The human body has some amazing and surprising abilities. Scratches, cuts, and broken bones are generally no problem for the human body to repair (I mean, sure, it takes a while, but your body can actually mend the giant bones in your legs and arms with little more than some time and a splint).
But when it comes to mending the delicate little hairs in your ear, it’s not going to happen. At least, so far.
It’s really regrettable that your body can pull off such fantastic feats of healing but can’t ever re-grow these little hairs. So what’s the deal?
When is Hearing Loss Permanent?
So let’s take a closer look. 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 he informs you that it may or may not.
It’s a little anticlimactic, speaking dramatically.
But he isn’t wrong. Hearing loss comes in two general forms:
- Obstruction induced hearing loss: When there’s something obstructing your ear canal, you can present all the indications of hearing loss. A wide range of things, from something gross (earwax) to something frightening (a tumor), can be the cause of this blockage. Your hearing will return to normal, luckily, when the obstruction is removed.
- Damage related hearing loss: But there’s another, more prevalent type of hearing loss. Known medically as sensorineural hearing loss, this type of hearing loss is effectively irreversible. Here’s what happens: there are tiny hairs in your ear that vibrate when hit with moving air (sound waves). When vibrations are transformed into signals, they are transmitted to the brain which makes them into the sounds you perceive. But loud noises can cause damage to the hairs and, over time, reduce your hearing to the point where you need treatment.
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 getting a hearing exam.
Hearing Loss Treatment
So currently there’s no “cure” for sensorineural hearing loss (though scientists are working on it). But your hearing loss still might be manageable. As a matter of fact, getting the correct treatment for your hearing loss may help you:
- Help fend off mental decline.
- Prevent isolation by remaining socially active.
- Safeguard and maintain your remaining hearing.
- Successfully cope with any of the symptoms of hearing loss you may be enduring.
- Maintain a high quality of life.
Of the many types of treatment available, which one is right for you depends on the extent of your hearing loss. One of the most common treatments is pretty simple: hearing aids.
Why is Hearing Loss Effectively Managed With Hearing AIds?
You can get back to the people and things you love with the help of hearing aids. They can help you hear the discussions, the phone, your television, or even just the birds in the park. Hearing aids can also remove some of the pressure from your brain because you won’t be straining to hear.
The Best Protection is Prevention
Loud sounds and other things that would damage your hearing should be avoided and your ears should be protected against them. Hearing well is critical to your general health and well-being. Regular hearing care, like annual hearing tests, is just another kind of self-care.