What causes hearing loss?
Many people associate hearing loss with ageing but in fact that is only one of the many causes. Statistics have shown that on average around one in three adults begin to experience hearing problems after the age of sixty, although it does vary, but some young people as low as the age of sixteen could also experience hearing problems.
Other causes of hearing aid other than ageing also include matters such as ear infections, exposure to noise, head or ear trauma, genetic conditions/syndromes, medications that are toxic to the auditory system and also diseases.
Types of hearing loss
There are three main types of hearing loss and a brief description of each is given below;
Conductive hearing loss
This occurs when sound is not being efficiently processed through the ear canal to the small bones of the middle ear.
Sensorineural hearing loss
This is when there is damage to the inner ear or to the auditory nerve.
Mixed hearing loss
This is a combination of both conductive and sensorineural loss and therefore affecting both the outer/middle and inner ear.
Causes of Conductive hearing loss include, impacted earwax, collection of fluid in the middle ear, middle and outer ear infections, presence of a foreign body, just to mention a few. Whilst Sensorineural hearing loss include, age-related hearing loss, exposure to a lot of noise, viral infections of the inner ear, diseases such as multiple sclerosis and furthermore.
Diagnosing hearing loss
Should you feel any symptoms of hearing loss you are advised to visit your local GP or Audiologist for a diagnosis. They will then advise on the appropriate treatment for your hearing loss depending on its cause.
An Audiologist or Hearing Aid Dispenser will also be able give you more information about the specific types of hearing aid and which is suitable for your hearing loss.
Analogue vs. digital hearing aids
You will usually hear hearing aids being described as either analogue or digital hearing aids. They differ in terms of the way they work and also how they process sound.
Main differences;
Analogue Hearing Aids
Sounds are converted into electrical signals, which are then amplified then passed to the earphone on the hearing aid.
Some may be programmable for different environments
Usually cheaper in comparison with Digital hearing aids.
Make sounds louder but may not discriminate between them
Digital Hearing aids
Sounds are converted into digital signals (data), which are then processed by a tiny computer
Can be programmed to suit each person’s hearing loss
Suppress background noise so that speech is easier to hear and understand especially in noisy environments
Usually more expensive as compared to analogue hearing aids.
Whilst digital aids may offer the latest technology, they may neither be suitable nor the solution for everyone. People must at all times compare hearing aids and find the one that best suits there hearing loss and is also comfortable to wear; as some people still prefer analogue hearing aids.