The human body has some amazing and surprising abilities. Scratches, cuts, and broken bones are normally no problem for the human body to repair (with a little time, your body can repair the giant bones in your arms and legs).
But when it comes to restoring the tiny little hairs in your ear, you’re out of luck. For now at least.
It doesn’t seem exactly fair when you can heal from major bone injuries but you can’t heal tiny hairs in your ear. So what’s the deal?
When is Hearing Impairment Permanent?
So, let’s get right to it. You’re waiting in your doctor’s office and you’re digesting the news: you have hearing loss. So the first question you have is whether the hearing will ever come back. And the answer is… it depends.
It’s a little anticlimactic, speaking dramatically.
But it’s also a fact. There are two general forms of hearing loss:
- Hearing loss caused by damage: But there’s another, more prevalent form of hearing loss. This form of hearing loss, known as sensorineural hearing loss, is permanent. This is how it works: In your ear, there are little hairs that vibrate when struck by sound waves. Your brain is good at changing these vibrations into the sounds you hear. But over time, loud sounds can cause these hairs to be damaged to the point where treatment is required.
- Hearing impairment caused by an obstruction: You can exhibit every indicator of hearing loss when your ear has some kind of obstruction. A wide variety of things, from something gross (earwax) to something frightening (a tumor), can be the cause of this blockage. Fortunately, once the obstruction is cleared, your hearing usually returns to normal.
So the bottom line is this: you can recover from one type of hearing loss and you most likely won’t know which one you’re coping with without having a hearing test.
Treating Hearing Loss
Scientists haven’t discovered a “cure” for sensorineural hearing loss but they’re working on it. But your hearing loss still may be manageable. Here are some ways that the correct treatment might help you:
- Prevent cognitive decline.
- Protect and maintain your remaining hearing.
- Ensure your overall quality of life is unaffected or remains high.
- Stay engaged socially, keeping isolation at bay.
- Successfully cope with any of the symptoms of hearing loss you may be going through.
Of the many forms of treatment available, which one is the right choice for you depends on the extent of your hearing loss. Hearing aids are one of the easiest and most common treatment choices.
Why is Hearing Loss Effectively Managed With Hearing AIds?
Hearing aids can help you get back to the people and things you enjoy. They can help you hear the conversation, the phone, your tv, or even just the sounds of nature. Hearing aids can also take some of the pressure off of your brain because you won’t be struggling to hear.
The Best Protection is Prevention
Whether you have hearing loss now or not, you should safeguard your hearing from loud noises and other things that can harm your hearing (like ototoxic drugs). Your overall health and well being depend on good hearing. Having routine hearing exams is the best way to be certain that you are protecting your hearing.