Understanding Hearing Loss: From Symptoms to Services

Hearing Loss Services in Houston, TX

Hearing loss is common, particularly among older people. More than 1 in every ten people in the U.S. experiences some degree of hearing loss.

According to estimates, about 60,000 people have hearing loss in one ear.

About 1 in 3 adults who are over the age of 65 have hearing loss. Nearly half of adults in the U.S. who are age 75 and older have hearing loss due to aging.

Hearing loss doesn’t affect adults alone; it can also affect younger people and even babies.

According to estimates, about 2 in 1,000 babies are born with hearing loss.

What is hearing loss?

What is hearing loss

Hearing loss or impairment refers to the partial or total inability to hear sounds.

If you have hearing loss, you will find it difficult to hear or understand what people are saying. You will find it difficult to participate in conversations.

You may find it difficult to hear telephone conversations, partake in meetings in your workplace, watch TV, or communicate with your family members. Hearing loss can affect your quality of life.

People with partial hearing loss can hear sound to a certain extent, but people with total hearing loss can’t hear sound at all.

Types of Hearing Loss

Types of Hearing Loss

Conductive

This is hearing loss that involves the outer or middle ear. Something prevents sound from passing through your outer or middle ear, which causes hearing loss.

Sensorineural

This is hearing loss that involves the inner ear. Something damages your inner ear, which causes hearing loss.

Mixed

This is hearing loss that involves both conductive and sensorineural. Something affects your outer, middle, and inner ear, which causes hearing loss.

Signs and Symptoms of Hearing Loss

• Difficulty understanding words.
• Difficulty hearing what someone is telling you, especially when in a noisy place.
• Often, ask others to speak more slowly and loudly when communicating with you.
• Often asking others to repeat themselves.
• You often think people are mumbling when speaking to you or around you.
• When the volume of the TV or radio needs to be turned very high before you can hear the sound.
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus).
• You have an earache.
• You have balance problems.
• You experience dizziness
• You feel pressure or fluid inside your ear

Causes of Hearing Loss

Damage to the inner ear

Damage or wear and tear can occur to the hairs or nerve cells in the cochlea that send sound signals to the brain resulting from aging or loud noise.

This can prevent the nerve cells from sending electrical signals properly, leading to hearing loss.

Buildup of earwax

The build-up of earwax over time can block the ear canal and keep sound waves from passing through, causing partial hearing loss.

Ear infection, unusual bone growths, or tumors

Ear infection, unusual bone growths, or tumors in the inner, middle, or outer ear can cause hearing loss.

Ruptured eardrum

The eardrum could get ruptured or burst due to loud blasts of noise, sudden changes in pressure in the ear, poking an eardrum with an object, or infection.

A ruptured or burst eardrum can lead to hearing loss.

Loud noise

Exposing your ear to loud noise over time or from a sudden loud sound can damage the cells of your inner ear, leading to hearing loss.

Taking certain medicines

Taking certain medicines such as antibiotic gentamicin, sildenafil (Viagra), and certain medications used to treat cancer can damage the inner ear.

Also, taking very high doses of aspirin and other pain relievers can also affect hearing. Taking very high doses of anti-malarial drugs or loop diuretics can also affect hearing.

Certain illnesses

Certain illnesses, such as meningitis that causes high fever, can cause harm to the cochlea, which can affect hearing.

Illnesses such as heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes or diabetes can affect hearing.

The Significance of Early Detection

It is important to detect hearing loss as early as possible to prevent it from getting worse. You can detect or diagnose hearing loss through various tests and exams. These include:

Physical exam

An audiologist can conduct a physical exam of your ear to ascertain the level of your hearing loss. The audiologist will look inside your ear for earwax, infection, or any other possible cause of your hearing loss.

Other tests that may be performed include:

• Screening tests
• Pure-tone test
• Audiometer tests
• Tuning fork tests
• App-based hearing tests
• Tympanometry
• Otoacoustic emissions test

The Importance of Regular Hearing Tests

It is important to get regular hearing tests so that you can ascertain the state of your ear and hearing. Getting regular hearing tests will help you know whether or not something is wrong with your ear.

Getting regular hearing tests also helps you get timely treatment if something is wrong with your ear before it gets worse.

Overview of Ear Audiology Services in Houston

Pupila Family Eye & Ear Care is a renowned clinic that provides ear audiology services in Houston, Texas. We conduct hearing tests for people who want to know the status of their hearing and also provide other hearing loss services.

We provide various treatments for patients with hearing loss, depending on the severity and cause. The treatments that we provide include:

Removing earwax

At Pupila Family Eye & Ear Care, we help remove earwax buildup in a professional manner. Earwax buildup can be gently removed using suction or a small device.

Hearing aids

We also provide hearing aids to improve the hearing of patients with hearing loss. An audiologist will examine your ear to know if you need a hearing aid or not.

If a hearing aid is suitable for you, we will get you the most appropriate one for you. You will be guided on how to use the hearing aid.

Medications

If your hearing loss is caused by an infection or underlying condition, we will administer appropriate medications and treatment to combat the infection or condition.

Our Approach to Managing and Hearing Loss Services in Houston, TX

Our Approach to Managing and Hearing Loss Services

At Pupila Family Eye & Ear Care, we provide comprehensive ear treatment and care in Houston, Tx. We help improve the hearing of patients with hearing loss by first conducting ear examinations and hearing tests before developing a suitable treatment plan.

Our audiologists are extensively trained and experienced. We provide treatments using the most innovative and safer techniques.

We also provide counseling and follow-up treatments to ensure that patients find lasting improvements in their hearing. Our team of audiologists continually strives to deliver high-quality treatments and care for patients with hearing loss.

If you’re experiencing hearing loss, we encourage you to visit us or book an important. You will be attended by the best audiologists that you can find in Houston, TX. You can also give us a call if you have questions that you would want to ask.