The human body has some amazing and surprising abilities. The human body typically has no issue repairing cuts, scratches, or broken bones (with a little time, your body can heal the giant bones in your arms and legs).
But when it comes to mending the tiny little hairs in your ear, it’s not going to happen. At least, so far.
It doesn’t seem exactly fair when you can heal from major bone injuries but you can’t heal tiny hairs in your ear. What’s happening there?
When is Hearing Loss Permanent?
So, let’s get right to it. You’re waiting in your doctor’s office and you’re digesting the news: you’re losing your hearing. So you ask your doctor if your hearing will ever return. And he informs you that it may or may not.
Dramatically speaking, it’s a bit anticlimactic.
But it’s also a fact. Hearing loss comes in two primary forms:
- Damage induced hearing loss: But there’s another, more prevalent type of hearing loss. Known medically as sensorineural hearing loss, this type of hearing loss is effectively permanent. This is how it works: inside of your ear, there are little hairs that vibrate when moved by sound waves. When vibrations are transformed into signals, they are sent to the brain which makes them into the sounds you perceive. But loud sounds can cause damage to the hairs and, over time, reduce your hearing to the point where you require treatment.
- Hearing loss caused by a blockage: When there’s something obstructing your ear canal, you can show all the indications of hearing loss. This blockage can be caused by a wide variety of things, from the gross (ear wax) to the downright scary (tumors). Your hearing will go back to normal, luckily, when the obstruction is cleared away.
So the bottom line is this: there’s one type of hearing loss you can recover from, and you might need to get examined to see which one you’re dealing with.
Treating Hearing Loss
So presently there’s no “cure” for sensorineural hearing loss (though scientists are working on it). But that doesn’t mean you can’t get treatment for your hearing loss. As a matter of fact, getting the correct treatment for your hearing loss may help you:
- Successfully manage hearing loss symptoms you might already have.
- Safeguard and maintain your remaining hearing.
- Help stave off mental decline.
- Make sure your total quality of life is untouched or stays high.
- Remain active socially, keeping isolation at bay.
Of the many forms of treatment available, which one is the right choice for you depends on the extent of your hearing loss. One of the most prevalent treatments is fairly simple: hearing aids.
Why Are Hearing Aids a Practical Treatment For Hearing Impairment?
Hearing aids can help you return to the people and things you love. With the help of hearing aids, you can begin to hear conversations, your tv, your phone, and sounds of nature once more. 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 damage your hearing should be avoided and your ears should be protected against them. Hearing well is critical to your general health and well-being. Regular hearing care, like annual hearing exams, is just another form of self-care.