Hearing Loss
Expert knowledge on hearing health in Naples and Bonita Springs, FL.
Hearing Loss
and health
Hearing loss does more than just affect your ability to hear well. It also affects your communication, relationships, confidence, and mental health. When left untreated, hearing loss can cause you to withdraw from social settings. After time, this can lead to social isolation, depression, and cognitive decline. It’s important to treat hearing loss at the first signs in order to preserve your health and to continue feeling your best.
Hearing loss can be caused by many factors, including:
- Genetics
- Age
- Loud noise exposure
- Head or ear trauma
- Toxic medications
- Underlying health conditions (i.e., heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure)
Hearing
and cognition
Our ability to hear is deeply connected to the brain. We don’t hear when sound hits our ears. We hear when sound enters the ears and travels up to the auditory cortex of the brain. In the brain is where sound is transmitted into information. When you can’t hear properly due to hearing loss, then your brain doesn’t receive certain sound signals that it needs to stay active and healthy. When left untreated, your brain will eventually forget these sounds, which can lead to atrophy.
To keep your brain active and healthy, and to ensure you maintain good mental health, we recommend wearing hearing aids. Hearing aids will provide your brain with the sounds it has been missing. Hearing aids will also provide you with confidence to rejoin the conversation, have better communication, and feel more energized to be socially engaged. If you are ready to enjoy your life again, contact us for a hearing check.
signs of
Hearing Loss
There are a few signs to look out for when it comes to hearing loss. If have noticed difficulty hearing recently, that is a sure sign you should have your hearing evaluated. Whether you have hearing loss, tinnitus, or another hearing disorder, our audiologists can help you.
- Sounds seem muffled or unclear
- It’s difficult to hear when there is background noise (i.e., in a restaurant)
- You have to turn the volume up on the TV or radio to hear
- You often ask people to repeat themselves
- You frequently respond with “What” or “Huh”
- You hear a ringing in your ears (tinnitus)
- It’s easier to hear when the speaker is facing you
- Women and children’s voices are harder to hear
types of
Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is categorized by type, and there are three types that affect people:
Sensorineural
Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common type of loss and is caused by damage to the cochlea in the inner ear, or due to damage to the hearing nerve. This can occur due to toxic medications, head or ear trauma, genetics, illness, or simply because of age. Sensorineural hearing loss affects the most people and can be successfully managed with hearing aids.
Conductive
Conductive hearing loss happens when sound cannot be conducted through the outer and middle ear to the inner ear. This if often caused by impacted earwax, fluid in the middle ear, ruptured eardrum, ear infections, trauma to the eardrum, or allergies. To treat conductive hearing loss, you need to visit an ENT or physician who can either prescribe antibiotics or perform surgery to correct the ailment.
Mixed
Mixed hearing loss is a combination of sensorineural and conductive. To treat mixed hearing loss, the conductive portion would need to be cleared up, with an antibiotic for example, and then the sensorineural portion can be managed with hearing aids.
Request Your Appointment
Naples
-
5470 Bryson Ct. Ste 102
Naples, FL 34109 - (239) 434-7000
- Monday - Thursday: 9AM - 5PM
Bonita Springs
-
3350 Woods Edge Circle, #101
Bonita Springs, FL 34134 - (239) 948-3434
- Monday - Friday : 9AM - 5PM
