The human body has some fantastic and remarkable abilities. Scratches, cuts, and broken bones are generally 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 fortunate if the tiny hairs in your ears are compromised. For now anyway.
It doesn’t seem really fair when you can heal from significant bone injuries but you have problems repairing tiny hairs in your ear. So what’s the deal?
When is Hearing Loss Irreversible?
So let’s have a closer look. You’re at your doctor’s office attempting to digest the news he’s giving you: you have hearing impairment. So the first question you ask is whether the hearing will ever come back. And he tells you that it may or may not.
It’s a little anticlimactic, speaking dramatically.
But he isn’t wrong. There are two primary forms of hearing loss:
- Damage related hearing loss: But there’s another, more prevalent form of hearing loss. Known medically as sensorineural hearing loss, this form of hearing loss is effectively irreversible. Here’s what happens: inside of your ear, there are little hairs that vibrate when moved by sound waves. Your brain is good at changing these vibrations into the sounds you hear. But loud sounds can cause damage to the hairs and, over time, diminish your hearing to the point where you require treatment.
- Blockage induced hearing loss: When there’s something obstructing your ear canal, you can exhibit all the indications of hearing loss. This blockage can be caused by a wide range of things, from the gross (ear wax) to the downright frightening (tumors). The good news is that once the blockage is removed, your hearing usually returns to normal.
So the bottom line is this: there’s one type of hearing loss you can recover from, and you may need to get tested to see which one you’re dealing with.
Treating Hearing Loss
So at this time there’s no “cure” for sensorineural hearing loss (though scientists are working on it). But that’s not to say you can’t get treatment for your hearing loss. As a matter of fact, getting the proper treatment for your hearing loss may help you:
- Make sure your overall quality of life is unaffected or remains high.
- Preserve and protect the hearing you still have.
- Prevent cognitive decline.
- Stay engaged socially, keeping isolation at bay.
- Cope successfully with any of the symptoms of hearing loss you may be going through.
This treatment can take various forms, and it’ll normally depend on how significant your hearing loss is. One of the most prevalent treatments is fairly simple: hearing aids.
Why Are Hearing Aids a Good Treatment For Hearing Impairment?
You can return to the things and people you love with the help of hearing aids. They can help you hear the discussions, your phone, your tv, or even just the birds in the park. You won’t be straining to hear so pressure will be taken off your brain.
The Best Protection is Prevention
Whether you have hearing loss now or not, you need to safeguard your hearing from loud sounds and other things that can damage your hearing (like ototoxic drugs). Your general health and well being depend on strong hearing. Having routine hearing exams is the best way to be certain that you are protecting your hearing.