Hearing Loss

 1 in 5 Americans has a hearing loss.

Do you experience Sound Voids in your life?

Does speech sound muted?

Do you have a hard time hearing on the telephone?

Is it difficult to understand words, especially against background noise or in a crowd of people?

Do you frequently ask others to speak more slowly, clearly, and loudly?

Do you turn up the volume of the television or radio louder than others? 

Do you avoid engaging in conversation?

Do you avoid certain social settings?

Do you feel embarrassed, frustrated, or tired due to these symptoms?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, speak to your hearing care provider about the prevention and treatment of gradual hearing loss, and learn what you can do to eliminate

Click Here To Hear What Hearing Loss Sounds Like

How to Prevent Sound Voids 

Avoiding exposure to loud noise may help prevent premature hearing loss and the development of Sound Voids. 

The table below identifies decibel levels for common noises. How long and how often have you been exposed to 85 dB and above? 

Sounds louder than 85 dB are harmful depending on how long and how often you are exposed to them. The louder a sound is, the lower the amount of exposure required to cause damage. If used properly, hearing protection devices can reduce the loudness of sound reaching the ears.

Call today to learn more, and discover new treatment options that can help you hear better than you have in years.

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Hearing Loss and the Perception of Sound Voids

Of all our sensory abilities, hearing is especially vital: It is through speech that we most frequently communicate our wants, needs, and emotions, and hearing is critical to understanding the thoughts and feelings of our loved ones. 

Gradual hearing loss and the perception of Sound Voids — or gaps in your auditory range — are common conditions. They typically occur as a result of years of chronic exposure to loud noise, but they can also be caused by illness, ototoxic medications, earwax blockage, hereditary conditions, and the aging process. 

You can’t reverse hearing loss or eliminate all Sound Voids. However, professionals at your local AudigyCertified™ practice can apply the appropriate care and technology to lessen their effects and improve the quality of the sounds you hear. Unfortunately, many people experiencing a hearing loss are either unaware or ashamed of their condition and, therefore, do not seek the help of a professional to see how their lives can be improved by better hearing.

Defining Sound

Sounds are simply vibrations of molecules that create waves that travel through the air from a source to a listener. Sounds are measured by intensity and pitch — the loudness and frequency of sound vibrations per second. A deep voice is low pitched, while a child’s voice is high pitched.

High-Frequency Hearing Loss

In the early stages of hearing impairment, the highest frequencies are usually the first to go. Symptoms include difficulty hearing or understanding high-pitched voices and understanding speech amid background noise. It’s important to recognize that hearing someone and understanding them are two different things. High-frequency hearing loss distorts sound, which makes speech difficult to understand even if it is heard. 

People with hearing loss often have difficulty differentiating between words that sound alike — in particular, words that contain S, F, SH, CH, H, TH, T, K, or soft C sounds. These consonants are in a much higher frequency range than vowels and other consonants.

Degrees of Hearing Loss

There are five levels or degrees of hearing loss. A person with normal hearing can perceive very soft sounds, whereas a person with a profound loss can only perceive sounds louder than 90 dB.

Compensating for Sound Voids

While noise-induced hearing loss is permanent, hearing care providers at your AudigyCertified practice are recognized experts in helping individuals fill in these Sound Voids with hearing solutions that are carefully matched to the way you hear.

By understanding precisely what frequencies and listening situations are giving you the most trouble, your hearing care professional can create a custom hearing technology solution that amplifies just the right frequencies to give you the hearing help you need. And your solution can be crafted into a whole range of fitting options, from convenient, easy-to-use, behind-the-ear devices to tiny devices that sit deep in the ear canal and are invisible even to people who know you’re wearing them. 

Lin, Frank R. et al. Hearing Loss Prevalence in the United States. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2011; Vol. 171 (No. 20).

How Does Hearing Loss Impact Health and Wellness?

Source: Starkey Hearing

How your ear works – Inside the Human Body

Source: BBC One