Many people are aware that their hearing has deteriorated but are reluctant to seek help. Perhaps they don’t want to acknowledge the problem, are embarrassed by what they see as a weakness, or believe that they can “get by” without using a hearing aid. And, unfortunately, too many wait years, even decades, before getting treatment.
Research demonstrates the considerable negative social, psychological, cognitive and health effects of untreated hearing loss…with far-reaching implications that go well beyond hearing alone. In fact, those who have difficulty hearing can experience such distorted and incomplete communication that it seriously impacts their professional and personal lives, at times leading to isolation and withdrawal.
Inner ear cannot send sound correctly to the brain. Sensori-neural hearing loss is treated with:
Combination of both conductive and sensori-neural loss. A Mixed hearing loss may be treated medically and with hearing aids.
Children’s quality of life and development vitally depend on the ability to hear. Children learn to speak because they hear others and themselves communicate. The ability to hear and understand helps your child learn to read, appreciate music, and receive warnings of approaching dangers. Your child will have difficulty coping with many of life’s challenges and opportunities at home and in school without good hearing. The single most important sign of hearing loss in children is the failure to develop, or the delayed development of spoken language.
If children have severe or profound hearing loss, it is usually obvious that they do not respond to sound. Sometimes it is difficult to detect mild forms of hearing loss, including hearing loss in only one ear. Even the more common forms of mild hearing loss, however, can negatively impact communication development and school performance.
“My ears whistle and buzz continually day and night. I can say I am living a wretched life”.
Exposure to loud noise is the most common cause of preventable tinnitus. 90% of all people with tinnitus have some degree of noise-induced hearing loss. The truth is that almost any problem with the ears or auditory system can cause tinnitus
Tinnitus is associated with a variety of problems such as sleep difficulties, fatigue, stress, trouble relaxing, difficulty concentrating, depression and irritability. It can have an effect on quality of life including social interactions and work.
When we hear, sound passes through the outer and middle ear to the inner ear. The inner ear converts the sound to electrical impulses and sends them to the brain. The brain doesn’t receive the sound it expects due to a problem in the auditory system. The brain turns up the sensitivity, or volume control, and becomes sensitive to other electrical activity in the brain. The brain then perceives the new electrical activity as sound – or tinnitus. Although tinnitus may be caused by a problem in the ear or auditory system, tinnitus comes from the brain.
An actual sound can be heard emanating from the patient’s ear. This may be caused by muscle spasms causing “clicks” or “crackling” in the ear. Occasionally, this beats in time with one’s pulse. Pulsatile tinnitus may be a symptom of a serious medical condition.
Usually results from the same conditions that cause hearing loss. Conditions such as noise exposure, natural aging process, ear infections, and medications all may contribute and subjective tinnitus may occur with or without the presence of hearing loss.
There is no cure for tinnitus. However, “no cure” doesn’t mean “no help”! Because tinnitus can be a symptom of a more serious disorder, it is important to have an appropriate health evaluation with an Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist.
Counseling can be beneficial to many patients by improving emotional stability, concentration and sleep.
Often, just wearing appropriately fitted hearing aids will relieve tinnitus. Sometimes, hearing aids alone, don’t offer the help patients need. Hearing aids with special features designed for tinnitus are now available. Some products are designed to mask the tinnitus with a soft “Shhhh” sound or “wind-like” noise. The sound is adjusted to match the tinnitus for each patient. Other products produce soft “music-like” tones, called fractal tones, to make the tinnitus less noticeable. The fractal tones are adjusted based on hearing sensitivity. Research has shown that listening to fractal tones can reduce the perception of tinnitus, improve concentration, and provides relaxation.
The good news is that with the latest advancements in technology available, most people get relief from some form of tinnitus treatment! Not all strategies are effective for everyone. If you suffer from tinnitus, consult with our hearing professionals and Dr. Richards. Take action to improve your quality of life and get help for “the noise in your head that won’t go away.”
We have two convenient locations to serve our patients. All locations have free parking. If you need assistance locating our office, please call us at (931) 647-1255 and one of our friendly staff will assist you. For a map and directions, please click on the link below the location address.
Phone 931.647.1255
Fax 931.647.2399
Phone 731.540.4522
Fax 931.647.2399