An Overview of Hearing Loss

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We’re Here to Help You with Hearing Loss

When you notice that your hearing is beginning to fade, it can be difficult to know what to do. Being unable to hear well can affect all aspects of your life, making it hard for you to communicate and live life as you normally did. Online Hearing is here to help you as you figure out what to do about your hearing loss. A good first step is to take a hearing test that will help you better understand the extent of your hearing loss. We offer an online test that is a good preliminary indicator of the current state of your hearing. These results can then be presented to your doctor or our team, who can help you figure out the next steps to take. Please reach out to us if you have any questions about our test.

What Causes Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss is a common problem that affects millions of people across the globe. It can affect people of many different ages and backgrounds and is usually a result of damage or loss of the hairs and nerve cells in your inner ear. Damage to this part of the ear is more likely to happen when you are regularly exposed to certain environments and other risk factors. Though your hearing can become impaired in a number of ways, the most common causes of hearing loss include:

• Degeneration of the inner ear structures caused by aging
• Long-term exposure to loud noises or a short blast of noise, like a gunshot
• Heredity and genetics that make you more susceptible to ear damage or deterioration
• Jobs that expose you to loud noise on a regular basis
• Hobbies or activities that expose you to loud or explosive noises, like firearms, motorcycling, carpentry, or listening to loud music
• Certain medications like chemotherapy drugs, sildenafil (Viagra), or antibiotic gentamicin
• Some diseases and severe illnesses that cause a high fever can damage the cochlea, including meningitis

Types of Hearing Loss

Because hearing loss can result from a number of different causes, there are numerous different types of hearing loss, which helps to classify the nature of the condition. This gives doctors a better understanding of what is occurring and how they can best treat the problem. The four types of hearing loss include:

• Conductive Hearing Loss: This type of hearing loss is caused by something that is stopping sounds from reaching the inner ear. It can usually be resolved with surgery or medicine.
• Sensorineural Hearing Loss: This type of hearing loss occurs when there is an issue with how the inner ear or nerve is working.
• Mixed Hearing Loss: This type of hearing loss includes aspects of both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.
• Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder: With this type of hearing loss, sounds are able to enter the ear normally, but damage to the inner ear or hearing nerve causes it to be organized in a way the brain cannot interpret.

When to Get a Hearing Test

A hearing test is a non-invasive way to accurately get your hearing checked, so that you can determine the severity of your condition. This is a great first step in figuring out what is wrong and how to treat it. The sooner you get tested, the sooner you can find a solution. It’s a good idea to have a hearing test if you experience any of the following.

• You notice that speech and other sounds are muffled.
• You have difficulty understanding words, especially if there is background noise or you’re in a crowd.
• You have trouble hearing consonants.
• You frequently ask people to speak more slowly, clearly, or loudly.
• You have to turn up the volume on the TV or radio.
• You have begun to avoid some social settings because it’s harder to communicate.
• You feel that you are withdrawing from conversations.

What to Expect During the Test

Hearing tests are a very simple and easy process. You can undergo a hearing test at a medical clinic, but our online platform allows you to take them at your own home on the computer. No matter how you take the test, the process will be similar. You will wear headphones and listen for any sounds. The test will send various tones into one ear at a time, and it’s your job to signal when you hear a tone. If done correctly, the test will be able to measure the softest sounds you are able to hear in each tone, giving you a clearer picture of your current hearing capabilities.

Take Our Free Online Test

If you are concerned that you have suffered hearing loss, you should take a test as soon as possible or meet with a doctor. We make it easy to take a hearing test, as we offer free hearing tests online. This means you can take the test at home and use the results to determine what actions you need to take next. You can choose to see your doctor to receive a medical diagnosis of your hearing loss or speak to one of our professionals for more guidance. Please reach out to us today if you have any questions.