The human body has some amazing and surprising abilities. Scrapes, cuts, and broken bones are typically no problem for the human body to mend (with a little time, your body can repair the huge bones in your arms and legs).
But you won’t be so lucky if the tiny hairs in your ears are compromised. At least, so far.
It doesn’t seem exactly fair when you can recover from considerable bone injuries but you have problems repairing tiny hairs in your ear. What’s going on there?
When is Hearing Impairment Irreversible?
So let’s take a closer look. You’re waiting in your doctor’s office and you’re digesting the news: you’re losing your hearing. So the first question you have is whether the hearing will ever come back. And he tells you that it may or may not.
Dramatically speaking, it’s a bit anticlimactic.
But he isn’t wrong. There are two basic forms of hearing loss:
- Damage related hearing loss: But there’s another, more common form of hearing loss. Known medically as sensorineural hearing loss, this type of hearing loss is effectively permanent. This is how it works: In your ear, there are tiny hairs that vibrate when struck by sound waves. Your brain is good at changing these vibrations into the sounds you hear. But over time, loud sounds can cause these hairs to be damaged to the point where treatment is needed.
- Hearing impairment caused by a blockage: You can show every sign of hearing loss when your ear has some sort of blockage. This blockage can be caused by a number of things, from the gross (ear wax) to the downright frightening (tumors). Your hearing will return to normal, luckily, when the obstruction is removed.
So here’s the main point: there’s one form of hearing loss you can recover from, and you may need to get examined to see which one you have.
Treating Hearing Loss
So at this time there’s no “cure” for sensorineural hearing loss (though scientists are working on that). But your hearing loss still might be manageable. Here are a few ways that the right treatment may help you:
- Reduce cognitive decline.
- Safeguard and maintain your remaining hearing.
- Stay engaged socially, keeping isolation away.
- Successfully manage hearing loss symptoms you might already have.
- Maintain a high quality of life.
Of the many types of treatment available, which one is the right choice for you depends on the extent of your hearing loss. Hearing aids are one of the simplest and most prevalent treatment options.
Why is Hearing Loss Effectively Treated With Hearing AIds?
Hearing aids can help you return to the people and things you love. They can help you hear the conversation, the phone, your tv, or even just the sounds of nature. You won’t be struggling to hear so pressure will be taken off your brain.
The Best Protection is Prevention
Loud noises and other things that would harm your hearing should be avoided and your ears should be protected against them. Your overall health and well being depend on good hearing. Routine hearing care, such as annual hearing exams, is just another kind of self-care.
