The ear - a highly complex organ
How we hear
Our two ears act like radar antenna to register acoustic signals coming from multiple directions. The complex structures of each ear process the received signals and pass them to the brain where we interpret our acoustic environment.
Take, for example, the sound of an approaching truck: the nearest ear receives the sound slightly earlier than the other and a little louder. Using the finely processed acoustic information from each ear, the brain has the capacity to calculate the direction of the truck’s approach.
Some of the advantages of two properly functioning ears:
- excellent sound localization skills
- much easier speech understanding in noisy situations
- the richest sound quality
- an accurate judgment of loudness
The degree of hearing loss varies from person to person
Between the two extremes of hearing well and hearing nothing, there are many degrees of impairment. The terms used to describe the degree of hearing loss are mild, moderate, severe and profound. The most hearing losses are mild to moderate.
What does the degree of hearing loss mean?
- Mild hearing loss: unable to hear soft sounds, difficulty understanding speech clearly in noisy environment.
- Moderate hearing loss: unable to hear soft and moderately loud sounds, considerable difficulty understanding speech, particularly with background noise.
- Severe hearing loss: some loud sounds are audible but communication without a hearing instrument is impossible.
- Profound hearing loss: some extremely loud sounds are audible but communication without a hearing instrument is impossible.
Causes and types of hearing loss
Hearing loss resulting from a problem located in the outer or middle ear is called a conductive hearing loss. A hearing loss caused by a damaged inner ear is called sensorineural. This is the most common hearing loss. Should the loss be the result of a combination of these, this is known as a mixed hearing loss.
Age- Related Hearing loss
Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions affecting Australians over the age of 65. About one-third of Australians between age 65 and 74 and one-half of those aged 85 and older have hearing problems. They may mistake words in conversation, miss musical notes at a concert, or leave a ringing doorbell unanswered. Three out of five Australians with hearing loss have some difficulty with day-to-day communication.
Hearing loss due to the ageing process is called presbyacusis. In most cases, hearing loss is slowly progressive, typically affects both ears and may have an adverse effect on the individual’s ability to understand speech.
The typical complaint of older adults with classic presbyacusis is that they can hear people talking, but they cannot make out the words; that everyone is mumbling.
In addition, the type of high frequency hearing loss that older individuals tend to have, compounds the problem, making rapid speech and speech in noise (like one would experience in a cafe or at a party) even more difficult to understand.
Presbyacusis, hearing loss that is associated with ageing:
- Is permanent
- Typically affects both ears equally
- Is greater for high-pitched sounds
- Is more common and severe for men
- Gradually worsens with age
Other factors that may increase the likelihood of hearing loss in individuals as they age include a lifetime of exposure to noise, a family history of hearing loss, and certain medications.
Further information, help or wish to make an appointment with our audiologist, you can contact us at:
Abi Hearing Clinic
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