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Hearing Loss

We take the time to educate our patients on their hearing loss.

Types of Hearing Loss

There are three main types of hearing losses: sensorineural, conductive, and mixed. By far the most common type of hearing loss is permanent sensorineural (inner ear) loss that cannot be corrected medically or surgically. Sensorineural hearing loss is when there is damage to the middle/inner ear due to exposure to loud noise, age, head/ear trauma, or toxic medications. Although this type of hearing loss cannot be corrected medically, it can be managed with hearing aids.

Medical Correction

Some hearing losses can be medically corrected. Both Dr. Alex and Dr. Bakewell spent years associated with Ear, Nose and Throat surgeons before venturing into private practice, giving them firsthand experience in recognizing when medical intervention is necessary and helpful in restoring hearing.

Some treatable hearing losses include:

  • Middle ear fluid
  • Otosclerosis
  • Perforated eardrums
  • Cholesteatomas
  • Sudden onset hearing losses
  • Acoustic neuromas
  • Eustachian tube dysfunction
  • … and more

Referrals to an ENT or primary care doctors are made as needed. Occasionally referrals to a dermatologist come up when suspicious lesions in and around the ear are noted. Physical therapists can also be called upon for their fall prevention and balance retraining therapies.

Hearing and Your Health

Your hearing is an important part of your overall health and well-being. Many people don’t realize that our hearing is connected to our brain health and general health. Sometimes, hearing loss is the cause of an underlying health condition such as diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure. For this reason, it’s important to have your hearing check regularly and to see your primary care physician regularly. Together, we can catch any signs of hearing loss early and help you be proactive about your overall health.

Did you know that your hearing health is also connected to your brain? In fact, we don’t hear when sound reaches the ear, but when sound reaches the auditory cortex of the brain. In the brain is where sound is processed into information and even stored as a memory. When your hearing loss is left untreated, then your brain doesn’t receive the proper stimulation it needs to remain active and healthy. Over time this can lead to cognitive decline and even dementia.

The best way to maintain your cognitive abilities is to manage any signs of hearing loss early with hearing aids. Hearing aids will provide your brain with the proper exercise it needs to stay active and to continue processing sounds. If you suspect that you have hearing loss, then contact us today. We want to help you be proactive about your hearing health so you can feel your best.

Preventing Hearing Loss

Some hearing losses are preventable. Noise induced hearing loss can be prevented with proper ear protection against firearms, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, chainsaws, woodworking tools, etc. There are also custom forms of protection for musicians and hunters/target shooters as well. Ear impressions are taken for these custom fit products. Colorful floatable swim plugs can be made to protect ears prone to swimmer’s ear or for ears with PE tubes or perforations. Contact us today to learn more about the hearing protection we carry.

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