The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders estimates that roughly 48 million adults in the U.S. have some level of hearing loss, ranging from mild cases that occur over time to sudden hearing loss.
As we grow older, hearing loss becomes more prevalent, affecting about 8.5 percent of people between the ages of 55 and 64 years, as many as 25 percent of those between 65 and 74 years of age, and about half of men and women age 75 years and older.
Conductive hearing loss is typically temporary and caused by something interfering with the passage of sound into the ear. Common causes include ear infections, earwax, or a punctured eardrum. Most cases of conductive hearing loss can be treated with medicine or surgery to correct the situation.
Accounting for approximately 90% of hearing problems in adults, this is the most common type of hearing loss. It’s caused by damage to the inner ear (cochlea), or nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain. Sensorineural hearing loss cannot usually be treated with medicine or surgery - once the damage is done, it’s done. However, it can be effectively treated and managed with hearing aids.
Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by:
- Aging
- Illness
- Ototoxic drugs
- Hereditary hearing loss
- Head trauma
- Malformation of the inner ear
- Exposure to loud noise
People who struggle with sensorineural hearing loss have problems hearing sounds at different volumes as well as difficulty differentiating sounds.
Know where your hearing health stands by scheduling a free hearing screening at Beltone Skoric Hearing Aid Center. Beltone digital hearing aids can improve your hearing and quality of life, should the hearing loss be found.
Give our staff a call at (888) 417-2130 or contact us through our online form to find out more about hearing health.
