Simple things such as enjoying a conversation with a friend, enjoying your favorite movie, listening to your favorite music bring joy to life. But these things can disappear with the onset of hearing problems. At some point in life, most of the adults report a certain degree of hearing loss. Hearing problems can occur to anyone regardless of their gender or age.

Several factors cause hearing problems. Unfortunately, we cannot do with most of these things. However, arming yourself with the right information about hearing loss can aid in preventing or stopping further damage to the hearing organ. Just like with any other illness, hearing problems can be diagnosed and prevented before they cause severe damage. That is why experts in hearing loss layton ut recommend periodic testing especially for people who are predisposed to environments that can cause harm to their hearing organs.

What Causes Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss can be categorized into two basic types: Conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. The conductive hearing loss is caused when sound waves are prevented from getting into the ear. It can result from the buildup of wax in the ear, fluid buildup or even damage to the eardrum. Fortunately, most of these problems can easily be corrected by a hearing specialist. Nowadays it is even possible to correct damaged eardrums with the use of modern technology.

Sensorineural hearing loss, on the other hand, occurs when damage occurs to the inner ear of the auditory nerve. Unfortunately, the sensorineural hearing loss is permanent. Sensorineural hearing loss can be caused by an injury or by a disease. Otosclerosis is a condition that leads to hearing loss. An individual can inherit the condition from their parents. It occurs when abnormal bone growth interferes with the internal structure of the ear thus preventing them from working properly. Otosclerosis doesn’t necessarily show at birth; it can manifest at a later age.

Research has shown that aging can result in a gradual hearing loss. The condition is known as presbycusis and it mainly takes a toll on people over the age of 50 years. The condition can run in the family, although science doesn’t point to the exact cause of this phenomenon.
Presbycusis makes it difficult to hold a conversation with an affected senior person. The condition also makes loud noises irritating. Some other medical conditions such as otitis media can result in a similar hearing problem if it goes untreated. That is why it is important for individuals to go regular checkups since most of the conditions can be prevented if there is an early diagnosis.

Hearing loss can also occur to a healthy individual who is constantly exposed to loud noise. A sound that exceeds 85 decibels is categorized as noise and any individual in such environment needs to use hearing protection to prevent damage to their ears. Noise-related hearing loss can be prevented by keeping home theatres and earphones at moderate volume and reducing exposure to noisy places such as parties, firearms, firecrackers among others.