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Types Of Hearing Impairment And Solutions

anatomy of the inside of the ear

Feeling challenged by a hearing impairment? You can still lead a happy and fulfilled life. There are many hearing solutions available in Calgary to help manage your condition. Hearing aids have transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Canadians. With the right hearing devices, you can continue to lead a normal life. The first step is to determine the cause and extent of your hearing loss.

What Causes Hearing Impairment?

There are three types of hearing loss. Each one may be caused by a number of factors that affect a particular part of your ear. Here is an overview of each for a basic understanding. Proper diagnosis requires you to consult a Soundwave Hearing Care hearing impairment specialist or an audiologist in Calgary.

1. Conductive hearing loss:
This hearing impairment is caused by problems with your ear canal, eardrum, or the middle ear.

Causes:

  • Outer ear, ear canal or middle ear malformation
  • Fluid in the middle ear
  • Ear infection
  • Allergies
  • Poor function of the Eustachian tube
  • Ostosclerosis
  • Perforated eardrum
  • Benign tumors
  • Earwax
  • Ear canal infection
  • Presence of a foreign body

2. Sensorineural hearing loss:
Also known as nerve-related hearing loss, this condition is brought about by issues with your inner ear.

Causes:

  • Exposure to loud noise
  • Head trauma
  • Virus or disease
  • Autoimmune inner ear disease
  • Family history of hearing loss
  • Aging (presbycusis)
  • Inner ear malformation
  • Meniere’s Disease
  • Otosclerosis tumors

3. Mixed hearing loss:
This is a combination of the two hearing impairments mentioned above. It could be caused by damage in the outer or middle ear and in the inner ear or auditory nerve.

Which Hearing Solution Will Help Treat Your Impairment?
While some hearing impairments may require surgical intervention or medication, many others can be managed with the help of a hearing device. There are many different types of hearing aids serving a variety of needs. To determine which one is right, you will first need to schedule a hearing test with an experienced audiologist in Calgary.

An audiologist specializes in diagnosing, treating and monitoring hearing impairments. The specialist will provide the best hearing solution for you.

Remember that proper diagnosis is the key to effective treatment of your hearing impairment. Maintaining good hearing health is also part of the solution.

If you have a hearing impairment, contact Soundwave Hearing Care today for a hearing test in Calgary. We offer complete hearing solutions including stylish, custom-fit hearing aids to help you lead a happy and fulfilled life. Contact us online or visit one of our convenient locations.

All the blogs are reviewed and edited by our clinic's lead audiologist, Dr. Anne Wooliams. Dr. Woolliams is an experienced audiologist specialized in pediatric audiology, auditory processing, and tinnitus/sound sensitivity therapy. She is dedicated to providing top-notch hearing care and helping her clients improve their language and communication abilities. Dr. Woolliams' expertise in literature and linguistics, combined with her passion for helping people improve their language and communication, make her an incredibly valuable asset in the field of audiology. Learn more about Dr. Woolliams.