May is National Speech-Language-Hearing Month—a month to raise awareness about communication disorders and their treatment options. If you or a family member were recently diagnosed with hearing loss, this celebration offers a perfect opportunity to explore the ins and outs of the condition and the benefits of treatment.
Understanding Hearing Loss
Hearing loss affects more than one in 10 people in the United States.[1] You can develop hearing loss at any age, though your risk increases with age. There are three types:
- Sensorineural: originating in the inner ear
- Conductive: originating in the middle ear
- Mixed: originated in the inner and middle ear
Sensorineural is the most common type of permanent hearing loss. It can develop from loud noise exposure, genetics, illness or aging. Conductive is often temporary. It arises when something, such as an ear infection or a physical blockage, prevents sound from passing through the middle ear.
When you’re diagnosed, your specialist will explain your hearing loss in terms of the type and degree. We measure hearing loss in decibels (dB) or A-weighted decibels (dBA). The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) separates the degrees into the following categories:
- Normal: –10 to 15
- Slight: 16 to 25
- Mild: 26 to 40
- Moderate: 41 to 55
- Moderately severe: 56 to 70
- Severe: 71 to 90
- Profound: 91+
Decibels indicate how loud a sound needs to be for you to hear it.
Hearing Loss Treatment Options
Treatment depends on the type and degree of hearing loss. If your hearing loss is conductive, treating the underlying cause by clearing infections or removing physical blockages can often resolve your symptoms. Sensorineural hearing loss has no cure, and treatment typically revolves around managing the condition with hearing aids or a cochlear implant:
- Hearing aids. Hearing aids are small but technologically advanced tools that collect sound, amplify it and send it to your ear canal. Depending on the extent of your hearing loss, hearing aids can significantly improve your ability to communicate with and navigate the world.
- Cochlear implants. Cochlear implants are a surgical alternative to hearing aids. Audiologists typically recommend implants if a patient doesn’t receive sufficient benefit from hearing aids, usually if their hearing loss is severe to profound.
Learning about hearing loss and its treatment is an excellent step in your journey—whether you have hearing loss yourself or are looking to learn more about it to support a loved one. For more information or to schedule a hearing appointment with one of our specialists, contact ENT Specialists Of Northern Virginia today.
[1] Cleveland Clinic. (2023). Hearing loss: Types, symptoms, causes & treatment. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17673-hearing-loss