The Healing Capacity of Your Body
The physical body generally has the ability to recover from cuts, scratches, and fractured bones, although the healing process might differ in duration depending on the damage.
But you’re out of luck when it comes to restoring the tiny little hairs in your ears.
Up to this time, at least.
Animals can heal damage to the hair cells in their ears and get their hearing back, but human beings don’t have that ability (though scientists are tackling it).
That means you could have an irreversible loss of hearing if you damage the hearing nerve or those tiny hairs.
When is Hearing Loss Permanent?
Upon discovering hearing loss, the preliminary worry that typically arises is whether the hearing will be restored.
It is uncertain if it will happen, as it depends on numerous variables.
There are two basic kinds of hearing loss:
- Blockage-related hearing impairment: If your ear canal is partially or totally blocked, it can mimic the symptoms of hearing loss.
Earwax, debris, and abnormal growths can potentially obstruct the ear canal.
Your hearing generally returns to normal after the blockage is cleared, and that’s the good news. - Hearing loss due to damage: But there’s another, more widespread kind of hearing loss that makes up around 90 percent of hearing loss.
Clinically known as sensorineural hearing loss, this type of hearing loss is often irreversible.
The hearing process is activated by the impact of moving air on tiny hairs in the ear which send sound waves to the brain.
Your brain converts these vibrations into auditory signals that are heard by you as sound.
But your hearing can, over time, be permanently harmed by loud noises.
Injury to the inner ear or nerve can also lead to sensorineural hearing loss.
In certain cases of extreme hearing loss, a cochlear implant may be able to improve hearing function.
A hearing test will help you identify whether hearing aids will help strengthen your hearing.
Treatment of Hearing Loss
Sensorineural hearing loss currently can’t be cured.
Treatment for your hearing loss might, however, be an option.
Benefits of proper treatment for your wellness:
- Preserve a good general standard of living and well-being.
- Successfully address any symptoms of hearing loss that you might be experiencing.
- Protect your remaining hearing to stop additional damage.
- Maintain connections and community participation to prevent feelings of isolation and solitude.
- Prevent cognitive degeneration.
This treatment can take many forms, and it’ll generally be dependent on how extreme your hearing loss is.
A frequently encouraged and fairly straightforward solution is the use of hearing aids.
What Role do Hearing Aids Play in Managing Hearing Impairment?
Individuals who cope with hearing loss can use hearing aids to help them perceive sounds, allowing them to work as efficiently as they can.
Tiredness occurs when the brain has to work overtime to process sound.
As scientists develop more knowledge, they have identified a more significant danger of cognitive decline with a consistent lack of cognitive input.
Your cognitive function can begin to be restored by using hearing aids because they help your ears hear again.
Research has revealed that wearing hearing aids can significantly delay cognitive impairment, with some research suggesting a reduction of up to 75%.
Contemporary hearing aids will also allow you to pay attention to what you want to hear while tuning out background sounds.
Prevention is The Best Protection
If you take away one thing from this article, hopefully, it’s this: you should safeguard the hearing you have because you can’t count on recuperating from hearing loss. If an object becomes wedged in your ear canal, it can usually be safely cleared out.
However, this doesn’t reduce the danger posed by loud noises, which can be harmful even if they don’t seem excessively loud to you.
That’s why making the effort to protect your ears is a smart idea.
If you are ever diagnosed with hearing loss in the future, you will have more treatment options if you take measures to protect your hearing now.
Receiving treatment can enable you to live a fulfilling life, even if complete recovery is not achievable.
To identify what your best option is, schedule an appointment with our hearing care experts.