Hearing Care

Hearing Loss Treatment

Many people suffer from hearing loss. In fact, statistics show that over 10 percent of the US population reports difficulty hearing. That’s more than 31 million people! And as the Baby Boomer generation continues to age, that number promises to increase dramatically.

Are you one of the millions of people who do not hear as well as they once did? If so, you are certainly not alone. Consider these statistics reported by Sergei Kochkin, PhD, Executive Director of the Better Hearing Institute:

• Three in 10 people over age 60 have hearing loss
• One in six Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964), or 14.6%, have a hearing problem
• One in 14 Generation Xers (born 1965-1984), or 7.4%, already have hearing loss
• At least 1.4 million children (18 or younger) have hearing problems
• An estimated three in 1,000 infants are born with serious to profound hearing loss

In addition, studies have linked untreated hearing loss to emotional, physical, mental, psychological, and even economic disadvantages. And, to make matters worse, there are many myths about hearing loss that prevent those with hearing loss from doing anything about it.

Causes of Hearing Loss

One of the most common myths about hearing loss is that only “old people” suffer from it. In fact, the reverse is true. The majority (65 percent) of people with hearing loss are younger than 65 and six million people in the US between 18 and 44 suffer from hearing loss, according to the Better Hearing Institute.

The truth is that there are several causes of hearing loss with “exposure to noise” ranking high among the reasons. The primary causes of hearing loss are:

• Exposure to noise
• Family history of hearing loss
• Medicine
• Aging process
• Disease
• Head trauma

Types of Hearing Loss

Not all hearing loss can be corrected through the use of hearing aids or alternative listening devices. The type of hearing loss determines the specific treatment required.

There are four types of hearing loss:

• Conductive: This could be caused by something as simple as earwax buildup.
• Sensorineural: This is caused when tiny hairs in the cochlea are missing or damaged.
• Mixed: This is a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.
• Central: Strokes and central nerve diseases are often the cause of this type of hearing loss.

Hearing Health Services

Austin ENT Clinic Pediatric & Adult Care offers an extensive array of diagnostic and preventive hearing care services, including hearing aid screening, evaluations, hearing aids sales, and rehabilitative and preventive counseling. Request an appointment online to discuss your personal situation and how we can help you. We look forward to seeing you soon.