The human body has some amazing and surprising abilities. The human body typically has no problem mending cuts, scratches, or broken bones (I mean, sure, it takes a while, but your body can literally heal the giant bones in your legs and arms with little more than a splint and some time).
But when it comes to mending the fragile little hairs in your ear, you’re out of luck. At least, so far.
It’s really regrettable that your body can pull off such great feats of healing but can’t regenerate these little hairs. What’s going on there?
When is Hearing Loss Irreversible?
So let’s take a closer look. You’re at your doctor’s office attempting to process the news he’s giving you: you’re losing your hearing. So you ask your doctor if your hearing will ever return. And he tells you that it might or it might not.
Dramatically speaking, it’s a bit anticlimactic.
But it’s also a fact. Hearing loss comes in two basic forms:
- Obstruction induced hearing loss: When there’s something obstructing your ear canal, you can show all the symptoms of hearing loss. This blockage can be caused by a wide range of things, from the gross (ear wax) to the downright frightening (tumors). The good news is that once the obstruction is cleared, your hearing usually returns to normal.
- Damage related hearing loss: But there’s another, more common form of hearing loss. This kind of hearing loss, known as sensorineural hearing loss, is irreversible. This is how it works: In your ear, there are tiny hairs that vibrate when moved by sound waves. Your brain is good at changing these vibrations into the sounds you hear. But over time, loud noises can cause these hairs to be damaged to the point where treatment is necessary.
So here’s the main point: there’s one form of hearing loss you can recuperate from, and you might need to get examined to see which one you’re dealing with.
Hearing Loss Treatment
So currently there’s no “cure” for sensorineural hearing loss (although scientists are working on that). But that doesn’t mean you can’t get treatment for your hearing loss. As a matter of fact, getting the right treatment for your hearing loss might help you:
- Make sure your general quality of life is untouched or stays high.
- Successfully cope with any of the symptoms of hearing loss you might be going through.
- Preserve and safeguard the hearing you have left.
- Counter mental decline.
- Remain engaged socially, keeping isolation at bay.
Of the many forms of treatment available, which one is the right choice for you depends on the severity of your hearing loss. Hearing aids are one of the easiest and most prevalent treatment choices.
Why Are Hearing Aids a Smart Treatment For Hearing Impairment?
Hearing aids can help you return to the people and things you love. With the help of hearing aids, you can begin to hear conversations, your television, your phone, and sounds of nature once again. Hearing aids can also remove some of the pressure from your brain because you will no longer be struggling to hear.
The Best Protection is Prevention
Whether you have hearing loss now or not, you should protect your hearing from loud sounds and other things that can damage your hearing (like ototoxic drugs). Your general health and well being depend on strong hearing. Regular hearing care, such as annual hearing tests, is just another form of self-care.