Hearing Loss Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the different kinds of hearing loss?
- Does earwax cause hearing loss?
- Can I afford a hearing aid?
- Where should I go to have my hearing tested?
- What are the statistics of hearing loss?
- What are some symptoms of hearing loss?
- What symptoms indicate a medical evaluation?
- What is the ringing in my head/ears?
- What are some causes of hearing loss?
- How is hearing loss classified?
- Is there anything I can do to restore my hearing?
- Why do I only have difficulty hearing in crowds?
- Why do I have a difficult time hearing female voices when I can hear male voices easily?
- Who is qualified to conduct a hearing test: a doctor, an audiologist, a hearing instrument specialist, or a technician?
- What is the difference between an audiologist and a hearing instrument specialist?
What are the different kinds of hearing loss?
There are three types of hearing loss: conductive, sensorineural, and mixed hearing loss.
- Conductive hearing loss occurs from loss of sound sensitivity resulting from abnormalities of the middle and/or outer ear. The auditory nerve's function is still normal; the sound is just impeded from getting to the inner ear. This type of loss is common in children with ear infections; once the infection is cleared up, the hearing is restored.
- Sensorineural hearing loss results from abnormalities of the inner ear and/or nerve paths to the brain. The auditory cells and nerve are permanently damaged. This is the type of hearing loss often referred to as "nerve deafness".
- Mixed hearing losses are those that have symptoms of both conductive and sensorineural hearing losses.
Does earwax cause hearing loss?
Earwax or cerumen is an oily, fatty substance that is created to protect the ear canal. Each individual creates different amounts of wax. It is possible for the wax to partially or completely occlude the ear canal. This can result in typically a mild to moderate conductive hearing loss, that once the wax is removed, the hearing is restored. Your AHAA Associate can let you know if you have a wax buildup and how it can be removed.
- Your AHAA Associate can afford you alternative payment plans that will make your hearing aid affordable. Several term plans including some without interest are available.
- Most AHAA Associates carry MasterCard, Visa, or Discover.
- Ask about a possible trade-in for your previous hearing aids.
- AHAA has taken the cost out of buying batteries for the life of your hearing aids through its unique Complete Hearing Health Care® or CHHC.
- AHAA Associates participate with major healthcare plans.
- Hearing aids vary in cost depending on what type (linear, programmable, or digital) and size of hearing aid is selected.
- To determine what is best for you, talk to your AHAA Associate regarding your needs and what you are able to afford. Most AHAA Associates offer a wide range of products to fit each individual's hearing loss and budget.
Where should I go to have my hearing tested?
There are several options. An audiologist is one that specializes in the diagnosis of hearing loss. Audiologists are university-trained and are required to be licensed by the state. Hearing aid dispensers are those that are specifically trained in hearing aids and their function. They are required in most states to be licensed. The Ear, Nose and Throat physician is often visited to deal with hearing losses that are medically treatable. Most hospitals and many universities have an audiology clinic that provides testing.
What are the statistics of hearing loss?
An estimated 28 million people suffer from hearing loss. Hearing loss is present in 3 out of every 10 adults between the ages of 50 and 64 and 4 out of every 10 adults ages 65 and over.
What are some symptoms of hearing loss?
- Others complain you have the television too loud
- You have problems hearing birds or wind
- You have difficulty hearing female voices or children
- You have difficulty hearing in groups
- You find yourself confusing words or making silly mistakes misunderstanding conversations
- Other people, or family members, think you have a hearing loss
What symptoms indicate the need for a medical evaluation?
- Bleeding/draining from your ears
- Head trauma
- Sudden hearing loss
- Balance problems
- Ear pain
- Fluctuating hearing loss
- Ringing in ears
- Feeling of fullness or pressure in ears
What is the ringing in my head/ears?
The ringing sensation that can be detected in your head, or individual ears, is called tinnitus. This ringing is usually an indication of some damage to your auditory system (especially noise damage). It can be constant or periodic and on one specific side or in the middle of your head. There is no magic cure for tinnitus, but there are methods that can help you live with it. Sometimes hearing aids help by bringing more sound to the brain, thus distracting attention from the ringing. If you have ringing consistently on one side, you will want to ask your doctor about it.
What are some causes of hearing loss?
