Why Early Action Matters
A dripping faucet wastes a gallon of water every day. Although you don’t notice it, over time it is costly.
Hearing loss is similar. You don’t notice the day-to-day changes until you begin to struggle to hear a conversation in a noisy restaurant or you have to turn up the volume on the TV to hear the dialogue.
The slow progress of hearing loss is among the reasons why 68% of people with a measurable hearing loss wait close to seven years before taking action to treat their hearing.
Unfortunately, during that time, you’re putting yourself at risk of developing negative mental and physical health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, balance disorders, cognitive decline, and more.
Rather than allow your hearing, your health, and your relationships to slowly deteriorate, learn the truth about your hearing with a comprehensive hearing evaluation by a professional audiologist.
Understanding Hearing Loss
“Disabling hearing loss refers to hearing loss greater than 35 decibels (dB) in the better hearing ear,” according to the WHO. “The prevalence of hearing loss increases with age, among those older than 60 years, over 25% are affected by disabling hearing loss.”
The common signs or symptoms of hearing loss usually include:
Noisy Environments
Struggling to understand what people are saying and/or misunderstanding what they say, especially in environments with background noise
Missing Conversation
Frequently asking people to repeat themselves
TV Blasting
Listening to music or watching TV at a volume that irritates the people around you
Phone Frustration
Difficulty understanding what people are saying on the phone
Keeping Up
Lagging behind or struggling to keep up with a conversation
Losing Focus
Fatigue and stress from having to concentrate while listening to conversation
Hearing loss is usually noticed by those around you before you become aware that you’re struggling. If loved ones and friends are suggesting that you get your hearing checked, it’s a pretty good bet that you’re experiencing a hearing loss.
Common Causes of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can be either a congenital condition or one that is acquired. One out of every 1,000 children are born with a hearing loss, but most people, especially those over age 60, struggle with an acquired hearing loss that comes from one of six main causes, including:
Age-Related Hearing Loss (Presbycusis)
Presbycusis, age-related hearing loss, which involves the deterioration of the hair cells in the inner ear.
Hearing Loss Due to Ear Trauma
Ear trauma from an explosion or a blow to your ear or head.
Medical Conditions That Affect Hearing
Illnesses and diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, as well as infections that lead to the buildup of fluid in the middle ear.
Ototoxic Medications and Their Impact on Hearing
Ototoxic medications, such as cancer treatment drugs. Healthy Hearing provides a list of various classes of ototoxic medications.
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)
Exposure to loud noise. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the second leading cause of hearing loss and first in individuals between ages 17 and 65.
Hearing Loss from Earwax Buildup
Built-up or impacted earwax. It doesn’t seem all that serious, but too much earwax, which can become impacted, dampens the intensity of the sound entering your ears. This form of hearing loss can be corrected through professional earwax removal.
The precise hearing evaluations we provide at Magnolia Hearing will identify the type and severity of your hearing loss, allowing you to experience the relief of personalized hearing solutions
Frequently Asked Questions about Hearing Tests
What to Expect
The Process
Physical Examination of Your Ears
Believe it or not, many people who suspect that they are losing their hearing find out that they are experiencing wax buildup or their ear canal is blocked by some foreign object.
Your audiologist will use an otoscope (a magnifying glass with a tapered end and light at the tip) to conduct a physical examination of your ears, looking for any abnormalities such as growths, inflammation, and impacted earwax that might be obstructing the ear canal.
Discussion of Results and Options
The tests your audiologist uses will be plotted on a graph called an audiogram. Your audiogram shows your hearing thresholds at different frequencies, providing a specific measurement of the severity of hearing loss you are experiencing.
Your audiologist will explain what the results mean and provide hearing aid recommendations, if necessary during this discussion. However, if your hearing tests normal, or you have a mild impairment, your audiologist will discuss lifestyle changes, hearing protection, and other preventative measures to avoid further damage or deterioration of your hearing.
