First Job First Home First Hearing Loss
Hearing loss affects more than 36 million adults, and were not just talking about Nana. Nearly 20% of people in their 20s have some degree of hearing damage.
Generally, high-frequency hearing loss comes first, whichmeans background noise and people talking sound muffled. Then the volume startsits gradual move towards mute. So whats a young or middle-aged adult to do?Dr. Sandridge says the key is prevention and recognizing the early signs ofnoise-induced hearing loss.
Does The Audiogram Detect All Types Of Hearing Loss
Researchers have realized for a long time that aging can result in different types of hearing loss . Carefully controlled research on animals has provided evidence for three types of hearing loss that could worsen with age . Two types result in poorer thresholds for high-frequency sounds and could explain the changes in the audiogram discussed earlier.
Type 1: In the first type, the outer hair cells in the inner ear are damaged. This damage occurs usually by being exposed to environmental factors such as very high noise levels. Younger adults who work in industrial noise can also get this type of hearing loss.
Type 2: The second type involves changes in the blood supply to the inner ear that alter its chemistry. These chemical changes in the ear have been compared to a battery going flat . This type only occurs in older adults.
Type 3: The third type involves damage to the nerves connecting the ear to the brain. Recent evidence suggests that lifelong exposure to noise can cause neural damage to the auditory nerves. This nerve damage disrupts the way in which information from the ear is delivered to the brain . Such damage can occur even if the noise is not loud enough to permanently change hearing thresholds.
How Can I Prevent High
Preventing hearing loss is the best way to avoid it because high-frequency hearing loss cannot be reversed. The best way to protect your hearing is to avoid high noise levels, especially noise that is louder than 85 decibels. Keep your personal electronics turned down and wear hearing protection when in noisy environments like concerts and sporting events. Use earplugs to protect your hearing. If you are involved in noisy hobbies, make sure you invest in over-the-ear hearing protection or custom earmolds.
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What Do Decibel And Hertz Mean
The volume or loudness of a sound is determined by the sound pressure level. The higher this is, the louder the sound is. Sound pressure level is measured in decibels . The word decibel comes from deci and the name of the man who invented the decibel unit, Alexander Graham Bell.
The frequency describes how high the pitch of a sound is. It is measured in hertz , named after the German physicist Heinrich Rudolf Hertz. The frequency is how many vibrations there are per second. For instance, 20 hertz means 20 vibrations per second. This very slow vibration can barely be heard as a very low pitch. The higher the frequency, the higher the pitch.
What Should I Do If I Have Trouble Hearing
Hearing problems can be serious. The most important thing you can do if you think you have a hearing problem is to seek advice from a health care provider. There are several types of professionals who can help you. You might want to start with your primary care physician, an otolaryngologist, an audiologist, or a hearing aid specialist. Each has a different type of training and expertise. Each can be an important part of your hearing health care.
- An otolaryngologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases of the ear, nose, throat, and neck. An otolaryngologist, sometimes called an ENT, will try to find out why you’re having trouble hearing and offer treatment options. He or she may also refer you to another hearing professional, an audiologist.
- An audiologist has specialized training in identifying and measuring the type and degree of hearing loss. Some audiologists may be licensed to fit hearing aids.
- A hearing aid specialist is someone who is licensed by your state to conduct and evaluate basic hearing tests, offer counseling, and fit and test hearing aids.
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Do Some Of Your Favorite Musicians Really Have Tinnitus
Yes, if you’re a musician with chronic ringing in your ears or similar symptoms, then it’s not just you–you are certainly not alone! It turns out that many iconic musicians you grew up worshiping also cope with this condition on a daily basis. Now, while there is no cure available on this front, relief does existand those who struggle should know they’re certainly not alone.
Reports suggest that between 30 and 50% Of Musicians Have Experienced Some Degree Of Tinnitus, and Hearing Loss in their career. This stat may be due in part to the higher rate of hearing loss amongst those who work with sound for prolonged periods of time at a frequency where they’re exposed significantly to louder than what is considered safe .
Did you know? These well-known musicians have all experienced hearing or tinnitus during their impressive careers. In this article we will explore why it happens and how to get help from people who know what they’re talking about.
Its All About The Pitch With Hearing Loss
Pitch isnt just a word associated with singers. It is the property by which sounds are ordered on a frequency-related scale. More often than not, sounds with higher pitches are usually the first to be lost when hearing loss begins and the most difficult to get back. Sounds with higher pitches are also those that seem to increase in pitch as they become louder, often becoming painful to listeners. But whats interesting is that for some individuals with hearing loss, it isnt the higher pitches they have lost, but the low ones.
