Hearing Problems and Deafness

The ear and the hearing system are complex, yet they are not invincible. Hearing loss, to some degree or another, is common in a lot of individuals. Most people who experience hearing loss are usually advanced in age and the loss of hearing comes from the body not working as well as it once did. Other reasons for hearing loss are genetics, accidents or experiences with loud noises. 

The degree of which someone is experiencing hearing loss also varies. Some people have slight or moderate hearing loss, while others have severe or profound hearing loss to complete deafness. Knowing how the ear works and how the auditory system operates helps to define and understand how hearing loss or deafness happens. 

How the Ear Works

The ear is a complex system of various parts that help an individual hear. The most basic way to describe how your ear hears is this: as sound travels through the air, your outer ear captures the sound and it is sent down the ear canal to your eardrum. When your eardrum starts to vibrate it activates three bones to move and fluid begins to move around in the inner ear. 

The tiny hairs that are in your ear start to bend to the sound and they turn the sound into electric impulses that are sent to the auditory nerve in your ear that is directly connected to the brain and the brain turns the impulses into sounds. Easy right? Not at all, but thankfully there are doctors and audiologists who are experts in how the ear works.

Now that you know the basics of how hearing works, you can easily understand your hearing loss and the type of hearing loss that you may have.

Conductive Hearing Loss

Conductive hearing loss is basically hearing loss that occurs from some sort of problem with the outer ear. It can be as severe and painful as a punctured eardrum, or it can be from old age. Conductive hearing loss only affects the outer ear and the middle ear. In this type of hearing loss, the inner ear and the auditory nerve are okay and not damaged. Conductive hearing loss can also be temporary or fixed by surgery. In some cases, surgery is not the answer, and the hearing loss can be permanent. If this is the case, a hearing aid will be used to improve hearing ability and will be fitted by an audiologist. 

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

The other type of hearing loss is sensorineural hearing loss. The part of the ear that is affected by this hearing loss is the inner ear and the auditory nerve. This type of hearing loss is usually more severe and permanent. If the inner ear is damaged, it is very hard to repair. 

With sensorineural hearing loss, the bones of the ear may stop working or get damaged, the hairs of the ear stop functioning, or the auditory nerve malfunctions or gets damaged and cannot carry sound to the brain anymore. People with this kind of hearing damage find it hard to hear background noises, people speaking and even hearing themselves speak. 

The best way to correct this kind of hearing loss is with surgery, but because the surgery is so invasive, people choose not to have it. If that’s the case, hearing aids are the best course of action to help sound get to your brain so that you can hear better and clearer. This type of hearing loss can also change over time, so having a hearing aid is the best solution because audiologists can adjust your hearing aid as your hearing needs change. 

Mixed Hearing Loss

In some cases, the two kinds of hearing loss mix. Some people may have various problems with their ear that affects the inner and outer ear simultaneously. When this happens, a hearing aid is usually the best solution to solve all the problems. Mixed hearing loss is usually temporary and can be managed by working with a medical professional to find the source of the problem and correct it. 

If you are someone you know has a problem hearing or may have experienced damage to their auditory system, contact Advanced Hearing Services today at (970) 449-0592 to schedule a consultation with one of our audiologists. Once you understand why your hearing has changed, and understand how the ear works, you can feel confident in our hearing aids and our procedures.