Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is a common condition. In the UK one in seven adults has a significant hearing loss. 55% of people over the age of 60 years and 93% of people over 80 have some degree of hearing loss. It is often due to the natural ageing process but it can also be caused by exposure to loud noise, illness in birth or childhood, hereditary problems, the toxic effects of some medicines, injury or trauma, and fluid, infection or middle ear problems. In some cases it can be a combination of these.

Hearing aids for the deaf and hearing impaired have developed a lot in recent years, becoming a lot smaller and unobtrusive than in previous years. The idea that hearing aids have to be ungainly and intrusive is a thing of the past, as recent advances in technology and production techniques have allowed size to be reduced considerably and clear, discreet materials to be used more widely.

Types of Deafness

Conductive Hearing Loss

If the cause of the hearing loss is in the outer or middle ear, it may create problems with the transmission (or conduction) of sound through the ear canal and middle ear. This kind of hearing loss is called a conductive hearing loss. A conductive hearing loss may be caused by wax, fluid, infection or problems with the bones in the middle ear and can often be treated.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

If the hearing loss occurs in the inner ear as it does with age related hearing loss then the problem occurs where the sound wave is translated into an electrical signal or in the transmission of the signal along the hearing nerve to the brain. This is known as a sensorineural hearing loss.

Mixed Hearing Loss

A mixed hearing loss is a combination of these two types of hearing loss.

The Effects of Hearing Loss

Whatever the cause, hearing loss can make it difficult to hear when there is background noise such as in public places, social settings, or the work place. Difficulty hearing the doorbell, telephone and TV or radio can also be a problem. Sometimes the misunderstanding of speech in our communication with others can greatly affect our lives and may create a loss of self-confidence.