Hearing loss

The onset of hearing loss symptoms can be subtle and occur over time or come about suddenly and be more easily noticeable. More than 50 million people in the U.S. have some degree of hearing loss. At Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic, our providers can help determine the cause of your hearing loss and help you prevent further damage.

What is hearing loss?

You may experience hearing loss when something affects auditory processing, or your brain’s awareness of the sounds around you. Your hearing system is comprised of your outer, middle and inner ear, plus your auditory nervous system.

Types of hearing loss

There are several types of hearing loss and the treatment for each type is different.

Sensorineural hearing loss

Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage to the inner ear or nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain. This type of hearing loss is the third most common chronic health condition in older adults after high blood pressure and arthritis. This type of hearing loss often cannot be reversed. Hearing aids are usually very helpful for this type of loss.

Some of the causes for sensorineural hearing loss include:

• Presbycusis (age-related hearing loss)
• Exposure to loud noises over time
• Exposure to a sudden and unexpected loud noise
• Head injury
• Acoustic neuroma (benign tumor that develops in the ear)
• Use of certain medicines or drugs
• Meniere’s disease
• Childhood infections, such as meningitis, mumps, scarlet fever and measles

Conductive hearing loss

Conductive hearing loss happens when sound is not carried through the outer ear canal to the eardrum and the tiny bones of the middle ear. Conductive hearing loss typically results in a noticeable decrease in the ability to hear faint sounds. Conductive hearing loss can often be corrected medically or surgically.

Some of the causes of conductive hearing loss include:

• Absence or malformation of the outer ear, ear canal or middle ear
• Allergies
• Benign tumors
• Damage to the tiny bones (ossicles) in the middle ear
• Ear infection (otitis media)
• Fluid in the middle ear from colds
• Foreign object(s) stuck in the ear canal
• Hole in the eardrum
• Impacted earwax (cerumen)
• Poor eustachian tube function
• Scarring on the eardrum from repeat infections or ear surgery
• Swimmer’s ear

Mixed hearing loss

In some cases, a conductive hearing loss occurs in conjunction with a sensorineural hearing loss. When this happens, there may be damage in the outer or middle ear and in the inner ear (cochlea) or auditory nerve.

Sudden hearing loss

Sudden hearing loss happens very quickly and requires immediate medical attention to determine its cause and treatment. If you experience sudden hearing loss, you should contact your doctor immediately.

Evaluation of hearing loss

You may need to see an audiologist for a hearing screening if you are an adult who has one or more of the following signs or symptoms:

• Avoidance of social settings
• Difficulty following conversation, especially when in a group
• Difficulty hearing in noisy, crowded environments
• Dizziness, vertigo or unsteadiness
• Friends or family who suspect hearing trouble
• Having to frequently ask people to repeat themselves
• Having to listen to TV or radio at a higher volume than usual
• Hearing ringing, buzzing, roaring or hissing in one or both ears (tinnitus)
• Loss of clarity or muffled speech
• Pain in one or both ears
• Withdrawal from conversation

Children may need to have their hearing tested if they display one or more of the following:

• Having to turn TV up louder than normal
• Inattentiveness
• No response when spoken to
• No startling from loud sounds
• Poor speech
• Responses that don’t relate to what was said to them
• Speech or language delay

Diagnosis of hearing loss

During your first visit to an audiologist, you’ll be asked questions about your medical and hearing history. Then, the audiologist will look into your ears using a special light, called an otoscope, to check for anything in the ear canal that might affect the test results.

You may have hearing testing to determine:

• Whether you have any hearing loss
• The degree of your hearing loss
• Whether one or both ears is affected
• The best treatment options for you

Types of hearing testing you may have include:

• Audiogram
• Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)
• Otoacoustic Emissions (OAEs)
• Pure-tone testing
• Speech testing
• Tests of the middle ear

Treatment for hearing loss

Our Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic providers are here to help make living with hearing loss as manageable as possible.

One of the treatments for conductive hearing loss is ear tubes. Ear tubes are tiny cylinders, usually made of plastic or metal, that are surgically inserted into the eardrum. They create an airway that ventilates the middle ear and prevents the accumulation of fluids behind the eardrum.

Ear tubes are often recommended for children who have persistent fluid buildup behind the eardrums, especially if the condition causes hearing loss and affects speech development. Your child’s doctor may also recommend ear tubes if your child gets frequent ear infections.

Most ear tubes fall out within six to 12 months, and the holes heal shut on their own. Some tubes need to be removed, and some holes may need to be closed surgically.

Sensorineural hearing loss often can’t be reversed. Hearing aids are usually very helpful for this type of hearing loss.