Outlook

While not all hearing loss can be cured, most hearing loss can be effectively treated. The first step is to make an appointment to have your hearing checked annually. Hearing loss can often develop slowing over time and become acute before you realize you have ever been living with it. It’s a great practice to maintain regular check ups to make sure you are hearing the best you possibly can.