Hearing health advocate, writer and speaker Shari Eberts shares her story about her check-mark hearing loss and what its like to hear high pitches better than low pitches.
When it comes to my hearing, its all about the pitch. Some pitches I hear almost perfectly, others I hear fairly well, and others still, forget about it. This can lead to some awkward situations, where people expect me to have a certain level of hearing, generally based on some previous sounds that I did or didnt hear. They also expect that I am able to hear all voices equally well, but this is not the case.
My audiogram looks like a check mark, with my high pitch hearing almost perfect. My lower pitch hearing is impaired, and it is the frequencies where speech falls that are the toughest for me. That is unfortunate too since those are the sounds I most want to hear.
Readers, does your hearing vary widely by pitch? If so, how do you handle it?
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Tinnitus: All You Need To Know
What do Chris Martin, Bono, and Liam Gallagher all have in common? Aside from the fact that theyâre three of the most successful musicians of the 21st century, theyâve also all been affected by tinnitus.
Characterized by hearing sounds in the ears or head which arenât from an external source â such as ringing and buzzing, or even roaring, whooshing and clicking sounds â tinnitus can take a number of different forms. But the fact that others canât hear these sounds doesnât make them any less real â or bothersome â for the person experiencing them.
They know they cannot hear high frequencies, and whenever there is a high frequency, any type of noise is replaced with the terrible phantom noises that haunts them.
The reason the high frequencies set off their tinnitus is likely because it was the high frequencies that caused their tinnitus in the first place. When someone is persistently exposed to the higher range frequencies it develop into not being able to hear them.
Tinnitus noises take over where high frequency sounds once were.
There are ways to deal with this with a doctor, but in order for that to happen your doctor must test your hearing for high frequencies.
Constant Noise In The Head Such As Ringing In The Earsrarely Indicates A Serious Health Problem But It Sure Can Be Annoying Heres How To Minimize It
Tinnitus is sound in the head with no external source. For many, itâs a ringing sound, while for others, itâs whistling, buzzing, chirping, hissing, humming, roaring, or even shrieking. The sound may seem to come from one ear or both, from inside the head, or from a distance. It may be constant or intermittent, steady or pulsating.
Almost everyone has had tinnitus for a short time after being exposed to extremely loud noise. For example, attending a loud concert can trigger short-lived tinnitus. Some medications can cause tinnitus that goes away when the drug is discontinued. When it lasts more than six months, itâs known as chronic tinnitus. As many as 50 to 60 million people in the United States suffer from this condition itâs especially common in people over age 55 and strongly associated with hearing loss. Many people worry that tinnitus is a sign that they are going deaf or have another serious medical problem, but it rarely is.
The course of chronic tinnitus is unpredictable. Sometimes the symptoms remain the same, and sometimes they get worse. In about 10% of cases, the condition interferes with everyday life so much that professional help is needed.
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How Hearing Loss Is Measured
So how do you know if you have hearing loss and to what degree? Dont guess or try to treat your inability to hear with over-the-counter or mail order solutions. Instead, make an appointment with a qualified hearing healthcare professional. Your family physician may be able to refer you, or you can visit our online directory and find a trusted professional in your community.
In this case, this person cannot hear high-pitched sounds unless they are fairly loud. This will make hearing speech difficult. High-frequency hearing loss is a fairly common hearing loss pattern for people with age-related hearing loss. Others may struggle to hear low-frequency sounds and other sound ranges.
The hearing healthcare professional will administer a series of hearing tests. The outcome of the evaluation is known as an audiogram, a graph of the softest sounds you heard during your test. Heres an example of an audiogram of someone with mild-to-moderately-severe high-frequency hearing loss. As you can see, hearing thresholds in each ear are not always the same.
Based on the outcome and the lifestyle information you provide, the hearing healthcare professional will be able to recommend a course of treatment, which may include the purchase of hearing aids and enrollment in auditory therapy classes. Keep in mind, untreated hearing loss puts you at risk for developing a host of other health-related problems, including depression, dementia and Alzheimers disease.
Excessive Tiredness Following A Full Day Of Listening
Because children with high-frequency hearing loss must put more focus and concentration into listening, this can lead to problems down the line. For younger children, this can mean tiredness at the end of the day, but as the pressure and number of classes ramp up, the results can be even more significant for older students. Fatigue and similar results of over-concentration can lead to other health problems down the line and even mental stress. This can result in anxiety and depression in extreme cases.
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Mayo Clinic Q And A: Tinnitus Can Interfere With Hearing But Doesnt Cause Hearing Loss
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: For the past several months I have had a high-pitched ringing in my ears. It comes and goes, but lately it seems to happen more frequently. My doctor said that it is tinnitus and is quite common, but I am concerned and want to know what could have caused it. Could it be related to stress? Does it ever lead to hearing loss?
