What Should I Do If I Suspect a Hearing Loss?
Call AVA Hearing Center for a thorough hearing evaluation and listing assessment. The test just provides you with information about the good parts of your hearing and maybe some areas that cause communication difficulties. A hearing test can also serve as a BASELINE in order to monitor the progression of loss or see influences of medications, noise exposure, or illness. AVA participates with most insurances and provides a diagnostic assessment of hearing, speech discrimination, and speech in noise tests.
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Signs of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is one of the most common chronic health concerns among older Americans. It also affects younger adults, as well as teenagers and children. There are a few common signs of hearing loss, including:
- Having difficulty understanding conversations when there is background noise.
- Hearing but not understanding conversations.
- Asking people to repeat themselves.
- Straining to hear.
- Turning up the volume on the TV.
- Having trouble hearing the alarm clock, the stove timer, or the doorbell.
- Missing the punchline of every joke.
If you notice any of these signs in yourself or a loved one, you probably have hearing loss.
Two Types of Hearing Loss
There are two main types of hearing loss: conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss.
Conductive Hearing Loss
Conductive hearing loss is caused when there is an interruption in the transmission of sound through the ear. This interruption can come from a blockage in the ear canal, eardrum, or middle ear. A buildup of earwax, fluid in the middle ear, a hole in the eardrum, or boney growth in the middle ear can cause this type of hearing loss.
Conductive hearing loss may sometimes be treated by having earwax removed, using medication for an infection, or surgical intervention.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common type of hearing loss. This hearing loss is caused by damage to the delicate cells in the inner ear, or to the auditory pathway to the brain. This is also the kind of hearing loss usually found with diabetes, heart disease, and noise exposure.
Sensorineural hearing loss is typically untreatable with medical intervention. Hearing aid. are the most common treatment for sensorineural hearing loss. Hearing aids amplify sounds back into the audible hearing range.
What Causes Hearing Loss?
There are a few main causes of hearing loss, including:
- A buildup of earwax in the ear canal
- An illness or infection that affects the middle or inner ear
- A head or ear injury
- Hereditary factors
- Exposure to very loud noise
- The natural aging processes
- Medications
- Diabetes
How can I be sure that hearing aids will help?
Hearing aids have changed a lot in the past few years. Instead of making all sounds louder, new hearing aids are better at making sounds clearer. These hearing aids have special features to focus on a speaker in front of you and reduce the level of background noise. Some current hearing aid models have Bluetooth options that can connect your hearing aids to a cell phone or the TV, making it easier to enjoy conversations and entertainment.
Try Before You Buy
AVA Hearing Center offers several ways to try out your hearing aids before purchasing them. Ready to try hearing aids near me? We have a unique program called FLEX TRIAL that uses a special recording hearing aid. It identifies which hearing aid features you use, and which features are less important. It also gives you an opportunity to experience the benefits hearing aids will provide in your unique listening environments.
The information collected by the special FLEX Trial aids will help us determine which hearing aid is most appropriate for your hearing needs. Not every patient needs the most advanced hearing aid. At AVA Hearing Center, you always have options. Our goal is to provide meaningful information and professional knowledge to help you make the right choice, not to recommend the most expensive hearing aid. To treat your hearing loss in Grand Rapids, call us today and start your FLEX TRIAL.
