The human body has some fantastic and surprising abilities. Scratches, cuts, and broken bones are generally no problem for the human body to mend (I mean, sure, it takes some time, but your body can literally heal the giant bones in your legs and arms with little more than some time and a splint).
But you won’t be so lucky if the tiny hairs in your ears are compromised. For now anyway.
It’s really regrettable that your body can accomplish such great feats of healing but can’t restore these little hairs. What’s going on there?
When is Hearing Impairment Permanent?
So, let’s get right down to it. You’re sitting in your doctor’s office and you’re digesting the news: you have hearing impairment. So the first question you have is whether the 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 the truth. There are two general kinds of hearing loss:
- Hearing impairment caused by a blockage: When there’s something obstructing your ear canal, you can present 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). Fortunately, once the blockage is cleared, your hearing often returns to normal.
- Damage related hearing loss: But hearing loss has another more common form. Known scientifically as sensorineural hearing loss, this form of hearing loss is effectively irreversible. This is how it works: In your ear, there are little hairs that vibrate when moved by sound waves. When vibrations are transformed into signals, they are transmitted to the brain which makes them into the sounds you perceive. But over time, loud sounds can cause these hairs to be damaged to the point where treatment is required.
So the bottom line is this: you can recover from one form of hearing loss and you probably won’t know which one you’re coping with without having a hearing exam.
Hearing Loss Treatment
So presently there’s no “cure” for sensorineural hearing loss (although scientists are working on it). But that’s not to say you can’t find treatment for your hearing loss. As a matter of fact, getting the right treatment for your hearing loss might help you:
- Maintain a high quality of life.
- Successfully cope with any of the symptoms of hearing loss you might be enduring.
- Avoid isolation by remaining socially involved.
- Preserve and protect the hearing you have left.
- Prevent cognitive decline.
Of the many forms of treatment available, which one is correct for you depends on the extent of your hearing loss. Hearing aids are one of the simplest and most common treatment choices.
Why Are Hearing Aids a Smart Treatment For Hearing Loss?
Hearing aids can help you get back to the people and things you enjoy. With the help of hearing aids, you can start to hear conversations, your television, your phone, and sounds of nature once more. You will no longer be struggling to hear so pressure will be removed from your brain.
Prevention is The Best Protection
Loud sounds and other things that would damage your hearing should be avoided and your ears should be safeguarded against them. Your overall health and well being depend on good hearing. Having regular hearing exams is the best way to be certain that you are protecting your hearing.