ANSWER: Tinnitus involves hearing noise in one or both ears that is not caused by an external sound. Tinnitus is common, but it is not a condition on its own. Rather, it is a symptom of another underlying condition.
The noise of tinnitus often sounds like a ringing in the ears, but it can also be buzzing, clicking, roaring or hissing. The noise may vary in pitch from a low roar to a high squeal. In some cases, the sound can be so loud that it interferes with your ability to concentrate or to hear actual sound. Tinnitus may be present all the time, or it may come and go.
You need additional evaluation to see if the cause of your tinnitus can be found and treated. If after that assessment the cause remains unclear, then you and your health care provider should discuss how to best treat your symptoms. Although severe tinnitus can interfere with your hearing, the condition does not cause hearing loss.
Describing The Hearing Loss
A unilateral hearing loss affects one ear only. The child can hear normally in one ear and has some difficulty hearing with the other ear. There are different types, degrees and configurations of unilateral hearing loss and this will impact on how the hearing loss is managed.
Types of hearing loss
The type of hearing loss depends on the site of the problem in the ear which may be anywhere from the outer ear through to the middle ear, inner ear and the auditory nerve which carries the sound impulses through to the auditory cortex in the brain.Conductive hearing lossHearing loss associated with outer or middle ear problems is known as conductive hearing loss. Problems such as wax build up, middle ear infection or deformity of the outer or middle ear structures prevent sound being conducted to the inner ear. Sound is softened, making hearing difficult. Conductive hearing losses can often be treated with either medication or surgery.
Sensorineural hearing lossSensorineural hearing loss results from dysfunction in the inner ear and/or the auditory nerve. Most sensorineural hearing loss is due to abnormalities in the hair cells in the cochlea. Causes of hair cell abnormality include certain genes as well as external causes such as damage from loud music or infections. The quantity and quality of sound is affected in sensorineural hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss is permanent and cannot be treated with surgery.
Table 2: Describing hearing loss
| Type |
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| 130dB |
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Hearing Loss: A Common Problem For Older Adults
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Hearing loss is a common problem caused by noise, aging, disease, and heredity. People with hearing loss may find it hard to have conversations with friends and family. They may also have trouble understanding a doctors advice, responding to warnings, and hearing doorbells and alarms.
Approximately one in three people between the ages of 65 and 74 has hearing loss, and nearly half of those older than 75 has difficulty hearing. But, some people may not want to admit they have trouble hearing.
Older people who cant hear well may become depressed, or they may withdraw from others because they feel frustrated or embarrassed about not understanding what is being said. Sometimes, older people are mistakenly thought to be confused, unresponsive, or uncooperative because they dont hear well.
Hearing problems that are ignored or untreated can get worse. If you have a hearing problem, see your doctor. Hearing aids, special training, certain medicines, and surgery are some of the treatments that can help.
Is It A Sign Of Spiritual Awakening
Yes, but not always. So, before I get to that, I do want to mention that there are many physical explanations for ringing in your ears or hearing high pitched vibrations.
A ringing sound in one or both ears can signify an underlying medical condition, so its always wise to check with your doctor to rule out any medical or physical issues, especially if the ringing youre experiencing is persistent.
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Wearing Hearing Aids Means Im Old And Im Not Ready For That
Its normal to feel worried that hearing loss means youre agingand to want to hide it. Plenty of people with a hearing impairment sit silently rather than joining in conversations and activities, because they fear that hearing problems will make them seem helpless or less than competent. The truth: Connecting with others can help your brain stay younger and keep you involved with life.
How Does Hearing Loss Happen
High-frequency hearing loss can be caused by a variety of reasons. These include noise, aging, genetics, and disease. Menieres disease affects the inner ear and often happens to people between the ages of 30 and 50 years old. This can cause tinnitus, vertigo, hearing loss, and intense episodic dizziness. Some medications can cause damage to your hearing. Drugs used for chemotherapy and antibiotics are particularly damaging to your hearing health. Aging is also a natural cause of hearing loss because the cells cannot repair as quickly. If relatives have hearing loss, you might also be more genetically predisposed to high-frequency hearing loss. Those who are exposed to high noise levels like machinery, gunshots, or loud music can experience irreversible hearing damage.
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Does Tinnitus Lead To Hearing Loss
The middle ear is an air-filled compartment. Inside it are the three smallest bones in the body, called the malleus, incus and stapes. These bones are connected to each other. The last in the line, the stapes, also makes contact with the inner ear. The air space of the middle ear connects to the back of the nose by the Eustachian tube.