- Noise exposure (military, hunting, music, industrial, racing, power saws, lawn mowers)
- Heredity
- Certain chemotherapy and radiation treatments
- Certain heavy-duty antibiotics
- Head trauma
- Wax
- Ear infections
- Viral infections
How is hearing loss classified?
Your ability to hear is as unique as your fingerprint. No two people have exactly the same hearing impairment.
Hearing loss is classified by several factors: degree, understanding ability, location of loss along the speech frequencies, and type of loss.
Degree: Degree refers to the amount/severity of the hearing loss. Hearing loss is ranked mild (slight difficulty hearing in daily environment), moderate (difficult to hear most sounds in your daily environment), severe (extremely difficult to hear all sounds in daily life) or profound (deaf).
Understanding Ability: Hearing and understanding are different. You may be able to hear sounds but not understand what is being said. Sometimes understanding ability is impaired as a result of a hearing loss. This is usually measured by a percentage of your understanding random words.
Location of Loss along Speech Frequencies: Usually hearing loss does not affect all speech frequencies the same. For example, loud sounds damage hearing ability in the high frequencies. This creates a problem hearing sounds that are high in pitch (i.e. female or children's voices, birds, consonant sounds like "s" and "t"). Some other hearing losses, from head trauma or ear infections, can affect the low pitches (i.e. male voices, loudness, vowel sounds).
Type of Loss: There are three types of hearing loss.
Conductive Hearing Loss: Conductive hearing loss results from a problem with the conduction of sound from the outer ear (part that you see) to the inner ear (where the nerve is located). This can result from wax buildup, ear infections, trauma to the ear, or any other problem with the eardrum or bones that conduct sound through the middle ear. Those with this type of loss have a problem with volume rather than understanding ability.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Sensorineural hearing loss involves some sort of deterioration of the inner ear or the hearing nerve. The aging process, noise-exposure, some cancer treatments, illness, and other degenerative processes could cause this loss. This type of hearing loss sometimes impairs understanding ability and causes those with the loss to be sensitive to loud sounds.
Mixed Hearing Loss: Mixed hearing losses contain some conductive elements and some sensorineural elements.
Is there anything I can do to restore my hearing?
Usually hearing loss is permanent. Consult with your doctor to see if your symptoms are medical in nature and need any treatment, especially if you have a sudden hearing loss. Even hearing instruments will not restore normal hearing. Hearing instruments will make previously missed sounds available at the level of stimulation your auditory system needs at that particular pitch.
Why do I only have difficulty hearing in crowds?
If you have difficulty hearing in crowds, you could have a high-frequency hearing loss. With this type of loss, you can hear well in one-on-one situations and even in small groups. However when you get around distracting speech/noise, you can hear the noise louder than the speech. Your normal low-frequency hearing picks up the low-pitched noise at a normal-hearing level, while you miss some of the high-frequency speech sounds, where your hearing loss is located, that bring in clarity. This hearing loss is not as noticeable when speaking with someone without any competing noise.
Why do I have a difficult time hearing female voices when I can hear male voices easily?
You may have a high-frequency hearing loss. Female voices, children's voices, and even a majority of speech understanding lie in the high frequencies. If you have a high-frequency hearing loss you probably have a hard time hearing things, such as your wife's voice. You may hear the low frequency sounds normally but miss the high frequency sounds.
Who is qualified to conduct a hearing test: a doctor, an audiologist, a hearing instrument specialist, or a technician?
All are options. A doctor, audiologist, hearing instrument specialist or a technician can be trained to perform a hearing test. Medical interpretations should be left to the doctor. If you have no medical contraindications, you are ready for a hearing instrument. (You may waive your right for a medical evaluation.) Audiologists and hearing instrument specialists are trained in the fitting of hearing instruments.
What is the difference between an audiologist and a hearing instrument specialist?
Audiologists have the minimum of a master's degree in hearing sciences. Audiologists are educated in hearing, hearing aids, the balance system and some neurological testing.
Hearing instrument specialists act as an apprentice to a professional while taking several courses on hearing loss and hearing instruments through a national board. Hearing instrument specialists test hearing and fit hearing aids.
Both have to pass a state examination to be licensed to fit hearing instruments in that state. Audiologists and hearing instrument specialists are trained to fit major manufacturer's hearing instruments and their programming software.