The human body is an awesome, breathtaking, confusing, confounding piece of work, isn’t it? The human body usually has no difficulty healing cuts, scrapes, or broken bones (I mean, sure, it takes a while, but your body can actually heal the giant bones in your arms and legs with little more than some time and a splint).
But when it comes to restoring the tiny little hairs in your ear, you’re out of luck. At least, so far.
It doesn’t seem exactly fair when you can recover from major bone injuries but you have problems repairing tiny hairs in your ear. What’s happening there?
When is Hearing Loss Irreversible?
So, let’s get right to it. You’re at your doctor’s office attempting to digest the news he’s giving you: you have hearing impairment. So the first question you have is whether the hearing will ever return. And the answer is… maybe.
Dramatically speaking, it’s a little anticlimactic.
But he isn’t wrong. There are two primary forms of hearing loss:
- Blockage induced hearing loss: You can show every indicator of hearing loss when your ear has some kind of blockage. A wide variety of things, from something gross (earwax) to something frightening (a tumor), can be the cause of this blockage. Your hearing will return to normal, thankfully, when the obstruction is removed.
- Damage induced hearing loss: But hearing loss has another more common form. Known scientifically as sensorineural hearing loss, this form of hearing loss is effectively irreversible. Here’s what happens: In your ear, there are tiny 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 needed.
So the bottom line is this: there’s one form of hearing loss you can recuperate from, and you might need to get tested to see which one you have.
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 treatable. Here are some ways that the proper treatment might help you:
- Maintain and safeguard the hearing you have left.
- Preserve a high quality of life.
- Cope successfully with any of the symptoms of hearing loss you may be experiencing.
- Avoid isolation by staying socially involved.
- Reduce cognitive decline.
This treatment can take many forms, and it’ll normally depend on how significant your hearing loss is. One of the most common treatments is rather simple: hearing aids.
Why Are Hearing Aids a Smart Treatment For Hearing Impairment?
You can get back to the things and people you love with the help of hearing aids. They can help you hear the conversation, the phone, your tv, or even just the birds in the park. Hearing aids can also take some of the pressure off of your brain because you will no longer be straining to hear.
Prevention is The Best Protection
Loud noises and other things that would harm your hearing should be avoided and your ears should be protected against them. Your general health and well being depend on strong hearing. Having routine hearing exams is the best way to be sure that you are safeguarding your hearing.