Once one has identified a problem in hearing and has received a diagnosis, receiving treatment right away is essential in order to maintain a healthy and productive lifestyle. Depending on the type of hearing loss you are diagnosed with, treatments can vary.
Hearing loss can generally be classified under three categories:
Conducive - This is when the outer/ middle ear is unable to deliver sound to the inner ear.
Sensorineural - This type of hearing loss occurs due to damage/ obstruction in the auditory nerve or when the brain is not able to detect sound waves normally.
Mixed hearing loss - This could be a result of a combination of different conditions, sensory and conducive, resulting in hearing loss.
Once your audiologist has determined the root cause of hearing loss, they will be able to provide treatments to help improve your quality of life so you can resume your daily activities.
Treatments include:
Digital Hearing Aids: These are small but effective devices that can easily fit around your ear. It converts sounds into an analogue code. This code is then converted to amplify the frequency of the sounds, allowing you to hear. Behind the ear (BTE) hearing aids, in the ear (ITE) hearing aids and open fit hearing aids are just some types of digital hearing aids used by people suffering from hearing loss.
Cochlear implants: This involves a small surgical procedure where a small transmitter is implanted inside the cochlear. This is connected to an external speech processor in order to transmit sounds.
Surgical implants: While cochlear implants are the most common, sometimes it isn’t the best fit for some cases. Similar to cochlear implants, however, one can get middle ear/ bone-anchored implants through surgical procedures where the surgeon attaches a small device to the bone of either the middle ear (middle ear implants) or to the bone behind the ear (bone-anchored implants).
Earplugs: Sometimes treatment for those suffering from mild hearing loss could be as simple as using earplugs. These are generally used by people who are exposed to loud sounds often, affecting their ability to hear sounds at a normal decibel during other times.
Attune is Australia's largest independent and only accredited hearing healthcare provider. Not to mention if you are booking in for a general hearing test appointment, we conduct a free 15-minute hearing test to help you determine the type of hearing loss you may have and the type of treatment that would best suit your lifestyle. Contact us today to find out how we can be of service to you.
